This Creamy Turkey Shepherd's Pie is the best way to use up all your holiday dinner leftovers. It's loaded with turkey and veggies, then topped with mashed potatoes. The perfect comfort food!
2large carrotspeeled and finely diced (about 2 cups)
1stalk celeryfinely diced (about 1/3-1/2 cup)
1/2tspminced garlic
1tbspall purpose flour
1 1/2cupschicken broth
1cupfrozen peas
2cupscooked chopped turkey
salt and pepper
1/2tspdried thyme
3cupsmashed potatoes
Instructions
Heat oven to 375 degrees F (*but not if you are making ahead -- see notes).
In a medium oven-safe skillet, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium-high heat (or add canola oil). Add onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until tender (about 15-20 minutes). Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
Add one more tablespoon butter or canola oil to cooked vegetables. Add flour and stir until combined completely. Add broth, and cook and stir until broth is thickened.
Stir in peas and turkey until peas are warmed through. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and add thyme.
Top with mashed potatoes and dab with remaining butter or brush with 1 tbsp canola oil. Bake for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are heated through.
Notes
*To Make Ahead: prepare the casserole completely but do not bake. Cover in plastic wrap or tin foil and refrigerate up to 1-2 days in advance, then bake as directed. You may need to add an additional 10-20 minutes baking time. ** To Use Leftover Vegetables: you get to skip ahead! Instead of having to cook the veggies all the way through, just reheat the leftover vegetables you're using in the butter, then add the extra butter and flour, then broth, and continue on with the recipe. *** To Use Leftover Gravy: Depending on how much you have leftover, you may want to just add it in with the turkey and peas if it's a small amount. Or you may want to skip the extra tbsp butter, flour and broth that makes the gravy in the recipe, and simple stir in your own if you have at least 1.5 cups.
Storing:
Leftover Turkey Shepherd's Pie will last in the fridge for up to 4 days or wrapped tightly in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen, then warm in the oven until heated through.