What vegetables work best in this pie?

Leftover cooked vegetables, like brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, carrots, and green beans work well in this pie. If you don’t have any leftover vegetables, you can use frozen vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, or peas.

Is there a substitute for heavy cream?

If you’d like to make this pie a little lighter, you can swap in half and half or milk and make the sauce a little thinner.

Thanksgiving Leftovers Pie

5.0

(3)

3 Reviews

This cozy pot pie makes use of leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce.

Nicole Hopper

Published on November 26, 2024

Tested by

Melissa Gray

Thanksgiving Leftovers Pie — Photo:
Food & Wine / Photo by Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Joseph Wanek

Active Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 30 mins

Servings:

Yield:

1 pie

Transform your Thanksgiving leftovers into this effortless pot pie. All you need to do is arrange your leftovers in a baking dish — no reheating or dirty pans required. To create this pie, creamy mashed potatoes are layered with leftover gravy and turkey, cream, and vegetables. Cranberry sauce is spooned on top for a pop of tartness to balance the richness of the dish. A sheet of puff pastry tops it all before a quick bake in the oven.

Frequently Asked Questions

What vegetables work best in this pie?

Leftover cooked vegetables, like brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, carrots, and green beans work well in this pie. If you don’t have any leftover vegetables, you can use frozen vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, or peas.
Is there a substitute for heavy cream?

If you’d like to make this pie a little lighter, you can swap in half and half or milk and make the sauce a little thinner.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Sweet potatoes work well in place of the mashed potatoes.

Make ahead

This pie can be assembled in the dish through Step 2, covered with foil, and refrigerated for up to two days before baking.

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Ingredients

Cooking spray
3 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1 cup leftover gravy
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup, plus 2 teaspoons heavy whipping cream, divided
Kosher salt, to taste
3 cups chopped cooked turkey meat
3 cups roughly chopped, leftover cooked vegetables
1/2 cup leftover cranberry sauce
1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 large egg

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 2- to 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Spread mashed potatoes in an even layer in bottom of prepared baking dish.
Whisk together gravy, mustard, thyme, pepper, and 3/4 cup of the heavy cream in a large bowl. Taste and add salt as needed. Stir in turkey and vegetables until well coated. Transfer mixture to baking dish, spreading evenly over potatoes. Spoon cranberry sauce over top.
Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake in preheated oven until center is warm to touch, about 35 minutes.
During last 10 minutes of baking, roll puff pastry on a lightly floured surface until pastry is 2 inches larger than length and width of baking dish. Whisk egg and remaining 2 teaspoons heavy cream in a small bowl until combined; set aside.
Remove baking dish from oven; remove and discard foil, and place pastry on top of cranberry sauce. Trim excess pastry, if needed, leaving a 1-inch overhang on all sides. Fold overhang underneath itself, and crimp edges as desired. Brush pastry with egg mixture, and cut 3 or 4 small slits in pastry for steam to escape. Return to oven, and bake at 400°F until pastry is puffed and brown, filling is bubbling, and a thermometer inserted in center registers 165°F, 20 to 25 minutes.
Let cool 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional thyme.