Turkey Pot Pie Recipe

Name: Best Turkey Pot Pie Recipe (Easy, From Scratch)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon sea salt; 1 teaspoon granulated sugar; 1 cup salted butter ((chilled and cubed)); ½ cup ice water; 4 cups oven roasted turkey ((leftover, cubed)); 2 red potatoes ((diced, about 2 cups)); 4 Tablespoons salted butter ((divided)); ½ cup water; 1 ½ Tablespoons minced garlic; 3 carrots ((diced)); 1 cup celery ((diced, about 2 large ribs)); ½ cup onion ((diced)); ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; ½ cup frozen peas; ½ cup frozen corn; 2 cups water; 2 ½ Tablespoons chicken base ((better than bouillon)); 1 ½ cups whole milk; ¾ cup all-purpose flour; ½ teaspoon onion powder; ½ teaspoon fine sea salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; 1 Tablespoon heavy cream; 1 egg yolk

By Laura Sandford

Updated Sep 22, 2026

5 from 18 votes

21 Comments

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This turkey pot pie recipe is the best way to turn leftover turkey into a delicious meal! Turkey and vegetables are mixed into a rich, creamy homemade sauce, then baked between two layers of flaky, buttery pie crust.

a slice of turkey pot pie on a white ceramic plate. A gold fork is taking a bite out of the pie so the thick creamy filling filled with vegetables and turkey is visible. There's a sprig of thyme on top.

Every year I purposely make extra Thanksgiving turkey just so we have plenty of leftovers. After eating it plain for a day or two, I love turning it into completely different meals – and this homemade turkey pot pie recipe is one of our favorites, along with turkey sliders, turkey cranberry sandwich and turkey tetrazzini!

It’s loaded with turkey, potatoes and vegetables in a creamy, from-scratch sauce baked in my homemade pie crust. You can also use a store-bought crust to make it even easier!

Why You’ll Love This Turkey Pot Pie

Use up leftover turkey. It turns leftover turkey into an entirely new meal for some variety and less food waste!
Homemade sauce. No canned soup or gravy required.
Loaded with vegetables. Potatoes, carrots, celery, peas and corn add nutrition.
Double crust. Unlike turkey pot pies with only a top crust, this recipe has flaky, buttery pie crust on both the top and bottom.
Easy to customize. Use homemade or store-bought pie crust and swap the vegetables for whatever you have on hand.

This is excellent. I added a few extra herbs and spices I had left from Thanksgiving. It was great! Not runny. Just perfection. Thank you for the recipe.
– Tiffany

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Turkey Pot Pie in a white pie dish with a piece taken out of it so the thick creamy filling filled with vegetables and turkey is visible.

Turkey Pot Pie Ingredients & Substitutions

overhead photo of the ingredients in this Turkey Pot Pie recipe all in bowls and labeled like turkey, carrots, celery, corn, peas, potatoes, flour, onion, butter, egg, garlic, spices and whole milk.

Pie Crust. See notes on this All Butter Pie Crust Recipe for substitutions on the crust ingredients and for detailed instructions on how to make it. You can also use a store-bought crust to save time.
Leftover turkey. I use this roast turkey recipe every year on Thanksgiving. Sometimes we also make crock pot turkey breast. We always make a large bird so that we can have leftovers to use in recipes like this. You can use white meat, dark meat or a combination of both. You can also substitute cooked chicken if desired.
Red potatoes. Yukon Gold potatoes can be used in place of red potatoes.
Carrots, Celery, Peas, Corn. You can add or subtract just about any of the veggies in this recipe and use your favorites with great results.
Chicken Base. I suggest better than bouillon for the best flavor. Or, you can substitute 2 cups of chicken broth for the base + water in this recipe.
Whole milk. 2% or 1% milk work well, I do not recommend using fat-free milk.
All-purpose flour. You can sub gluten-free all-purpose flour if desired. Also bread flour works well in a pinch.
Egg Wash. Optional but recommended. You can use just an egg yolk or just cream if desired, but I find a combination works the best.

front view of a slice of turkey pot pie on a white ceramic plate. The thick creamy filling with vegetables and turkey is visible. There's a sprig of thyme on top and a gold fork on the plate to the left of the pot pie

How to Make Turkey Pot Pie

There are a few steps in this turkey pot pie recipe, but it really is easy to make. As always, we’ll walk through the process step-by-step and don’t forget to watch the video.

Make the Crust

Making the best homemade crust takes less than 5 minutes, so I suggest trying it if you can. You can follow this all-butter pie crust tutorial and video for more detailed information on how to make it!

It’s important to make the crust first because it has to chill for at least 2 hours before being rolled and used in this turkey pot pie recipe. You can also use a store-bought crust and skip this step.

Turkey Pot Pie crust formed into the pie dish

Make the Turkey Pot Pie Sauce

The next step in this recipe is to make the sauce, and then set it aside while you cook potatoes and veggies for the filling. I love this from-scratch sauce so much! To do this, whisk together flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt pepper and milk together in a small bowl.

making turkey pot pie recipe - flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a glass bowl with a wire whisk on a gray surface

making turkey pot pie recipe - flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper and milk in a glass bowl with a wire whisk on a gray surface

In a 4-quart pan over medium heat, boil water, then add the chicken bouillon and whisk until dissolved. Add the milk mixture to boiling water/bouillon and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly.

making turkey pot pie recipe - chicken boullion and water in a white saucepan with the wet flour/milk mixture added to it before stirring on a gray surface

making turkey pot pie recipe - sauce ingredients whisked together in a white saucepan with a metal whisk with a black handle

The mixture should thicken enough to coat the back of a spatula, once this has happened remove the sauce from heat and set it aside to use later.

making turkey pot pie recipe - thickened sauce in a white saucepan. The important thing here is the slightly thickened texture of the sauce which is visible in this photo.

Make the Turkey Pot Pie Filling

To make the filling begin by cooking the potatoes. Add the potatoes, 2 tablespoons butter and garlic and water to a large, nonstick saucepan and cover. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally.

making turkey pot pie recipe - red potatoes, minced garlic and butter cooking in a large cast iron skillet with a black bottom and red exterior.

Once the potatoes are soft, add the carrots, onion, celery and additional 2 tablespoons butter. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally.

making turkey pot pie recipe - red potatoes, minced garlic, onion, red pepper, celery and butter cooking in a large cast iron skillet with a black bottom and red exterior.

Once the veggies are cooked, add the peas, corn, turkey and homemade sauce.

making turkey pot pie recipe - turkey peas and corn added to the filling ingredients in a large cast iron skillet with a black bottom and red exterior.

making turkey pot pie recipe - sauce added to the filling ingredients in a large cast iron skillet with a black bottom and red exterior.

Then, stir in the sauce until everything is evenly distributed. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.

turkey pot pie filling in a red cast iron skillet.

Assemble the Turkey Pot Pie

Now it’s time to put all the delicious parts of this turkey pot pie together!

Roll Out & Fill Crust

Roll out both discs of dough. Fit one disc to the bottom of the pie plate. Roll out the second to be used as the top. Place bottom dough into the pie plate, then pour the filling into the bottom crust and spread it out evenly.

assembling turkey pot pie recipe - bottom crust and filling in a white pie dish on a gray surface

Add the other crust on top, pinch the edges together and cut an “X” in the top.

assembling turkey pot pie recipe - top crust put over the bottom crust and filling in a white pie dish on a gray surface before shaping.

assembled turkey pot pie with pinched edges and an "X" cut into the top pie crust before baking on a gray surface

Then, for a perfectly golden crust, make sure to brush the crust with the egg wash.

assembled turkey pot pie with pinched edges and an "X" cut into the top pie crust before baking on a gray surface with egg wash brushed over it.

Bake the Turkey Pot Pie

Use a pie crust shield to protect the outer crust and bake at 425 for 30 – 35 minutes on the lower rack of your oven, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

Remove the pie crush shield in the last 5 minutes of baking if the outer crust is not browning.

Let the Turkey Pot Pie Cool

Let the turkey pot pie cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving (preferably 30). This is important because the filling thickens as it cools. If you cut into the pie immediately after removing it from the oven, the filling will be runny.

Serve

I usually serve this turkey pot pie warm as a meal on it’s own. You can choose to serve it with your favorite side dishes or the rest of your thanksgiving leftovers. Here are some recommendations on what to serve with chicken pot pie:

Salad. We love serving turkey pot pie with a nice green salad, like this burrata salad, kale salad, brussel sprout salad, etc.
Dinner rolls. These homemade dinner rolls are the perfect compliment to this recipe, or leftover rolls if you have some from Thanksgiving.
Bread. This dutch oven bread, homemade french bread and Pretzel bread are great choices.
Vegetables. A side of roasted green beans, roasted broccoli, or balsamic roasted vegetables are great side dishes to serve with turkey pot pie.

a pie server lifting a piece of Turkey Pot Pie out of the pie dish that has the rest of the turkey pot pie in it. The thick creamy filling and golden brown crust is visible

How to Store Turkey Pot Pie

Store any leftover turkey pot pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze

You can freeze leftovers in individual portions in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Or you can bake and freeze the entire pie after it has cooled completely, just be sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil.

Reheat

For the best texture, reheat turkey pot pie in the oven until the filling is warmed through and the crust is crisp.

To reheat, cover the frozen turkey pot pie with foil and warm it in the oven at 375 degrees F for 35-45 minutes until heated all the way through. Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave, although the crust will be softer.

side view of a slice of Turkey Pot Pie on a plate the thick and creamy filling loaded with turkey and vegetables is visible. THere's a sprig of thyme on top.

Turkey Pot Pie Recipe FAQs

Can I use leftover Thanksgiving turkey to make turkey pot pie?

Yes! This turkey pot pie is one of my favorite ways to use leftover Thanksgiving turkey – that’s why I created this recipe. You can use white meat, dark meat or a combination of both.

How do you keep turkey pie from getting soggy on the bottom?

Make sure the turkey pot pie filling is thick and not watery before adding it to the filling. Baking the pie on the lower rack of the oven also helps the bottom crust cook and brown.

How do I thicken turkey pot pie?

Thankfully the homemade sauce in this turkey pot pie recipes ensures that the final result will be a thick and not liquidy.

Can you freeze homemade turkey pot pie?

Yes. I recommend baking the entire pot pie and then putting it in the freezer. To reheat, simply cover the frozen turkey pot pie with foil and warm it in the oven at 375 degrees F for 35-45 minutes.

Can I use chicken instad of turkey?

Absolutely, use cooked shredded or diced chicken if you want (see my chicken pot pie recipe).

Can I use frozen vegetables in the filling?

Yes. Frozen peas and corn work very well in turkey pot pie. You can also substitute frozen mixed vegetables for some of the fresh vegetables to cut out the chopping and make it even easier.

How do you thicken pot pie?

The sauce in this turkey pot pie is thickened before it’s combined with the turkey and vegetables. It will continue to thicken as the pot pie bakes and cools.

Can turkey pot pie be made ahead of time?

Yes. You can prepare the filling ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Then assemble and bake the pot pie when you’re ready to serve it. Or you can bake the whole pie, store in the fridge and reheat it the next day when you’re ready to serv.e

front view of a slice of Turkey Pot Pie on a white ceramic plate with lots of thick filling, a golden crust and sprig of thyme on top. There's a gold fork to the right of the pot pie on the plate.

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