Leftover Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

Leftover Turkey Shepherd’s Pie is a simple potato-topped pie recipe that makes a delicious family meal using leftover turkey from Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

Pie dish with potato topped Leftover Turkey Shepherd's Pie

I really love finding new ways to use leftover ingredients. Holidays and family get-togethers are the perfect opportunities for leftovers’ creativity. But you don’t have to wait, you can also make this pie with leftover chicken from your Sunday roast.

Cooked turkey pieces, potatoes gravy

What do I need to make Leftover Turkey Shepherd’s Pie?

  • Cooked turkey
  • Stuffing (dressing)
  • Chipolata sausages or Pigs in blankets
  • Onion
  • Gravy
  • Cranberry sauce (optional)
  • Potatoes
  • Butter
  • Milk or cream
  • Salt
Potato topped pie, plate with forks and bowl of vegetables

What kind of turkey meat should I use?

Use any leftover turkey meat. I find this turkey pie is a good way to use the meat from the turkey legs. I like to use the breast meat for recipes like Coronation Turkey, however, a mixture of leg and breast meat is good in the pie too.

Turkey Shepherd's Pie plate and bowl of carrots and sprouts

What is stuffing?

Stuffing is an edible mixture you use to fill the neck end of a turkey or chicken. This helps the poultry to retain moisture and the juices run into the stuffing adding to the flavour. You can also cook stuffing in a tray and serve it alongside the turkey.

In the UK stuffing is usually made with pork sausage meat and traditionally flavoured with sage and onion, like this recipe for Easy Sausage Meat Stuffing from Curly’s Cooking.  You can also make stuffing flavoured with different herbs and dried fruits.  Meat-free stuffing or dressing is also made with a base of bread or rice.

For the Leftover Turkey Shepherd’s Pie use homemade stuffing or ready prepared stuffing from the butcher or supermarket.  You can also use a packet of stuffing mix.  The important thing is to use stuffing that has already been prepared and cooked.  

I don’t have any stuffing, what else can I use?

Use more sausages or more turkey. It’s fine to mix and match the turkey, stuffing, and sausages. Of course, it will change the overall taste and texture of the pie filling. But it will still taste delicious.

Sausages on grill

What kind of sausages can I use in the Leftover Turkey Shepherd’s Pie?

You can use any cooked sausages in the Turkey Pie. Chipolata sausages are small pork sausages often served with a turkey dinner. In the UK ‘pigs in blankets’ are small sausages wrapped in streaky bacon, they are now more popular than plain chipolatas.

You can buy them from your butcher or in the supermarket or you can make your own with this simple recipe for Pigs in Blankets from Feast Glorious Feast.

jug of gravy

What kind of gravy can I use?

Use leftover turkey gravy if you have some, that would definitely be my first choice. However, any gravy will do including instant gravy from a jar. If you want to try something different then try my Easy Blender Onion Gravy.

unwahsed potoatoes

What kind of potatoes can I use?

If you have leftover mashed potato then use that. If making the mash for the pie then use a potato that is good for mashing. I like Maris Piper potatoes as they are a good all-rounder, but King Edwards or Desiree potatoes are also very good.

Leftover Turkey Shepherd's Pie dish with potato topping

Can I freeze Leftover Turkey Shepherd’s Pie?

To freeze the pie, follow the recipe right to the end including baking it in the oven. Then cool and freeze it in the pie dish. Seal in a plastic freezer bag and keep for up to 3 months.

Defrost overnight in the fridge, cover the top with foil and bake in the oven for 40 minutes, remove the foil and cook for another 5-10 minutes to crisp the top.

plate of Leftover Turkey Pie with carotts and sprouts

How do I serve Leftover Turkey Pie?

Serve hot with seasonal vegetables like brussels sprouts and carrots. Serve with some extra gravy and cranberry sauce if liked.

Potato topped Leftover Turkey Shepherd's Pie, plate with forks and bowl of vegetables

How to make Leftover Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

It’s easy to make this tasty family pie with a food processor, but you can also mince or chop the turkey with a knife if you don’t have one.

peeled potatoes in pan

Peel the potatoes and cut them into even-sized pieces. Cover with water and boil for about 15-20 minutes until tender.

If you have enough leftover mashed potatoes you can miss out this step!

onion in food processor

While the potatoes are cooking, peel the onion, cut into quarters and process in the food processor until finely chopped.

Add the chunks of turkey to the onion and process until the pieces are the size of breadcrumbs. Don’t over-process because you want to retain some texture.

Bowl of ingredients for Turkey Shepherd's Pie

Put the processed turkey and onion into a large bowl. Add the diced stuffing and chopped sausages. Add a spoonful of cranberry sauce, if using.

Pour the gravy over the Turkey Shepherd’s Pie filling ingredients and mix together.

Pie dish with Turkey filling for Leftover Turkey Shepherd's Pie

Spoon the filling mixture into a pie dish and flatten the top.

Drain and mash the potatoes with butter and milk or cream. Pile the potato onto the top of the filling.

Leave the mashed potato topping rough or use a fork to make a basket weave pattern, alternating the fork marks.

Baked Leftover Turkey Shepherd's Pie

Brush the topping with melted butter before placing the pie on a baking tray and putting it into the oven to bake. The baking tray will help to catch any of the juices that may bubble up and over the top of the pie.

More Leftovers Recipes from Farmersgirl Kitchen

I hate to waste food so often create new recipes to make leftovers special again, here are some of my favourites.

Leftover Turkey and Leek Pasta Bake
A super easy pasta bake and a great way to turn leftover turkey, chicken or ham into another delicious meal for your family. 
Check out this recipe
Comforting Leftover Turkey and Leek Pasta Bake
Cheese, Bacon & Turkey Quiche
The perfect way to use leftover turkey, cheese and cream to make a tasty tart.
Check out this recipe
Cheese, Bacon & Turkey Quiche
The Best Leftover Turkey Club Sub Sandwich
Make this luscious leftover turkey sandwich on the day after your big feast, be it Thanksgiving or Christmas.  When served like this you’ll find the leftovers are just as popular as the main event.
Check out this recipe
The Best Leftover Turkey Club Sub Sandwich - leftover turkey with layers of delicious flavours make a great 'day after' sandwich
Leftover Turkey Shepherd's Pie with vegetables
Potato topped Leftover Turkey Pie with plate

Leftover Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

Janice Pattie
A tasty mix of leftover turkey meat, pork stuffing and chipolata sausages topped with mashed potato and baked in the oven.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Main Course
Cuisine British
Servings 6
Calories 319 kcal

Ingredients

  • 600 grams (1.3 pounds) potatoes
  • 50 grams (3.5 tablespoon) butter
  • 50 millilitres (0.25 cups) milk or cream
  • 300 grams (1.5 cups) cooked turkey
  • 150 grams (1 cups) cooked pork stuffing
  • 50 grams (0.2 cups) cooked sausages
  • 150 grams (1 cups) onion
  • 500 millilitres (2 cups) gravy
  • 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) cranberry sauce optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon (1/2 teaspoon) salt
  • 25 grams (1.5 tablespoon) melted butter optional

Instructions
 

  • Peel the potatoes and cut them into even-sized pieces.
  • Put into a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to the boil. Once boiling turn down the heat and let the potatoes simmer for 15-20 minutes, until tender.
  • Roughly chop up the cooked turkey and place it in the food processor.
  • Peel and roughly chop the onion and place in the food processor with the turkey. Process them together until you have small pieces of turkey and onion. Don't over-process the meat should still have some texture.
  • Empty this mixture into a medium-sized bowl
  • Cut the cooked pork stuffing and sausages into small pieces and add to the bowl. Mix together thoroughly.
  • Pour over the gravy, add the cranberry sauce and mix together again. Spoon the mixture into a pie dish.
  • Pre-heat the oven to 180C
  • Once cooked, drain the potatoes and return to the pan. Mash with the butter and milk or cream, then cover the turkey mixture with the mashed potato.
  • Use a fork to rough up the potato and brush with a little melted butter if liked.
  • Place the pie dish on a metal tray in the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes. Serve with seasonal vegetables.

Notes

The proportions of turkey, stuffing, and sausages are variable depending on your leftovers.   Aim to have turkey meat for at least half of the mixture. 

Nutrition

Calories: 319kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 18gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 985mgPotassium: 246mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 464IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 1mg
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4 Comments

  1. This looks so delicious! I love that you can use so many different leftovers in this pie. Lots of recipes just use turkey but here you can make the most of lots of different leftovers. What a fantastic idea.

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Recipe Rating




5 from 2 votes