Thanksgiving Leftovers Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
The ultimate leftover destroyer - Shepherds pie. Or is it cottage pie? I know shepherds pie is lamb, and cottage pie is beef, but what do you call it when you use thanksgiving turkey? I have no idea.
Growing up, we always used the name shepherds pie very loosely. It wasn’t until decades later I learned there are technical differences between the different pies, but I’m going to call it shepherds pie until someone more clever than me thinks of a name for it.
It’s a dish that shouldn’t even have a recipe. It goes against the whole point of it, and it always surprises me when I find a complicated recipe with all sorts of fancy ingredients and techniques. As a kid, I was taught shepherds pie is just a way of using up some leftover meat, gravy, and mashed potatoes. Nothing fancy to it, really.
I respect all the different types out there, and the delicious Michelin star worthy recipes, but this tasty comfort dish is already priceless just as it is, and shouldn’t be made out to be more than it is - the ultimate leftover meal.
So, I’m staying in my pjs and not even brushing out my pin curls for this one to celebrate the best part of thanksgiving - the leftovers.
The day after the biggest meal of the year is really when we can decompress, lounge around, and recover from cooking and socializing, but our fridge is packed to the brim with leftovers, and we’re going to be hungry at some point, so some easy, delicious recipes that use up what we have on hand are invaluable. So, let me show you how to make this classic using thanksgiving leftovers with little effort and a huge payout. It really couldn’t be easier.
All you need to start is some veggies. If you have some leftover cooked veggies like roasted carrots or parsnips, that’s ideal, but if you don’t, like me, just chop a few up and sauté them for a few minutes until they are tender. If your veggies are already cooked, you can skip the sauté step.
Transfer them to a large mixing bowl, then add chopped leftover turkey. Ham is delicious, too if you want to add some. Next, pour some leftover gravy overtop. And last, but not least, I like to use up the last of my green bean casserole. That might seem a little strange, but it’s really just cream of mushroom soup and another veggie with crispy onions, so if you break it down, it’s an excellent addition.
Mix everything together until blended, then transfer it to your baking dish. You can use one big dish for family style, or individual ramekins for a prettier presentation. Totally up to you, so I’ll show you both.
Top it with leftover mashed potatoes, spread evenly, then finish by sprinkling leftover stuffing over top. This addition also might seem a bit strange, but it’s essentially just a bread crumb topping, adding texture and flavor, and a great way of using up another leftover.
Pop that in the oven at 375° for about 30 minutes until the mashed potatoes and stuffing are browned and the filling is bubbling. Just that simple! it’s a delicious and comforting way to use up at least five leftovers, not counting the veggies, with very little effort.
So this year, take it easy a day after this hectic holiday, stay in your jammies, and enjoy some leftovers. It’s a great way to continue enjoying all that food you worked so hard to cook.
KITCHENWARE USED IN THIS RECIPE
VINTAGE PYREX
Autumn Harvest from the 1970’s
Other Recipes in this Series
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Thanksgiving Leftovers Turkey Spaghetti
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Thanksgiving Leftovers Blackened Sweet Potato Casserole Pancakes
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