Turkey Shepherd's Pie Recipe (Thanksgiving Leftovers)
This turkey shepherd's pie recipe has buttery garlic mashed potatoes on top of a rich and creamy turkey filling filled with tender vegetables. It's a great way to use up holiday leftovers and one you'll want to remake every year.
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Equipment
- 5 qt braiser or Dutch oven
- colander
- sharp knife
- Cutting Board
- potato masher or handheld mixer
- large pot
Ingredients
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- 3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes peel and cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ cup salted butter 1 stick
- 8 cloves garlic
- 1½ tsp salt divided
Turkey Shepherd's Pie Filling
- ½ cup salted butter 1 stick
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 T fresh thyme 1 tsp dried
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 8 oz mushrooms wipe clean with a napkin and slice
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 2 ribs celery slices
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 3 cups cooked turkey diced
- 3 T fresh parsley
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/205°C with the oven rack set in the middle position.
- Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Add the potatoes, garlic cloves, and 1 tsp of salt to a pot with enough water to fully cover the potatoes. Boil until fork-tender, roughly 30 minutes.
Turkey Shepherd's Pie Filling
- While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the meat filling.
- Add a stick of butter to the braiser over medium heat on the stove to melt the butter. To it, add the minced garlic, chopped onion, black pepper, and thyme. Sauté for 5 minutes until the onions are soft and the herbs are fragrant.
- Next, add the diced carrots, sliced celery, and mushroom slices. Increase to medium-high heat and cook for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have shrunk and released some of their juices.
- Reduce the heat to low and sprinkle flour over the vegetables, stirring to create a thick paste. While stirring, add the milk and chicken broth, and cook for 5 minutes. The sauce will thicken as it heats. Finally, stir in frozen peas, leftover turkey meat, and minced fresh parsley.
Assemble and Bake
- Drain potatoes and add back to the pot. Using a potato masher or a handheld mixer, mash potatoes. Add the butter slices and combine. Taste if it needs more salt.
- Spoon the creamy mashed potatoes over the top of the turkey mixture and spread evenly.
- Place the braiser into the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the top is a light golden brown.
Storage
- First, allow the pie to cool completely. If your braiser comes with a lid, cover it and place it in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can transfer the pie into an airtight container and refrigerate. Best if eaten within 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so it should only be used as an approximation.
- Normally, mashed potatoes contain butter for flavor and milk to make them creamy. However, in order for the potato topping to hold its shape, and due to the Yukon Gold's high water content, we opted to leave the milk out. Add a splash of milk if you prefer extra creamy potatoes, but note that the vegetables will soften and release more moisture as they bake.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth or homemade to have full control of the salt levels. Wait until the end of the cooking process to taste if the potatoes or filling need any additional salt.
Can You Freeze Turkey Shepherd's Pie?
Yes! Classic shepherd's pie makes a great freezer meal. Bake according to directions and then allow to cool completely. Wrap tightly in foil and freeze up to 2 months. You can also transfer it into an airtight container and freeze.Nutrition
Calories: 731.5kcalCarbohydrates: 60.4gProtein: 33.9gFat: 40.4gSaturated Fat: 22.6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3.7gMonounsaturated Fat: 10.7gTrans Fat: 1.2gCholesterol: 169mgSodium: 1361.8mgPotassium: 1709mgFiber: 8.5gSugar: 7.4gVitamin A: 4870.3IUVitamin C: 64.4mgCalcium: 138.5mgIron: 5.5mg
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