This recipe has it all—an easy way to use leftovers, pantry-friendly ingredients, a simple process, and plenty of flexibility. Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry is warm, comforting, and destined to become a family favorite. Roasted turkey, potatoes, carrots, and peas simmered in a rich, creamy sauce hit all the right notes.
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Why You'll Bookmark This Recipe
This Turkey Pot Pie with Puff Pastry recipe delivers deep comfort in one pot, no matter your cooking experience. Leftover roasted turkey, leftover chicken, or even a store-bought rotisserie bird pairs effortlessly with onions, potatoes, carrots, and peas. Everything comes together in a creamy, seasoned filling in minutes—no waste and no angst. It’s flexible, too: puff pastry shells offer an easy, elegant presentation, but the same filling works beautifully in a pie crust or spooned over warm biscuits. A hint of Le Bon Papa Creole Seasoning and a splash of dry sherry add warm, familiar depth that elevates the dish and sets it apart from the imitators. You’ll find yourself returning to it again and again.
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Here’s What You Need
These are the key ingredients used in this recipe. A complete list, with quantities, is included in the printable recipe card at the end of this article.
Ingredient Notes
- Roasted Turkey: Leftover turkey is ideal. Dark meat enriches flavor; white meat keeps the texture lean.
- Turkey Stock: Homemade or store-bought works. A rich stock provides backbone to the sauce.
- Dry Sherry: Adds a unique, savory depth and helps deglaze the pan. Use a dry style, not cooking sherry.
- Herb and Spice Blend: Creole seasoning, thyme, savory, and bay leaf create a South Louisiana flavor profile without overpowering the turkey.
- Puff Pastry: Use commercial puff pastry shells, prepared according to the package directions. See the Lagniappe Tip below.
- Heavy Cream: Enhances richness and silkiness. Avoid lower-fat options, which can curdle or thin the sauce.
- Vegetables (carrots, potatoes, peas): Classic pot pie vegetables chosen for sweetness, starch, color, and availability—true comfort food architecture. No need to defrost frozen peas.
- Sources of Salt: The butter, stock, puff pastry, and Creole seasoning you use may contain salt. This recipe was developed using Le Bon Papa Creole Seasoning, a no-salt, no MSG all-purpose Creole seasoning. You should adjust the amount of added salt in the final recipe with this in mind.
Lagniappe Tip: The traditional size puff pastries (see picture above) are called vol-au-vent, while the small, bite-size appetizer size is called a bouchée. Either one makes an attractive presentation aligned with your plan to serve these.
Substitutions
Substituting ingredients is sometimes desirable or necessary, but keep in mind that any substitution may impact the flavor profile, cooking time, or nutrition.
- Turkey: Rotisserie chicken, leftover roasted chicken, or cubed or pulled pork.
- Turkey stock: Chicken or vegetable stock is a suitable substitute for the Turkey Stock. Bouillon cubes or Better Than Bouillon are also good substitutes.
- Dry sherry: Dry White wine, vermouth, or apple cider. You can also increase the stock and add a splash of vinegar to replace the liquid and acid of the wine.
- Heavy cream: Half-and-half, evaporated milk, or whole milk with 1 tablespoon butter.
- Puff pastry: Canned biscuits, store-bought or homemade pie crust, crescent dough sheets, or phyllo in a pinch.
- Savory (herb): Thyme, Sage, or Marjoram can be used in place of Savory.
- Peas: Green beans or diced asparagus can stand in for the peas.
Cookware
You won’t need much to make this comforting pot pie. Here are the essentials: A 12-inch skillet or sauté pan is the workhorse of the recipe—wide enough to build the filling, reduce the sauce, and hold all the vegetables and turkey without crowding. A medium saucepan for parboiling the carrots and potatoes, and a colander or strainer for draining them. Use a sheet pan for baking the puff pastry shells, so they rise evenly, and keep a cooling rack nearby to rest the filling if needed.
Hints and Tips (FAQ)
They should be just slightly tender—softened on the outside but still firm in the center.
A light roux is flour cooked in fat for only 2 or 3 minutes. The roux does not brown from cooking, but does take on the color of the sauteed vegetables and seasoning. It thickens sauces without darkening them or adding deep roasted flavor.
Yes—rotisserie turkey breast or roasted deli turkey works well.
Whisk in additional warm stock or a splash of cream until the texture loosens.
Yes, the filling can be prepared 1–2 days ahead. Reheat gently before assembling. Check out the Leftover Tips Section below for more details on making this recipe in advance.
No. Dry Sherry provides a warm, earthy element with a bit of acid to the flavor profile, but there are substitutes. See the Substitute Section above.
Here’s What You Do
First…you have a beer. That’s the secret to no-angst cooking—fun, relaxed, and rewarding. Sip while you read the recipe from start to finish. Then perform your mise en place: gather your ingredients, prep them as they’ll be used, and set out your equipment. With everything in place and your mindset right, you’re ready to cook with confidence and enjoy the process as much as the meal.
Mise En Place
No-angst cooking continues with mise en place. Before you ever turn on the heat, prep and measure every ingredient exactly as it will be used. When everything’s ready to go, most of the work is behind you—and the cooking becomes simple, seamless, and enjoyable.
Build the Flavor Base
What’s happening in this step? You parboil the vegetables so they finish evenly, then sauté the aromatics and deglaze with sherry to create a deep, flavorful base.
Thicken, Season, and Finish the Filling
What’s happening in this step? You make a blond roux to thicken the sauce, simmer it with herbs and cream for richness, then fold in the turkey so it warms without drying out.
Lagniappe Tip: Make sure the oven is preheating according to the Puff Pastry instructions!
Prepare the Pastry and Assemble
What’s happening in this step? You cool the filling so it thickens, bake the puff pastry until flaky, and spoon in the creamy mixture for a simple, elegant finish.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe makes enough for twelve puff pastries. I like a serving size of 2 vol au vents per person with an overflowing spoonful of turkey filling. Pair with garlic mashed potatoes, Brabant potatoes, or roasted Brussels sprouts. Add a crisp green salad to balance the richness. Offer cranberry relish or chutney for a holiday nod. For entertaining: serve mini puff pastries (bouchée) as cocktail-party pot pies--great for passing around!
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Leftover Tips
The filling is great for leftovers and easy to make ahead.
- Allow the filling to cool for no more than 2 hours after cooking, then transfer it to an airtight container.
- For the best texture, store the filling separately from the pastry.
- The filling keeps 3–4 days in the refrigerator and 2–3 months in the freezer when stored properly in airtight, freezer-safe containers.
- Thaw frozen filling overnight in the refrigerator.
- To reheat, warm the filling on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of stock or water to loosen the sauce. You can also reheat it gently in the microwave.
- Baked puff pastry does not freeze well; bake only what you plan to serve. Leftover baked pastry can be refrigerated and warmed in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes to refresh its crispness.
Lagniappe Tip: Food safety is real! Check out what the USDA has to say about safely handling leftovers in this article Leftovers and Food Safety.
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Yeah You Right!
Recipe
Turkey Pot Pie
Here's What You Need
- 2 cups Roasted Turkey
- 4 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 cup Yellow Onions
- ½ cup Celery
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic
- 4 Tablespoons AP Flour
- 1 cup Carrots
- 1 cup Potatoes
- 1 cup Peas
- 3 cups Turkey Stock See NOtes
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- ½ cup Dry Sherry
- 12 Puff Pastries
Herb and Spice Blend
- 1 Tablespoon Creole Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Dry Thyme
- ½ teaspoon Savory
- 1 Bay Leaf
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ teaspoon White Pepper
Here's What You Do
Mise En Place
- Chop the turkey into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle with Creole seasoning; set aside. Chop the remaining vegetables into bite-sized pieces and measure the remaining ingredients.
- Prepare the Puff Pastry according to the package directions.
Prepare the Filling
- Parboil sliced carrots and potatoes for about 3 minutes. Drain and reserve. These vegetables should be al dente.
- Add butter to a 12-inch skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. When foaming, add the yellow onions and celery; saute about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and half of the Herb and Spice Blend (except the Bay Leaf) and continue to saute 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the dry sherry; deglaze the pan if needed and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
- Add the AP Flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes, making a blond roux.
- Add the parboiled carrots, potatoes, and peas. Mix well.
- Increase the heat and add the turkey stock; deglaze if necessary. Stir until the roux dissolves and no lumps remain. Return to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook for about 10 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and reduce.
- Add the remaining Herb and Spice Blend with the Bay Leaf and simmer another 5 minutes.
- Stir in the heavy cream; bring to a gentle simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Remove the Bay Leaf, then fold the chopped and seasoned turkey into the sauce. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
- Remove the top from the puff pastry and set aside. Place one or two puff pastries on a serving dish.
- With a large spoon or ladle, fill each puff pastry slightly past the top with the turkey and sauce. Set the pastry top on top or leaning on the filled puff pastry.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Estimate
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It's Me!
Louisiana is a wonderful place where the rich cultural heritage enriches and entertains. I'm Dave Howson, aka Sweet Daddy D. I'm glad you found my website and I look forward to exploring the cultural mosaic of Louisiana with you…
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Bob Bob
I have everything ready but the turkey. Went to family's for Thanksgiving so no leftovers so I plan on smoking a few breasts as soon as the rain stops & these potpies are on the menu.
Sweet Daddy D
Nice...I think this will be a great recipe with smoked turkey. Can't wait to hear how it tastes out. Thanks for taking the time to reach out.
Sweet Daddy D
What a great use for leftover turkey!