Easy Leftover Turkey Shepherd's Pie
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Turkey Shepherd's Pie is what I make the night after Thanksgiving. Leftover turkey, the last of the mashed potatoes, a few veggies and whatever gravy is left, all in one skillet and baked until the top is golden. If you'd rather use up the stuffing too, my Chicken Stuffing Casserole works with turkey in place of the chicken.
Nobody feels like cooking after a holiday, and this is barely cooking. Warm the potatoes so they spread, use the leftover gravy or a batch of my Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy, and dinner is in the oven in 15 minutes. For more easy dinners, see all my leftover turkey recipes.
Quick Look: Easy Leftover Turkey Shepherd's Pie
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 45 minutes
- 👨👩👧👦 Servings: 6
- 📊 Calories: 448 per serving
- 🥣 Ingredients: Butter, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, leftover turkey, frozen peas, frozen corn, salt, black pepper, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, gravy, mashed potatoes, fresh parsley
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy — one skillet, no new cooking
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Uses Up the Leftovers. Turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy all go in, so nothing from the big dinner goes to waste.
One Skillet. The filling cooks in the same cast iron skillet it bakes in, so there's one pan to wash.
Make It Ahead. Put it together in the morning or the day before, keep it covered in the fridge and bake it when you're ready.
If you're starting from scratch, use my Garlic Roasted Mashed Potatoes for the top, or make the classic version with ground lamb in my Easy Shepherd's Pie.
Ingredients Needed
- Turkey: leftover roasted turkey, shredded or diced. Ground turkey or rotisserie chicken work too. After Thanksgiving I use what's left of my Slow Cooker Turkey Breast with Gravy.
- Mashed potatoes: leftover is perfect. Warm them first so they spread.
- Vegetables: onion, carrots, celery, frozen peas and corn. Use what you have.
- Gravy: leftover turkey gravy, or a fresh batch made with butter, flour and chicken stock.
- Fresh herbs: thyme and rosemary go in the filling; parsley is for the top. Dried works — use half as much.
How to Make Turkey Shepherd's Pie
- Step 1: Heat a large oven-safe skillet on medium-high and melt the butter. Add the onion, celery, carrots, salt and pepper and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Step 2: Add the turkey, peas, corn, thyme and rosemary.
- Step 3: Pour in the gravy and stir until everything is coated.
- Step 4: Warm the mashed potatoes, spread them in an even layer over the filling and bake at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Broil the last 5 to 8 minutes to brown the top, then sprinkle with parsley.
Recipe Tips
- Any veggies you have on hand work. Even the leftovers from my Homemade Green Bean Casserole can go in.
- I use a 12-inch cast iron skillet but this can also be baked in a 9x13 casserole dish.
- Warm your mashed potatoes up first. It makes them much easier to spread over the filling.
- Sprinkle a little cheddar cheese on top of the potatoes before baking if you like.
- Set the skillet or baking dish on a baking sheet so nothing bubbles over onto the oven.
- Leftover stuffing is good in here too. Stir a cup into the filling before the potatoes go on.
Recipe FAQ's
Yes. Put it together the morning of or the day before, cover and refrigerate, then bake when you're ready. If you're using leftovers, they're only good for 3 to 4 days after the big meal, so don't push it past that.
Of course. Roasted or rotisserie chicken and gravy are just as good in this recipe.
Yes. Assemble it in a freezer-safe dish, cover with foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, until hot in the middle.
Just about anything from the Thanksgiving table. Green beans, broccoli or cauliflower in the filling, leftover stuffing stirred in, or a handful of cheese on top of the potatoes.
It's a meal by itself, but a crisp salad and a slice of homemade Artisan Bread never hurt.
More Leftover Turkey Recipes
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Easy Leftover Turkey Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup onion diced
- 3/4 cup carrots diced
- 3/4 cup celery diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 4 cups leftover turkey shredded or diced
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup frozen corn
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
- 2 cups gravy
- 4 cups mashed potatoes
- fresh chopped parsley
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
- Heat a large oven-safe skillet (I use cast iron) on medium-high heat. Add butter, onion, celery, carrots salt, and pepper, and cook until soft about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute another 30 seconds.
- Add Turkey, peas, corn, thyme, rosemary, and gravy and stir.
- Heat leftover mashed potatoes until warm (they spread easier) and spread over turkey filling.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes. Turn the oven to broil for the last 5-8 minutes to brown the top.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve.
The directions for that are above the recipe in the post!
Can you freeze?
Yay Bob! So happy everyone loved it 🙂
We made this last night. It was perfect for the left overs. Will make for the Chirstmas dinner left overs also. Thank you
Woohoo, Tiffany so happy you loved it 🙂
This was the perfect recipe to use up leftovers from Thanksgiving!! Thanks so much for sharing this, it was fantastic!