Delicious Turkey Pot Pie with Ground Turkey – An Easy Weeknight Dinner

Turkey pot pie is the ultimate comfort food. With a flaky crust and a creamy, hearty filling, itsatisfies your craving for something warm and nostalgic While traditional turkey pot pie uses leftover roasted turkey, this easy weeknight version calls for convenient ground turkey. It comes together quickly but tastes like you spent all day in the kitchen I’ve made this simple turkey pot pie recipe countless times for my family because it’s delicious, budget-friendly, and freezer-friendly. Keep reading for my tips and tricks for making the best ground turkey pot pie!

Benefits of Choosing Ground Turkey

Ground turkey offers a few advantages over roasted turkey in pot pie

• Lower Cost: Ground turkey is more affordable than buying a whole turkey. A pound of ground turkey costs just a few dollars.

• Quick Cooking: Browning ground turkey on the stovetop takes about 10 minutes while roasting a whole turkey can take upwards of 2 hours.

• Less Waste: Using up every last bit of ground turkey is easy. With a whole roasted bird, you may end up tossing some uneaten meat.

• Flavor Flexibility: The mild taste of ground turkey takes on the flavors of the pot pie ingredients. You can customize spices to suit your preferences.

While roasted turkey is fantastic for holiday meals, ground turkey is ideal for busy weeknights. You get all the same cozy, comfort food flavors with a fraction of the effort.

Selecting the Best Ground Turkey

Not all ground turkey is created equal. Here’s what to look for:

• Lean: Choose a 90-93% lean ground turkey so the meat stays moist during cooking. Avoid 99% lean ground turkey—it tends to turn dry and crumbly.

• Minimally Processed: Opt for turkey that is simply ground, with no seasonings or additives. This lets you control the flavor.

• Fresh: Check the sell-by date and pick the freshest option available for maximum flavor and juiciness.

I like to buy plain ground turkey and portion it into 1 pound packages at home. This gives me ready-to-use portions whenever a recipe calls for ground turkey.

Pot Pie Filling Ingredients

Part of what makes this pot pie so hearty and comforting are the colorful vegetables mixed in:

• Onion: Diced onion provides aromatic flavor.

• Carrots: Carrots add some natural sweetness.

• Celery: Celery balances out the carrot sweetness with herbal, earthy notes.

• Peas: I use frozen peas since they don’t require blanching.

• Mushrooms: Meaty mushrooms enhance the savoriness.

• Fresh herbs: Herbs like thyme, rosemary and sage season the filling.

You can customize the filling with your family’s favorite vegetables like potatoes, corn, green beans or parsnips. Just aim for lots of different colors and textures in each bite.

How to Make Creamy Turkey Gravy

A simple white gravy binds all the pot pie ingredients together. Here’s how to make it right:

• Cook the roux: Whisk together butter and flour in the same pan you browned the turkey and vegetables. The flour soaks up the juices and fat, creating a thick roux.

• Gradually add liquid: Pour in chicken or turkey broth and milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps.

• Simmer: Let the gravy simmer and thicken for 5+ minutes so the raw flour taste cooks out.

• Season carefully: Start with just 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. You can always add more!

The filling should be nice and thick, but still able to move around freely. If your gravy is too thick, splash in a bit more broth. Too thin? Mix in a teaspoon of cornstarch.

Picking the Perfect Pot Pie crust

You have a few crust options for turkey pot pie:

• Homemade pie crust: Making pie dough from scratch isn’t as hard as it seems. Check out recipes that use both butter and shortening for a perfectly flaky crust.

• Store-bought pie crust: Keep a package or two in your freezer so turkey pot pie can come together in a flash on busy nights.

• Biscuit topping: For a quicker alternative, simply bake a layer of fluffy biscuits on top.

No matter which crust you choose, brush it with an egg wash before baking for a glossy sheen. The egg wash helps the crust turn crispy and golden brown.

Helpful Turkey Pot Pie Tips

Over the years, I’ve picked up some tips for making flawless turkey pot pie every time:

• Sauté vegetables until just fork-tender, not mushy soft. They’ll continue cooking in the oven.

• Let the filling cool slightly before pouring it into the pie dish so the crust doesn’t get soggy.

• Use a pie dish with fluted edges for a pretty presentation.

• Chill the rolled-out crust for 10-15 minutes before placing it on the pie dish if it gets too soft and sticky.

• Save some pie dough scraps to cut into shapes and decorate the top crust.

• Cover the crust edges with foil to prevent over-browning if needed.

• Let the pie rest at least 5-10 minutes before slicing so the filling sets.

With practice, you’ll get perfectly golden pie crust and a nicely thickened creamy filling every time you make turkey pot pie.

Freezing Turkey Pot Pie

One of the things I love about pot pie is that it freezes beautifully. Here are a few freezing tips:

• Cool the finished pot pie completely before freezing so it freezes evenly.

• Double wrap pot pies tightly in plastic wrap followed by foil to prevent freezer burn.

• Add a label with the date and recipe name before freezing for easy identification later.

• Turkey pot pie will keep well in the freezer for 2-3 months.

• Thaw the frozen pot pie overnight in the refrigerator before baking as directed.

Freezing pot pie means you always have a hearty, healthy meal ready to thaw and bake on demanding days. I like to make a double batch and freeze half for those nights I don’t feel like cooking.

Serving Suggestions

Turkey pot pie is pretty amazing all on its own, but here are some tasty items to serve alongside:

• Dinner rolls – Warm, crusty rolls are perfect for soaking up every drop of gravy.

• Crisp green salad – A fresh, light salad balances the hearty pie.

• Mashed potatoes – What could be better than a big spoonful of creamy mashed potatoes with your slice of pot pie?

• Wine or cider – Pair pot pie with a refreshing glass of white wine, red wine or hard cider.

With its comforting flavors and one-dish convenience, turkey pot pie should be on regular rotation in your meal plan. Impress your family with your homemade turkey pot pie and savor the delicious aromas filling your kitchen. This simple recipe will quickly become a tried-and-true family favorite.