Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
ShareThanksgiving leftovers reinvented into a flavorful shepherd’s pie. Moist leftover turkey combined with vegetables and gravy are topped off with creamy mashed potatoes and cheese. A must make dinner! Everyone will be asking for seconds!
Last week during my errands, I took a trip to my favorite local apple farm to pick up some apples. I had full intentions of going anyway, but it was especially necessary after seeing what apples my local grocery store had available… pitiful. When I go to the farm, I like to stock up. I don’t get a tiny bag, I usually get a half bushel which is easily 20-25lb of apples. They were having a Thanksgiving deal that was too good to resist. So… I left with a full bushel of apples. I’ve never had this many apples in the house at once. It’s kind of nuts. I see pie, crisp and applesauce in my very near future. That is of course, if the kids don’t eat them all first!
Also, we went on a gingerbread house hunt. I’m all for making my own, but it’s time consuming. Maybe another year. But for now, a boxed kit works for us. Unfortunately most aren’t peanut free, so finding a safe one can be hard. Last year I found the Tootsie gingerbread house kit which just so happens to be peanut free – big win there! I’ve only seen it in a few stores so far this year, but if you’re looking, just know it’s out there!
Julie convinced me to watch The Royals. The first season is free through Amazon Prime and I’d been looking for a fun new show to try. It was a quick show to not only get sucked into but to fly through. A short ten episodes for the first season. The good thing is the second is currently airing! If you like drama or English shows… though to be fair, this isn’t your typical English show. It’s a modern day English drama with mystery and romance all intertwined. Fun all around.
I’m now in prep mode, trying to nail down my schedule for what’s going on this week… appointments, days off from school (we’ll get back to that), recipe testing and of course pie making for Thanksgiving! So much to do in such a short time. My obsession with lists is going to come in very hand this week. Also, seriously someone explain to me why on earth kids these days have the day before a holiday completely off? Growing up we always had a half day, which to me still seems totally reasonable. It’s enough time to still get any traveling in and then you’re not wasting a whole day in the school calendar. Is it just our school district or are all doing this now?
Clearly I’m a HUGE fan of reinventing Thanksgiving leftovers. Because the same thing can get boring real fast.
Remember… if you want even more ridiculously tasty leftover ideas to check out the archives!
Going for something new and fun, I decided to put a spin on a classic shepherd’s pie, using Thanksgiving leftovers! Of course, if you don’t have leftovers, feel free to start from scratch. It’ll be completely worth it!
This super flavorful leftover Thanksgiving turkey shepherd’s pie is an absolute must make! Even the kids were asking for more!
Moist leftover turkey combined with vegetables and gravy are topped off with creamy mashed potatoes and cheese! A fantastic dinner for the entire family…and everyone will be asking for seconds!
Be sure to add this turkey shepherd’s pie to your dinner plans!
Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
- 2 Tb unsalted butter
- 3/4 C onion chopped
- 1/3 C celery chopped
- 1/3 C carrots chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 1/2 C leftover turkey meat
- 1/4 C peas or green beans
- 1/4 C corn
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1 C gravy
- 2 C mashed potatoes*
- 4 oz cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion, celery and carrots, cooking until onions are translucent. Add minced garlic, cooking for an additional minute. Add turkey, corn and peas (or green beans), along with seasonings and gravy, cooking until heated through. Transfer to a 1 quart baking dish, pressing into an even layer.
- Heat mashed potatoes until luke warm and easy to stir. Add half of the shredded cheese to the potatoes, stir to combine. Spread mashed potatoes over the turkey filling. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes. If desired, broil or use a kitchen torch to char cheese slightly.
- Serve warm.
Notes
This looks delicious, and is such a good way to get all the extra turkey used up!
Thanks Sarah!
oh, I love Shepherd’s Pie…great idea to make one w the turkey leftovers!
Thanks David!
Now that is a brilliant use of leftovers! I could eat some right now. :)
Thanks Ramona!
BEAUTIFUL my friend! Nothing better than new ideas on what and how to use your Thanksgiving leftovers in the best way possible! You hit this one right on! :) Now scoop me up some please :)
Thanks Taylor!
Gorgeous meal Rachel!!! I love this take on Shepherd’s Pie. And so many apples… I’m jealous. :) (Of course I could always go to the farm too.) FYI, my kids are in school on Wednesday.
Thanks Allie!
This is a fabulous way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers! I love shepherd’s pie, but when it can be made quick and easy with Turkey Day leftovers I feel like it tastes even more delicious! This makes me seriously hungry for Friday! Cheers and thanks for sharing the YUM!
Thanks Cheyanne! :)
Hello Rachel,
How would you replace the gravy if you had too?
Thanks!
If you don’t have any leftover, use a new batch of homemade (I have a dripless gravy recipe that would be a good substitute) or a new jar of store bought.
This looks amazing! I love shepherd’s pie and this twist looks really good! I am also a list person and if I don’t make one I just can’t seem to stay focused and somewhat organized through the day. Our school does a half a day but I think most schools have a full day off.
Thanks so much Malinda. And yes… I’m so right there with you. Lists are necessary.
Fun twist on shepherds pie! Definitely a nice use of leftovers. Thanks for sharing. :)
Thanks Pamela!
Quality! Love how this is totally different from the typical leftover meals that usually come to mind!
Is the gravy just for serving? We usually have beef gravy on the go (the wife insists!), so should I plan for turkey gravy to make this work?
The gravy is used as the sauce for the turkey and vegetables. As for the beef gravy, I’d say it depends on how strong the flavor is. Turkey gravy or my dripless gravy recipe would be your best bet, but if the beef flavor is mild it might still work. Enjoy!
My boyfriend was sad that I had a sweet potato instead of mashed potatoes this year. I now have the same feelings after seeing this as we have tons of turkey leftover and might need to make a fresh batch haha,
I think you definitely do! :)
Hi Rachel, I’m curious as to when the gravy is added? Do you add it to the skillet with the rest of the seasonings? or do you just mix it together with the turkey mixture once you transfer that to a baking dish?
It should be added in with the seasonings. Sorry for the accidental omission and confusion! I’ve updated the recipe.
Ah thats okay! Thank you so much for the ridiculously fast response haha :)
Made it! Was awesome. I added a layer of stuffing on the bottom. My kids loved it. I loved it.
So glad to hear everyone enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing, Angie! :)
Does this freeze well? Recipe looks great!
I wouldn’t recommend it, unless you were to freeze without the mashed potatoes on top.
made this tonight – my husband and I both loved it! I did add stuffing to the top however – but even without the stuffing, I don’t think it would have fit into a 1 quart dish… I used 2 qt and the gravy bubbled out into the oven still. Delicious!
So glad you enjoyed it, Marlene! :)
I made this, with a small substitution. I mixed the mashed potatoes with some leftover smashed sweet potatoes and it was amazing! Thanks for the idea!
So glad you enjoyed it, Max! :)
Hello! Looks like a great recipe. Wondering if it could be made ahead and frozen for a later date? I’m wanting to give myself a break this thanksgiving and make the Thanksgiving meal simple, but still have the usual comfort foods. This looks like it might work! Thank you!
I haven’t personally tried it, but it’s definitely worth giving a try! I’d recommend holding off on adding the cheese until just prior to cooking. Good luck! :)
Thank you! As it is right now, I will be making it the day before, but I’m definitely going to try to make and freeze it another time. Happy Thanksgiving!
Mary
Enjoy and happy Thanksgiving! :)
I just popped my shepherd’s pie in the oven for dinner tonight. I made it with all dairy free ingredients and added bits of bacon on top with the cheese. It was easy and looks delicious!
Love your addition of bacon! :)
Any clue as to how many servings this is? Also typo in #3-‘util’ instead of until-they jump out at me sorry lol
This should feed 4-6 well.
My husband HATES shepherd’s pie. I was looking for a quick recipe to use up our leftover turkey that I could adapt to be gluten free for me, and I asked him to make this one tonight while I was at dance with my kiddo. We ate it. He LOVED it, and said we could make THIS shepherd’s pie any time!
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it, Tara! Thanks so much for sharing! :)
I made this last week. Turned out great!
So glad you enjoyed it, Katie!
Absolutely delicious! Made it for dinner tonight and the only thing I would change is more mashed potatoes! The seasoning and other proportions were perfect. I sautéed in my #8 cast iron skillet, spread the potatoes over it and baked it. Only one pan to wash. Wonderful!
More potatoes is never a bad thing. ;) So glad you enjoyed it!
I made this casserole with a few adjustments to accommodate what I had in the fridge. I didn’t have leftover mashed potatoes but had about a cup of stuffing. I mixed a handful of shredded sharp cheddar cheese with the stuffing and spread that on top of the casserole before baking. I also added about 1/2 cup of sour cream along with both frozen peas and green beans and canned corn. I served the casserole with a side of cranberries and rolls. Will definitely make again… delicious!
So glad you enjoyed it! :)
This recipe was absolutely delicious! I would make it again in a heartbeat! Thank you for such a delicious recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it, Jodie! Thanks for sharing. :)
Just made this tonight using our Thanksgiving leftovers. It was delicious! Will certainly make again! Thanks.
So glad you enjoyed it, Gail! Thanks for sharing. :)
I made this tonight for my family out of our leftover turkey (I had to use instant potatoes because they ate all the potatoes the night before).. Everyone LOVED it – my 7 year old, who I’m pretty sure has never in his life happy eaten a pea, ate this meal – peas and all – and had a smile on his face! Thank you!!
Love hearing this! I’m glad everyone enjoyed it, especially your 7 year old! Thanks so much for sharing. :)
This looks yummy! How much gravy is used? It’s not in the ingredients, but is in the instructions. Thanks!
Hi Bonnie, I’m not sure why it wasn’t displaying but it is now! Weird technical glitch perhaps… The recipe calls for 1 cup of gravy. Enjoy!! :)
This recipe was excellent!! I used peas and topped with chopped scallions! Soooo good!
I will definitely make this throughout the year.
So glad you enjoyed it, Karen! Thanks so much for sharing! :)
Cooked a turkey breast , had loads of leftover, wanted something a bit different. Tried your recipe with a couple of tweaks and time savers; it was sooo good…I used the Bob evans bacon and sour cream refrig’rated potatoes thus eliminated the cooking of potatoes for topping..I also cooked 3 strip of bacon and used grease to cook the veggies in giving it a bacony flavor, then crumbled bacon atop when out of oven…AAA++ recipe!!
So glad you enjoyed it so much! Thanks for sharing, Charlotte. :)
This was amazing! I used what we had leftover-wise. I’m going to print and save it for future Thanksgiving leftovers.
So glad you enjoyed it, Melanie!
Really good! Adding this to my Thanksgiving recipes
Will add more salt next time
Thanks !!!
So glad you enjoyed it, Nikki!
This turned out great with all our Thanksgiving leftovers. I used the veggies I had and it was delicious.
So glad you enjoyed it, Sherilyn!
Trying this with my boys who only had Turkey and mashed potatoes on the first night of “leftovers.”
After being at work and NOT thinking about dinner at all, I decided to be resourceful and modify this recipe to prevent a market trip. We didn’t have all the ingredients, so I replaced gravy with a (I know…) can of mushroom soup and 3/4 chicken stock. We also didn’t have the corn/green beans, so I added frozen broccoli. I was thinking half the bag (5oz) but decided “what the heck” and three in the whole 10oz bag frozen! That cooked as the frying pan mixed all these delicious smells together. We like cheese, so I did a bit more on top.
We loved it! Flavorful, and warm on this chilly night. We discussed how we could even thin it out more (more stock) and make it a stew! Thanks for the recipe!
So glad everyone enjoyed it, Brenda! Definitely use what you have and tweak to your liking! :)
This was not only a great way to use Thanksgiving leftovers but delicious as well!
My husband is not a big casserole guy, but absolutely loved this! I used peas and corn but I’m sure green beans would work just as well.
So glad you both enjoyed it!
Made this tonight and it was SO good! We gobbled up the whole thing and wanted more. Thank you for this fantastic recipe!
So glad everyone enjoyed it!
Made this as written and it was SOO delish. Enjoyed by the entire family.
Love hearing this! So glad everyone enjoyed it!
This was delicious! Served it with home made cranberry sauce as well.
So glad you enjoyed it!