Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Crust

Give your leftover turkey a makeover with this wholesome and savory turkey pot pie with puff pastry. This recipe is essentially a pot pie casserole, as it’s baked in a baking dish, making it fuss-free and great for feeding a crowd. Plus, dare I say it’s even better as leftovers?

Reasons to love this pot pie recipe

When I think of comfort food, I think of things like chicken pot pie. A true classic. It’s cozy, wholesome, and savory – exactly what you need on a chilly fall or winter day. This recipe features three twists on a classic pot pie to make it even better:

1. It uses leftover turkey from Thanksgiving or other holiday meals. Turkey, plus flavorful veggies like mushrooms, carrots, celery, and onions deliver tons of umami flavor and make the pot pie filling extra thick.
2. It’s made it in a baking dish instead of a pie pan. This makes your pot pie easier to prepare in bulk and store as leftovers.
3. It has a light, flaky puff pastry crust instead of a traditional pie crust. If you can find premade puff pastry dough in the refrigerated section of your local grocery store, it’s typically made in the perfect size to fit a 9×13 inch baking dish. So satisfying.

Ingredients for leftover turkey pot pie

The ingredient list might look lengthy, but there are only a few specialty ingredients you’ll need. Don’t worry, I’ll break it all down and cover substitution options.

• Refrigerated puff pastry dough – This makes your pot pie more light and flaky than a more dense traditional pie crust. Can’t find premade puff pastry dough? No problem. You can also make it fairly easily from scratch or substitute in standard pie crust dough. (See the recipe card notes for more details.)
• Butter or olive oil for sautéing your vegetables.
• Diced vegetables – I use equal parts onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms (my not-so-secret ingredient for extra umami flavor).
• Seasoning – I use equal parts salt, pepper, Trader Joe’s Everything But the Leftovers Seasoning Blend, and Trader Joe’s Umami Seasoning Blend. Seasoning blends are great because they let you add tons of flavor without making you measure out a bunch of separate herbs and spices. (If you can’t find the Trader Joe’s seasonings, don’t worry! See the recipe card notes for more details.)
• Flour to thicken your filling mixture. I’d recommend all-purpose flour, but I shot this recipe with whole grain flour because I was out of all-purpose! (Your filling mixture won’t be as dark and brown as mine if you use white flour.)
• Broth – You can use chicken broth, vegetable broth, or if you’re feeling extra ambitious, I’d highly suggest homemade turkey broth made from veggie scraps and your turkey bones! (Here’s my go-to bone broth recipe.)
• Milk to add a touch of creaminess. Use whatever type of milk you prefer. Half-and-half or unsweetened, unflavored plant milk will also work.
• Leftover cooked turkey, shredded into bite-sized pieces. You can also substitute in roasted or rotisserie chicken.
• Frozen peas for a pop of color. If you have strong pea-related opinions, feel free to omit these or swap in another vegetable like corn!
• Egg to make an egg wash for the crust. Trust me, this makes a huge difference in your pot pie’s appearance!

Tips for the best pot pie ever

This baking dish pot pie is relatively easy to make, but there are some ways to mess it up. (Take it from me, a person who experimented and failed many times before getting this recipe just right!) Here’s how to make sure your turkey pot pie comes out perfect every time.

1. Par-bake your bottom crust. This may be an unpopular take, but I love a slightly soft bottom pie crust in my pot pie. There’s something comforting about the gooey, *almost* underbaked texture of pie crust that’s absorbed a bit of the filling liquid. But a raw or underbaked pie crust? That’s a different thing, entirely. (No soggy bottoms here!)

Par-baking your bottom puff pastry crust is easy, and will make for a more appetizing pot pie. Just roll one of the puff pastry sheets into your baking dish, press it down, and bake for about 15 minutes. It will look very puffy as first, but eventually it will depress enough for you to add filling.

2. Be patient with your veggies. Take your time when sautéing your veggies. Since there are a ton of vegetables in this recipe, and you’re cooking them in a pot, they take awhile to cook. You can test for doneness by poking a carrot with a fork, as they’ll most likely be the last veggies to cook through.

3. Season with your heart. My seasonings are just suggestions, folks. Comfort foods like pot pie tastes best when you put some love into them. Before pouring the filling mixture into the baking dish, taste it and adjust the seasonings to suit your little tastebuds.

4. Add less liquid than you think you should. Your filling mixture won’t reduce much in the oven. When you finish making the filling mixture, what you see in the pot is essentially what you get. You want your pie filling to be thick so it mostly holds together when you slice it. If your mixture is too thin, continue simmering it to reduce it. It it is too thick, you can always add an additional splash of broth or milk.

5. Use an egg wash for a golden-brown crust. Mix together an egg and a bit of water, then brush that mixture over the top crust in a thin and even layer. This makes a huge difference!

FAQs

Recipe modifications

• Smoked pot pie – This is a favorite in my house! You can add a kiss of smoke flavor to your pot pie by using smoked turkey or chicken instead of roasted. (Need a recipe? This smoked turkey from Hey Grill, Hey is my favorite.)
• Use chicken instead of turkey – An easy and delicious swap!
• Opt for different veggies – You can swap out any veggies you don’t like and modify this recipe with whatever veggies you have on hand. Try potatoes, parsnips, shallots, corn, or leeks.
• Vegetarian version – This recipe would be delicious as a veggie pot pie too! Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and add more mushrooms in place of the turkey.
• Dairy-free option – Use olive oil instead of butter and either omit the milk or swap in your favorite unflavored, unsweetened plant milk.
• Gluten-free option – It you can’t find a gluten-free crust option at the grocery store, you can whip up a gluten-free puff pastry at home. (Here’s a great GF puff pastry recipe!) You’ll also need to swap out the flour in this recipe for gluten-free flour.
• Use a single crust – This is also a delicious and slightly lighter option! You can pour the pie filling directly into the baking dish, then cover with a top crust.
• Use standard pie crust – I’ve made this recipe with premade pie crust and it also tasted great. If your pie crust doughs come in a round shape, you’ll need use a pie pan or reshape your dough to fit your baking dish. To reshape your dough, crumple it into tight ball, then use a floured surface and rolling pin to roll it into a rectangular shape.
• Make in a pie pan instead of a baking dish – Since this is a large batch recipe, split the filling between two standard pie pans.

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Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Crust

Give your leftover turkey a makeover with this wholesome and savory pot pie recipe. It's made in a baking dish to feed a crowd and has a light and flaky puff pastry crust – perfect for a cozy and comforting meal on a chilly day.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: baked, comfort food, leftovers, Thanksgiving

Servings: 10

Calories: 686kcal

Author: Chelsea Jackle, RDN

Equipment

• 1 glass baking dish 9×13
• 1 large pot or dutch oven

Ingredients

• 2 packages refrigerated puff pastry dough (about 13.5 oz each)
• 2 tbsp butter (or olive oil)
• 2 cups diced onion
• 2 cups diced carrots
• 2 cups diced celery
• 2 cups diced mushrooms
• 1 tsp salt (or more to taste)
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Trader Joe's Everything But the Leftovers Seasoning Blend (see notes for substitution)
• 1 tsp Trader Joe's Umami Seasoning Blend (see notes for substitution)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth (or more if needed)
• 1 cup whole milk (or half and half)
• 2 cups leftover cooked turkey (shredded into bite-sized pieces)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 large egg

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Unroll one of the pie crusts into a 9×13 baking dish, pressing it into the corners and up the sides before cutting off any excess. Poke it a few times with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside.

Make the filling mixture

• Meanwhile, heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add butter, then add onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Sauté until fork tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add seasoning (salt, pepper, leftovers seasoning, umami seasoning) and flour to the pot. Stir and continue cooking until the flour is evenly incorporated into the vegetables and toasted. (The mixture will look thick at this point – that's what you want!)
• Add broth, scraping any stuck on bits from the bottom of the pot and stirring to break up any remaining lumps of flour. Add a bit of extra broth if the mixture looks too thick. Continue simmering until the mixture looks like a very thick stew. (It shouldn't be watery or soupy.)
• Reduce the heat to low and add in milk, turkey, and frozen peas. Stir to incorporate, then remove from the heat. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Make the pot pie

• Pour the filling mixture onto the par-baked crust inside the baking dish. (The baking dish shouldn't be overflowing. If it is, leave out a bit of the filling.)
• Unroll the other pie crust and cover the baking dish with it. Cut off any excess and crimp the edges with a fork. Poke the surface a few times with a fork to create vents for steam.
• Make an egg wash by whisking together one egg and 2 tablespoons of water. Brush the pie crust with a thin and even layer of the egg wash.
• Bake at 425°F for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Serve immediately or refrigerate and enjoy as leftovers!

Notes

• Please note that nutrition facts are an estimate and can vary widely based on amounts and specific types used.
• Can’t find premade puff pastry dough?
  • You can also make it fairly easily from scratch (here’s a an awesome homemade puff pastry recipe!)
  • You can also substitute in standard pie crust dough. If your pie crust doughs come in a round shape, you’ll need use a pie pan or reshape your dough to fit your baking dish. To reshape your dough, crumple it into tight ball, then use a floured surface and rolling pin to roll it into a rectangular shape.
• No TJ’s Everything But The Leftovers Seasoning Blend?
  • Use poultry seasoning mix. 
  • Or, make your own batch of seasoning by combining 1 tsp onion powder, a pinch of turmeric, and ¼ tsp each: salt, ground celery seed, ground sage, rosemary, dried thyme, and dried parsley. This will make about 2 batches, so only use a teaspoon or so in this recipe.
• No TJ’s Umami Seasoning Blend?
  • Purchase another brand of umami seasoning.
  • Omit it and swap in an extra teaspoon of your poultry or Everything But The Leftovers seasoning.
  • Or, make your own by combining a pinch of red pepper flakes and ¼ tsp each: salt, onion powder, ground mustard, mushroom powder, black pepper, and dried thyme. This will make about 2 batches, so only use a teaspoon or so in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 686kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 595mg | Potassium: 497mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 4626IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 4mg

Looking for more leftover poultry recipes?

• Turkey & Potato Soup
• Homemade Bone Broth