Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry
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If you’re already sick of leftover turkey, you have to make this turkey pot pie with puff pastry ASAP! With potatoes, peas, carrots, shallots, and a flavorful white wine-spiked gravy, it’s a cozy and elegant way to use up leftovers. Make it for guests or a simple Sunday dinner – it’s the best!
There’s always a few days after the holidays where friends and family are still around but you’re sick of eating leftovers and you’ve exhausted all the take-out spots nearby. Usually, I’ll make something hands-off and big batch like braised pork ragù with gnocchi or pot roast with red wine and shallots.
But, when I’m really committed to using up all those leftovers? Well, that’s where the humble pot pie comes in. Everyone loves a pot pie. It’s creamy, it’s cozy, and it’s best eaten on the couch while passing around a bottle of wine.
This recipe is a combo of the chicken pot pie my mom made growing up and the one I learned how to make in pastry school years ago. It has a decadent, flavorful gravy with a bit of white wine to cut the richness (a trick I learned from my mom!) and a puff pastry lid which is how we made it in pastry school. SO good!
- This recipe is the perfect way to use up holiday leftovers. Turkey, herbs, leftover veg, etc.
- It’s an elevated version of classic pot pie with puff pastry, fresh herbs, & white wine.
- It’s a huge crowd-pleaser – make it for guests who are still hanging around after the holidays.
- You can freeze this pot pie and enjoy it later – future self with thank you.
Use up all those leftovers
This recipe is made up with a bunch of leftovers, but you’ll still need a few extra ingredients. Here’s the full list!
- Butter – a pat of unsalted butter adds a lovely richness to the gravy.
- Mirepoix – a mix of carrots, celery, and shallots add sweetness and depth.
- Garlic – for the best flavor use freshly-minced garlic cloves!
- Herbs – fresh thyme and rosemary taste amazing with the roasted turkey. Feel free to use other herbs like sage, parsley, and chives.
- Flour – a bit of all-purpose flour will thicken the gravy.
- Dry white wine – the acidity in the wine adds flavor and cuts the richness a bit.
- Chicken broth – this will work as the liquid in the sauce. You can also use turkey broth if you have it!
- Milk – use whole milk to make this pot pie nice and creamy.
- Potatoes – I use Yukon gold potatoes. They’re so creamy and soften easily in the oven.
- Peas – I love adding frozen peas to the pie for texture and a pop of sweetness.
- Leftover turkey – dark meat, white meat, or a mix will all work in this recipe. Make sure to discard the bones! If you don’t have leftover turkey, leftover roast chicken or rotisserie chicken works too.
- Puff pastry – since this is a single-crust pie, you’ll only need one sheet. Make sure to let it defrost for about 30 minutes or so. For a classic pot pie, use store-bought or homemade pie crust instead of puff pastry.
- Egg wash – brush the crust with egg wash (1 egg whisked with 1 Tablespoon of water) to make the top nice and shiny!
- Salt and pepper – I use Morton’s Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
Recipe instructions
Make the filling
- First, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the carrots, celery, and shallot.
- Cook until the veggies are softened and starting to brown on the edges. Then, add the garlic, rosemary, and thyme.
- Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute.
- Next, add the white wine and chicken broth. Stir until smooth.
- Add the milk and whisk until the gravy is combined.
- Cook, stirring often, until the gravy is thickened.
- Once the gravy is nice and thick, add the turkey, potatoes, and peas.
- Then, stir until the mixture is well combined.
- Spoon the filling into a 9-inch pie plate or 8×8” casserole dish.
Assemble & bake
- While the filling cools a bit, roll out the puff pastry and cut out a 10-inch circle.
- Then, roll the puff pastry over the filling and crimp the edges. Cut a few slits in the center.
- Lastly, brush the crust with egg wash and bake until the crust is golden-brown and the potatoes are tender. Enjoy!
For light and flaky crust, make sure to use chilled puff pastry. You’ll want to let it defrost for about 30 minutes from the freezer, but don’t let it warm up completely. Cold puff pastry is the secret to those flaky layers!
Make-ahead & freeze
Totally turkey-ed out? You can make-ahead and freeze this pot pie for later! Start by making the filling and letting it cool completely. Tip the filling into a freezer-safe pan and top with the puff pastry crust. Carefully wrap the unbaked pot pie in two layers of plastic or beeswax wrap. Then, place the wrapped pot pie in a large freezer bag or wrap it in tinfoil. Freeze for up to 2 months.
To bake the pie straight from the freezer:
- Unwrap the frozen pot pie & cover with tin foil.
- Bake the pot pie at 400°F (204°C) for about 30 minutes.
- Then, remove the tinfoil and brush the crust with egg wash.
- Lastly, bake the pot pie for another 30-40 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the crust is golden-brown.
If you’re freezing the pot pie, make sure to use a metal pie plate or a disposable aluminum pan. You don’t want to transfer a ceramic pan straight from the freezer to the oven, or it could crack.
Refrigerate & reheat leftovers
Store leftovers in airtight containers or just cover the pan with plastic or beeswax wrap. Refrigerate for up to 4-5 days. To heat the leftovers, you can use the microwave or oven. The microwave makes the crust a little soggy, so I recommend the oven if possible!
- Microwave – heat individual portions of pot pie for 1-1 1/2 minutes, stirring it halfway through.
- Oven – cover the pot pie with tinfoil and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 20-30 minutes depending on how many servings you’re heating up.
Side dish ideas
This pot pie is an all-in-one meal but feel free to add sides to bulk it up! These are some of my go-tos.
- Simple green salad with sherry shallot dressing
- Caramelized Brussels sprouts with bacon
- Lemony green beans with pine nuts & garlic
- Charred broccoli with breadcrumbs & pecorino
- Hot honey Brussels sprouts
Final notes
- Remove the skin from the turkey. Otherwise the texture will get chewy as it bakes in the filling.
- The filling will bubble up while it’s baking. To keep it from making a mess of your oven, bake the pot pie on a sheet pan to catch the drips!
- If the top of the pie starts to get too browned, just tent it with tinfoil. You want the crust to be deep golden brown but not burnt.
- If the potatoes aren’t tender, add 5-10 minutes of cooking time. I recommend cutting the potatoes small dice so they cook quickly in the oven!
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Leftover Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (56 grams)
- 3 large carrots, peeled & sliced (3/4 cup / 100 grams)
- 2 stalks celery, diced (1/2 cup / 65 grams)
- 1 large shallot, diced (1 cup / 150 grams)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 large cloves)
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (30 grams)
- 1/3 cup dry white wine (79 milliliters)
- 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (295 milliliters)
- 3/4 cup whole milk (177 milliliters)
- 2 small gold potatoes, peeled & small dice (1 1/4 cups / 200 grams)
- 1/2 cup frozen peas (85 grams)
- 2 1/2 cups diced leftover turkey (325 grams)
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Equipment
- Deep 9-inch pie plate (or 8×8-inch casserole dish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Grease a deep 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray or neutral oil. Then, whisk the egg and 1 Tablespoon (15 milliliters) of water in a small bowl to make egg wash.
- Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, shallots, and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender and starting to brown on the edges, about 6-7 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and rosemary and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetable mixture, and cook for about 1 minute. Then, slowly whisk in the white wine, chicken broth, and milk until the mixture is smooth. Cook, stirring often, until the mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
- Mix the potatoes, peas, and leftover turkey into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Carefully pour the filling into the prepared pie plate and let it cool slightly.
- Next, unroll the puff pastry on a lightly-floured surface. Roll out any cracks in the pastry with a rolling pin. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut out a circle that's about 10-inches in diameter.
- Stretch the puff pastry crust over the top of the filling and crimp the edges. Cut a few slits in the top of the pie for steam to escape. Then, use a pastry brush to brush the crust with the egg wash.
- Bake the pot pie for 35-40 minutes until the crust is a deep golden-brown and the potatoes are tender. (If the crust starts to get too browned, tent the top of the pie with tinfoil.) Let the pot pie cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
