How to Make Homemade Turkey Pot Pie from Scratch

Turn leftover turkey into an entirely new meal with this turkey pot pie recipe. Vegetables and cooked turkey come together in a creamy herbed gravy, and it’s all topped with a buttery golden pie crust. This base recipe can be customized to your liking with ingredients you have on hand, and you can use pre-cut, leftover, or frozen vegetables to save time. Maximum comfort food for minimal effort!

Every fall season, I try to find a few recipes to use up leftover cooked turkey or chicken. (You know, after we’ve had our fill of turkey sandwiches!!) Pot pie usually comes to mind first because it’s always a satisfying, crowd-pleasing choice.

Homemade turkey pot pie is the ultimate comfort food that is perfect for leftovers after Thanksgiving or anytime you have leftover turkey. With a creamy vegetable filling and a golden flaky crust, this pot pie is sure to become a new family favorite. Making it at home allows you to control the ingredients and put your own spin on this classic dish. This article will provide a step-by-step guide to making homemade turkey pot pie completely from scratch.

Ingredients Needed

The ingredients for homemade turkey pot pie are simple and versatile Here is what you will need

Pie dough – Make your own or use store-bought. Homemade tastes best but pre-made saves time.
Turkey – Leftover cooked turkey works great. Aim for 2-3 cups chopped.
Onion – One onion diced provides flavor.
Celery – One rib diced adds texture.
Carrots – Two carrots sliced enhance texture and color.
Potatoes – One to two potatoes diced soak up flavors.
Frozen peas and carrots – One cup adds convenience.
Butter – Two tablespoons adds richness.
Flour – Four tablespoons thickens the sauce.
Chicken or turkey broth – Two cups provides moisture and flavor.
Heavy cream or milk – One cup makes the sauce creamy.
Fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, sage – One tablespoon adds flavor.
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika – Season to taste.

Make the Filling

Preheat your oven to 400°F.
In a skillet, cook the onion and celery in butter for 3-5 minutes until soft.
Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute more. This makes a roux to thicken the sauce.
Whisk in the broth, cream, and any seasonings. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.
Add the cooked turkey, potatoes, carrots, peas, and any other vegetables you want. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Transfer the filling to a 9-inch pie dish.

Assemble and Bake the Pot Pie

Roll out one pie crust and carefully place it over the filling in the dish. Trim any overhang.
Cut slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush the top with egg wash or cream for a golden crust.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Allow to cool 15 minutes before slicing.
Serve warm with a side salad for a comforting homemade meal. Enjoy!

Tips for Making the Best Homemade Turkey Pot Pie

For more flavor, use homemade turkey stock instead of plain broth.
Mix up the veggies! Try parsnips, sweet potatoes, corn, spinach or any leftovers.
Top with puff pastry for an extra flaky crust. Chill it first so it doesn’t melt.
For a creamy sauce, use half heavy cream and half milk or broth.
Prevent a soggy bottom crust by baking on a sheet pan or foil-lined pan.
Brush the bottom crust with egg wash too or sprinkle breadcrumbs before filling.
Customize seasonings to your taste – sage, rosemary, cumin all work great.
Make turkey and veggie pot pies for non-meat eaters by omitting the turkey.
Freeze unbaked pot pies up to 3 months, then bake from frozen at 375°F.
Cook vegetables until almost tender before adding to the filling to prevent overcooking.
Leftovers can be refrigerated 3-4 days or frozen up to 3 months when properly stored.

Variations to Try

The possibilities are endless when making turkey pot pie. Switch it up by trying these tasty variations:

Buffalo Turkey Pot Pie – Toss the turkey in Buffalo wing sauce and add blue cheese crumbles.
Thai Turkey Pot Pie – Use coconut milk, red curry paste, chopped peanuts and cilantro.
BBQ Turkey Pot Pie – Make a BBQ seasoned filling and top with cheddar cheese biscuits.
Mediterranean Turkey Pot Pie – Add artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, feta and basil.
Ranch Turkey Pot Pie – Mix Ranch seasoning into the filling and use buttermilk biscuits on top.

Make-Ahead and Freezing Instructions

Part of the appeal of pot pie is being able to prep it in advance. Here are some tips:

Assemble the unbaked pot pie completely then cover tightly and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
Freeze the cooked turkey filling portionseparately up to 3 months. Make the sauce and assemble the full pot pie later.
Prepare pot pie shells in a muffin tin, then freeze unbaked. Fill with turkey filling and bake when ready to eat.
Cook an extra turkey breast when making your holiday bird. Shred and freeze the meat to use later in pot pies.

Bring Homemade Comfort with Turkey Pot Pie

Now you have all the tips and tricks to make your own homemade turkey pot pie from start to finish. Feel free to get creative with the fillings and crusts to cater it exactly to your family’s tastes. The combinations are endless! With tender vegetables, savory turkey, creamy sauce, and flakey crust, this pot pie is the ultimate hearty comfort food meal any night of the week.

how to make homemade turkey pot pie

Start With Pie Crust

Before the filling, have your pie crust prepared and ready to go. I love using this homemade pie crust, a dough made from both butter AND shortening to yield the flakiest, most tender crust. This turkey pot pie recipe uses just 1 disc of pie dough, so if you made my homemade pie crust recipe for your pumpkin pie, pecan pie, or French silk pie, you’ll have 1 leftover for today’s pot pie!

You can make the dough up to 5 days in advance.

Here are some other crust options:

Store-bought: Use 1 sheet/disc of store-bought pie crust.
All-butter crust: For a homemade crust without shortening, try my all butter pie crust.
Double crust: If you’d like to make a double crust turkey pot pie, follow the assembly and cooking directions from my double crust chicken pot pie. But, truly, I don’t think you’ll miss the bottom crust in today’s version.
Biscuits: Swap the pie crust for the easy biscuit topping used in this biscuit vegetable pot pie recipe.

Can I use puff pastry? You can use thawed store-bought puff pastry instead of a top pie crust. However, keep in mind that the underside of the dough (that touches the filling) usually ends up tasting soggy. For that reason, it’s an option I usually skip when making pot pie. Biscuits are a great alternative to pie crust, see my biscuit vegetable pot pie!

Assemble Pie Dough & Bake

Roll out your pie dough and lay over the filling. Tuck the overhanging dough under and meld it into itself, to make a thick crust edge around the pot pie. Flute edges with your fingers or crimp with a fork. Cut slits in the top for steam vents, and then brush on an egg wash before baking.

To make your egg wash, mix 1 egg with 1 Tablespoon of milk (convenient because you just used milk in the filling!). The egg wash gives the crust its golden, glistening sheen.

how to make homemade turkey pot pie

How To Make Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry | Pot Pie Recipe | Leftover Recipes

FAQ

What is turkey pot pie made of?

It’s just like chicken pot pie, but with turkey! The filling is made with vegetables like onion, carrot, celery, and green peas. It becomes creamy thanks to some buttah, flour, broth, and heavy cream.

What’s the difference between a meat pie and a pot pie?

And if you’re wondering what the difference is between a pot pie and a meat pie—a pot pie is the American version of the European meat pie. A meat pie has both a top and a bottom crust. And who doesn’t want more buttery, flaky pastry in their life?

How do you make a turkey pot pie?

Just a few steps and you will have an amazing Homemade Turkey Pot Pie! Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Melt the butter in a skillet and sauté onion, garlic, celery and carrots, about 7-8 mins. Whisk in the stock, chicken base, salt and pepper. Then bring to a boil.

How do you make a turkey pot pie with frozen peas?

You can add a splash of chicken broth if the mixture seems a little dry. Stir in peas: Stir in the frozen peas and then remove from heat and prepare the sauce for the turkey pot pie. Mix butter and flour: In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium high heat. Gradually add the flour and stir into a paste.

How do you make a turkey pot pie Roux?

Butter: The turkey pot pie filling starts with ⅔ cup melted butter. Flour: All-purpose flour helps create a roux. Seasonings: Season the flavorful turkey pot pie with salt, pepper, celery seed, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Broth: Use store-bought or homemade chicken broth . Milk: Milk is essential to a rich, thick roux.

How do you cook a frozen turkey pot pie?

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brush the crust with an egg wash. Pop the frozen pot pie in the oven, on a baking sheet to catch spills, and bake for 80-90 minutes until it is golden and bubbling. If the crust is getting too dark simply tent some foil over top for the remaining cooking time. Turkey Pot Pie can absolutely be served by itself!