This Creamy Turkey Shepherd’s Pie topped with cheese, bacon, and creamy mashed potato, and then baked until the potatoes turn a light golden brown a spectacular thanksgiving leftover makeover dish!
This turkey shepherd’s pie recipe will have you counting down the days for the day after thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving leftover turkey shepherd’s pie
My thanksgiving leftover makeovers are just as popular as many of my thanksgiving favorites themselves.
Last year, these Turkey Filo Rolls were a hit, as was this savory bread pudding and this fun curried shepherd’s pie with lamb filling! But this Creamy Turkey Shepherd’s Pie… this is one of a kind.
All the lip-smacking flavors and comfort of thanksgiving in a Turkey Shepherd’s Pie with a cheesy, bacon studded, creamy mashed potato topping! So loosen up that belt buckle and let’s get to work, shall we? 🙂
Diced leftover oven roasted turkey (or slow cooked turkey), leftover roasted vegetables (maybe some extra peas too), leftover gravy, some extra ham or bacon, and anything else that was leftover from your thanksgiving feast in one incredible turkey shepherd’s pie!
I had to repeatedly slap away hands until I finished taking photos for this one. And the best thing is that it’s not really even a recipe, just one fantastic way to bring your thanksgiving leftovers to life again! There are just a few things you need to get right though.
Recipe notes
- You need a good amount of protein (I used a mix of turkey and ham – but you can use chicken or turkey, mixed with bacon or ham).
- Roasted veggies – If you don’t have any leftover roasted veggies, you can use frozen mixed vegetables instead. I would add some roasted brussels sprouts (chopped roughly), roasted carrots, even leftover green bean casserole! YUM!
- Creamy factor – I used full cream milk and chicken stock, thickened with corn starch (which keeps this dish gluten free). You can instead use a roux made with flour, or even use leftover gravy for part of that creaminess. Plus, it’s tons of EXTRA flavor!
- Have leftover thanksgiving stuffing? You can mix things up and add the dressing over one half of this turkey shepherd’s pie, and mashed potatoes over the other half! Or if you love stuffing instead, just scrap the mashed potatoes altogether and cover it with stuffing instead.
With so many ways to customize this delicious leftover makeover creamy turkey shepherd’s pie, you’ll find yourself enjoying this dish any time of the year!
Even Mr K, who isn’t the biggest fan of mashed potatoes, couldn’t get enough of it. I’m honestly not sure what to call this – a turkey shepherd’s pie with creamy mashed potatoes on top, or a turkey pie with ultra creamy turkey filling?
Regardless, this turkey shepherd’s pie is nothing if not an excess of flavor and the spirit of the holidays. So go ahead, get a spoon and fork and dig in!
Making this dish Allergy-friendly
- The mashed potato topping makes this pie gluten free.
- You can also eliminate the cheese and substitute the milk with a plant based milk to make this recipe dairy free as well.
Creamy turkey and roasted vegetable filling topped with cheese and bacon and creamy mashed potato, and then baked until the potatoes turn a light golden brown.
My favorite part was actually the crispy mashed potato edges that get browned and caramelized with bubbling creamy filling just under the surface. There may or may not have been a fork fight between my hubs and myself to claim those caramelized morsels of heaven (there was).
We enjoyed this with leftover crustless pumpkin pie and carrot cake all the way through the weekend!
Recipe
Creamy Turkey Shepherd’s Pie with Bacon
US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Weight measurements are recommended for accurate results whenever available.
Common Measurement ConversionsIngredients:
Turkey Filling
- ½ medium onion finely chopped
- 3 – 4 garlic cloves chopped
- 226 g brown mushrooms 8 oz, chopped
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch also known as cornflour
- 2 cup milk or half and half for a creamier version
- ½ – ¾ cup stock or water or leftover gravy
- 1 lb leftover cooked turkey cut into cubes/chunks
- 2 ½ cups leftover roasted vegetables chopped (I use roasted carrots and frozen peas)
- ½ cup left over ham cubed (optional)
- Salt to taste
- More stock/water to thin it out if needed
Mashed Potato Topping
- 2 ½ – 3 cups creamy mashed potatoes
- 1 – 2 serrano/jalapeno peppers chopped (deseeded if you prefer less heat)
- 1½ cups pepper jack cheese shredded
- 4 strips of bacon chopped and cooked
- Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Turkey Filling
- Place 2 – 3 tbsp of oil or butter in a large pot and heat over medium heat.
- Add the onions and garlic and saute to soften the onions. Add the mushrooms, thyme, cayenne pepper, black pepper and sugar, and saute the mushrooms until they soften.½ medium onion , 3 – 4 garlic cloves, 226 g brown mushrooms , 1 tsp dried thyme, ½ tsp cayenne pepper, ½ tsp black pepper, 2 tsp sugar
- Dissolve the cornstarch in the milk and add it to the mushroom mixture, along with stock and leftover turkey and ham.3 tbsp cornstarch, 2 cup milk , ½ – ¾ cup stock , 1 lb leftover cooked turkey, ½ cup left over ham
- Let the liquid simmer (uncovered), until it thickens. While the turkey filling is being cooked, preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.
- When the turkey filling has thickened and is creamy, add the vegetables and simmer until the vegetables are heated through. If the filling is too thick, add more stock/water to thin it out.2 ½ cups leftover roasted vegetables, More stock/water to thin it out if needed
- Season to taste.Salt to taste
- Transfer the filling to a buttered, oven-proof dish and get the mashed potato topping ready.
Bacon and Cheese Mashed Potatoes
- Place the leftover mashed potatoes in a bowl. Add half of the shredded cheese, chopped jalapeno, chopped bacon, and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.2 ½ – 3 cups creamy mashed potatoes, 1 – 2 serrano/jalapeno peppers, 1½ cups pepper jack cheese, 4 strips of bacon, Salt and pepper
- Set aside until the filling is ready.
Assembly
- Sprinkle half of the shredded cheese over the turkey filling.1½ cups pepper jack cheese
- Dollop the prepared mashed potato mix over the turkey filling and carefully spread it evenly.2 ½ – 3 cups creamy mashed potatoes
- Use a fork to create a grooved pattern on the surface (as seen in the pictures in the post).
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until the mashed potatoes start to caramelize and turn golden brown and the filling is bubbling along the edges.
- Remove from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes before serving.
- Serve warm.
Recipe Notes
Notes
This recipe can be easily halved and adapted to the amount of leftover you have.If you love stuffing/dressing, add that to the top of the turkey filling instead of mashed potatoes.
Nutrition Information:
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
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