Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

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! You know what I love? Leftovers. Leftover soup, leftover pizza, leftover pasta…I just can’t get enough. But I think we can all agree that the best day for leftovers is the day after Christmas. And one of my favorite past times is dreaming up ways to use them. Obviously this Turkey Shepherd’s Pie was at the top of the list (along with this Turkey Tetrazzini and this Turkey Noodle Soup). I mean, it’s kind of brilliant right? Toss in pretty much everything you’ve got from your holiday dinner (turkey, gravy, veggies, potatoes), then throw it in the oven to warm it up and your delicious dinner is ready to go. The perfect comfort food!

Ingredients:
3 tbsp butter, or canola oil, divided
1 small onion, finely diced
2 large carrots, peeled and finely diced (about 2 cups)
1 stalk celery, finely diced (about ⅓-½ cup)
½ tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1½ cups chicken broth
1 cup frozen peas
2 cups cooked, chopped turkey
salt and pepper
½ tsp dried thyme
3 cups mashed 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 1½ cups.
– Start with an oven-safe skillet. Make the filling in an oven-safe skillet so you can easily layer on the potatoes and bake it. Just one dirty dish!
– Add other veggies. Feel free to sauté whatever veggies you want with the carrot, onion, and celery. Try mushrooms, bell pepper, green beans, you name it.
– Use any leftovers you have. You’re totally not limited to mashed potatoes and turkey. Layer in whatever you have in your fridge. Corn? Stuffing? Cranberry sauce? If it sounds good to you, it’s probably good!
– Make it cheesy. A sprinkle of cheddar cheese on the potatoes would be delicious.
– Use another meat. This recipe works great with any leftover meat you have on hand. Leftover shredded chicken is a great option.
– If you don’t have leftover meat, feel free to use ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken. Just cook it with the veggies before assembling the pie!

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