This Creamy Turkey Shepherd’s Pie is the best way to use up all your holiday dinner leftovers. It’s loaded with turkey and veggies, then topped with mashed potatoes. The perfect comfort food!.
But I think we can all agree that the best day for leftovers is the day after Thanksgiving. And one of my favorite past times is dreaming up ways to use them.
Naturally, this Turkey Shepherd’s Pie—along with this Turkey Tetrazzini and this Turkey Noodle Soup—was at the top of the list.
Throw in pretty much everything you have from your holiday dinner (turkey, gravy, veggies, and potatoes), warm it up in the oven, and presto—you have a delicious dinner ready to go!
Thanksgiving leftovers: a bounty of deliciousness that begs to be transformed into new and exciting dishes. Among the many possibilities, shepherd’s pie stands out as a classic comfort food that perfectly utilizes leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, and vegetables.
Today, we’ll explore two fantastic shepherd’s pie recipes, each with its own unique twist, to help you make the most of your post-Thanksgiving feast.
1. Creamy Turkey Shepherd’s Pie (The Recipe Rebel)
This recipe is all about maximizing flavor and indulgence It features a creamy, gravy-like filling loaded with tender turkey, sauteed vegetables, and a generous helping of mashed potatoes. The key to its creaminess lies in the addition of butter and flour to the vegetable mixture, creating a rich and satisfying sauce.
Key Ingredients:
- Leftover turkey
- Butter
- Onion, carrot, celery
- Garlic
- Flour
- Chicken broth
- Frozen peas
- Mashed potatoes
- Seasonings (salt, pepper, thyme)
Instructions:
- Sauté the vegetables in butter until softened.
- Add garlic, cook briefly, then stir in flour and broth.
- Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened.
- Mix in peas, turkey, and seasonings.
- Top with mashed potatoes and bake until heated through.
Tips:
- Feel free to add other vegetables like mushrooms, bell peppers, or green beans.
- Use any leftover mashed potatoes you have, or whip up a quick batch.
- For an extra cheesy touch, sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top before baking.
2. Leftover Turkey Shepherd’s Pie (Jo Cooks)
This version takes a simpler approach, focusing on fresh flavors and a satisfyingly rustic presentation. The filling is made with a vibrant mix of vegetables, herbs, and spices, while the mashed potatoes are left unadorned for a more natural touch.
Key Ingredients:
- Leftover turkey
- Butter
- Onion, bell pepper, carrot, celery
- Herbs (basil, thyme)
- Garlic
- Flour
- Chicken broth
- Chicken bouillon cube
- Frozen peas
- Mashed potatoes
- Mozzarella cheese (optional)
Instructions:
- Sauté the vegetables in butter until softened.
- Add herbs, garlic, and spices.
- Sprinkle in flour and cook briefly.
- Pour in broth and bouillon cube, simmer until thickened.
- Fold in turkey and peas.
- Spread mashed potatoes over the filling.
- Top with mozzarella cheese (optional) and bake until golden brown and bubbly.
Tips:
- Use any leftover vegetables you have on hand.
- Feel free to experiment with different herbs and spices to customize the flavor.
- For a richer flavor, use leftover gravy instead of chicken broth.
Both of these shepherd’s pie recipes offer a delicious and satisfying way to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers. Whether you prefer a creamy and indulgent version or a simpler, rustic approach, you’re sure to find a recipe that suits your taste and satisfies your cravings. So, gather your ingredients, grab your leftover turkey, and get ready to create a comforting and delicious post-Thanksgiving feast.
Additional Resources:
- For more Thanksgiving leftover inspiration, check out these websites:
- Explore different variations of shepherd’s pie recipes:
Enjoy your leftover turkey shepherd’s pie!
How to Make Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
With only 10 minutes of preparation, this pie is as simple as it gets—we’re using our Thanksgiving leftovers!
- Sauté the vegetables: Melt butter in a medium oven-safe skillet and add celery, carrot, and onion. Sauté until soft, then add the garlic and cook for an additional one minute.
- To make the filling, add a tablespoon more of butter to the vegetables and stir in the flour and broth. Stir-fry until thickened, then add the turkey and peas. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme.
- Place the mashed potatoes on top of the filling, then drizzle with the remaining butter.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F, or until the potatoes are thoroughly heated.
Turkey Shepherd’s Pie FAQs
Both cottage pie and shepherd’s pie are savory meat pies, but there is a technical difference. Cottage pie is traditionally made with ground beef. Shepherd’s pie is traditionally made with ground lamb. So I guess this Turkey Shepherd’s Pie isn’t either, but now we’re just getting technical.
Although this Shepherd’s Pie with Turkey is flavorful enough just the way it is, you can add more seasoning to taste it. Try any dried herbs, a sprinkle of cayenne or red pepper flakes, chili powder, paprika, you name it.
Absolutely! You can assemble your Turkey Shepherd’s Pie up to a day before you want to serve it. Do not bake. Instead, cover in plastic wrap or foil and store in the fridge for 1-2 days. When you’re ready to serve, bake as directed, adding time as needed.
Turkey Shepherd’s Pie leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days, depending on how fresh the ingredients were when you made it. If you used high-fat dairy in your mashed potatoes, you can store it tightly in the freezer for up to two months. The texture of the potatoes can change after freezing. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen, then warm in the oven until heated through.
- Start with an oven-safe skillet. To make it easier to layer and bake the filling over the potatoes, prepare it in an oven-safe skillet. Just one dirty dish!.
- Add other veggies. You can sauté any vegetables you like with the carrot, onion, and celery. Try mushrooms, bell pepper, green beans, you name it.
- Use any leftovers you have. You’re totally not limited to mashed potatoes and turkey. Layer in whatever you have in your fridge. Anything that sounds good to you, like corn, stuffing, or cranberry sauce, is probably good!
- Make it cheesy. It would be delicious to top the potatoes with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese.
- Use another meat. You can use any leftover meat you have on hand for this recipe. Leftover shredded chicken is a great option.
- Feel free to use ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken if you don’t have any leftover meat. Just cook it with the veggies before assembling the pie!.
You can serve this Turkey Shepherd’s Pie on its own because it has almost everything you could possibly want for a meal.
Leftover Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
FAQ
How long is leftover turkey good for?
Is shepherd’s pie made from leftovers?
How long does shepherds pie last in fridge?
Why is flour used in shepherds pie?