Turkey Pot Pie

This classic Turkey Pot Pie has a flaky tender crust and comforting filling made with leftover turkey, turkey gravy, and fresh vegetables. It’s the perfect way to use up turkey dinner leftovers!

Sometimes I enjoy dreaming up what I’m going to do with leftover turkey more than I enjoy the turkey dinner! Over the years I’ve created many hits, like these gameday Hawaiian Roll Turkey Sliders and the popular Cheesy Turkey Enchiladas. There have been a few misses, too. Related: If you have a good Turkey Tetrazzini recipe, please send it my way!

Turkey Pot Pie

When I think about how to use up leftover turkey, classic turkey pot pie is always the first recipe that comes to mind. It takes a little bit of effort to make pastry from scratch, though it’s not as daunting as you might think, as long as you use my Food Processor Pastry Recipe.

Believe me, it’s worth the effort. The second your fork breaks through the flaky layers of golden baked rich butter pastry you know you are in for a treat. The filling is turkey dinner perfection all over again. Who knew that leftovers could taste this good?!

What could be better or more comforting than tender bites of shredded turkey and fresh vegetables in gravy? This pie is like a warm hug from grandma in food form and I am thrilled to share this food love with you. I hope you enjoy this recipe and it brings joy and comfort to your family.

Some Recipe Notes…

1. Anyone can make pie pastry. There was a time when making a pie from scratch terrified me. However, I love pie so much that I never gave up searching for the perfect pastry recipe. I tried so many methods until I found one that worked for me. Now I use my food processor and can have pastry resting in under 5 minutes. You can do it too!
2. You may crave this comforting pot pie at anytime. If you don’t have leftover turkey, you can use leftover chicken or a store bought rotisserie chicken in this recipe.
3. This recipe also requires a large amount of leftover gravy. You can substitute flour, chicken stock, and heavy cream in place of gravy. Be sure to check the recipe card notes for instructions.
4. You can freeze this pie before or after you bake it. Read on to find out how.

Ingredients for Turkey Pot Pie

Besides the leftover turkey and gravy, this savoury pie is loaded with colourful veggies and classic poultry-friendly herbs like sage and thyme. This is a classic turkey pot pie recipe that tastes beyond basic.

• Olive OIl
• Onion
• Celery
• Carrot
• Salt
• Pepper
• Sage
• Thyme
• Turkey
• Gravy
• Peas
• Corn
• Parsley
• Pastry
• Egg

The onion, celery, and carrot are fresh vegetables which require more cooking time than the frozen corn and peas. These two kinds of vegetables are added at different stages of the recipe to keep the peas from overcooking.

If you don’t have fresh or dried sage and thyme, you can use 1/2 teaspoon ground poultry seasoning instead. Feel free to use dried parsley instead of fresh.

Short on time or still not ready to try making pie pastry? You can use two store bought pie crusts instead of making your own.

No leftover gravy? Instead, add 2 tablespoons flour to the cooked vegetables and herbs (before you add the turkey). Pour in 1 1/2 cups chicken or turkey stock and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Bring it to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Once it thickens slightly, add the diced turkey, corn, and peas.

How to Make a Turkey Pot Pie

I highly recommend you begin by making a double pie pastry using my easy Food Processor Pie Pastry recipe.

How to Make the Turkey Filling

While the pastry rests, drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté the vegetables on medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until they soften and the onion becomes translucent. Add sage and thyme, then season with pepper.

Next, add diced turkey to the saucepan and allow it to heat up for a few minutes before adding the gravy. Heat the filling until just before it reaches a boil. Remove from heat and set aside while you roll out the pie crust.

How to Roll Dough for a Double Crust Pie

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Remove the plastic wrap from one disk of dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough from the center in an even, outward motion, turning the dough 1/4 turn after each roll. Continue rolling and turning the dough until it becomes a 12 inch circle approximately 1/4 inch thick.

Carefully roll dough around the rolling pin and unroll it over a 9 inch glass pie plate. Without pulling, adjust the dough so that it fit snugly against the bottom and sides of the plate. The edges of the dough should be resting over the edges of the pie plate (see photo). Use scissors to trim any excess dough.

Next, scatter a bit more flour over the work surface and roll the second portion of dough into another 12 inch circle. Fill the pie shell with filling until the top is just slightly mounded.

Place the rolled dough over top of the filling and trim any excess hanging over the edge. Gently hold the pastry edges with both hands (between your thumb and forefinger) and begin to roll the top pastry under the bottom. Do this for the entire pie, then use a fork to crimp and seal the edges.

Bake the Turkey Pot Pie

Make a few slits in the upper pastry and use a pastry brush to brush the beaten egg over the entire top of the pie. Set the pie on a baking sheet and place on the middle oven rack.

Bake for 40 minutes at 400 F then check for doneness. The pastry should be a deep golden brown and the filling should be bubbling. Bake for another 5 minutes if the pastry is pale or light brown. Note that internal temperature should reach 165 F when tested with a thermometer.

Allow the pie to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Make Ahead Instructions

If you don’t intend to gobble this pie up straight out of the oven, it makes a very freezer friendly meal. I like to keep one or two in the freezer as they make a great gift meal for new moms or other deserving friends and family.

A pre-assembled pie will keep (wrapped in plastic) in the fridge for up to 4 days. It is best to completely cool the filling before you fill and seal the pie. To bake the chilled pie: Remove from it the fridge, brush with egg wash, and bake as directed. Add an extra 5-10 minutes baking time.

You can either freeze the pie before or after you bake it.

To freeze an unbaked pie, completely cool the filling before you fill and seal the pie in an aluminum pie dish. Place the pie on a baking sheet and place in freezer overnight. The next day pop the frozen pie into a freezer bag and freezer for up to 3 months.

To bake from frozen: Brush frozen pie with egg wash and bake in a preheated 400 F oven for the original baking time, plus another 30-35 minutes. If the crust starts looking too dark, tent it loosely with aluminum foil.

To freeze a baked pie: Completely cool the pie to room temperature. Place in a heavy duty freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

To bake from frozen: Bake frozen pie in a preheated 350 F oven for 45-60 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 F.

If you make this Turkey Pot Pie recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Pinterest for my latest recipes. Also, if you do make this recipe, please tag me on Instagram, I’d love to see what you guys are making! Thank you so much for reading my blog.