Description
This Garlic Bread Leftover Turkey Pot Pie is a comforting and hearty dish perfect for using up leftover turkey. It features a creamy turkey and vegetable filling thickened with a roux, topped with buttery garlic bread chunks and melted cheese, then baked until golden and bubbly. A delicious twist on traditional pot pie, it combines rich flavors and satisfying textures for a cozy dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 150g / 5 oz mushrooms, sliced 1/2cm (1/5″ thick)
- 50g / 4 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped (brown, white, or yellow)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped into 1cm (1/3″) pieces
- 4 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk (any fat percentage)
- 4 cups (600g) cooked chopped turkey or chicken
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
- 1 tsp chicken or vegetable stock powder (or 1 cube, Vegeta powder preferred)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Garlic Bread Topping
- 50g / 4 tbsp salted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced using a garlic press
- 5 packed cups bread chunks (~2.5cm/1″ cubes; preferably soft bread like sandwich loaf or rolls)
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
- 1 cup mozzarella or other melting cheese, shredded or sliced (enough to cover most of the top)
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F), suitable for all oven types.
- Prepare garlic bread topping: Melt salted butter and stir in minced garlic. Place the bread chunks into a bowl, drizzle with the garlic butter mixture, and toss well to coat. Set aside.
- Brown mushrooms: Heat olive oil in an oven-proof skillet over high heat. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Remove mushrooms from skillet and set aside.
- Sauté garlic and onion: Reduce heat to medium-high. Melt butter in the same skillet, then add finely chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook for 2 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add carrot: Add the chopped carrot pieces and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Add flour: Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to form a roux paste. It may look dry at this point, which is normal.
- Make the sauce: Gradually add half the milk while stirring quickly to dissolve the paste into the liquid. Then add the remaining milk and continue stirring. Add chicken or vegetable stock powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Thicken sauce: Cook the mixture for 2–3 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce starts steaming, bubbling, and thickening. Test the thickness by coating the back of a wooden spoon – you should be able to draw a line across.
- Add turkey, peas, and mushrooms: Stir in the cooked chopped turkey, frozen peas, and browned mushrooms to the thickened sauce, mixing well to combine.
- Top with garlic bread: Spread the prepared garlic bread chunks evenly over the surface of the filling. If using parmesan cheese, grate it over the bread topping. Then cover with shredded or sliced mozzarella or other melting cheese to cover most of the top.
- Bake the pot pie: Place skillet in the oven and bake for 12–15 minutes or until the cheese starts to develop brown spots. Tent foil over the dish to prevent sticking and bake for an additional 10 minutes to finish cooking.
- Serve: Optionally sprinkle extra grated parmesan on top before serving. Serve hot and enjoy this comforting, cheesy turkey pot pie.
Notes
- Use soft bread for the topping rather than artisan breads with thick, chewy crusts. Everyday sandwich bread, rolls, or hamburger buns work best.
- The loaf bread amount is estimated as it varies in density; ensure enough to cover the surface in a single layer with bread cubes about 2.5cm (1″) in size.
- A 26cm (10.25″) oven-proof cast iron skillet is recommended, but a 2.5L/2.5 quart casserole dish can be used if a skillet is unavailable.
- If the sauce seems runny after combining with turkey and vegetables, you can gently reheat it on the stovetop to thicken further as desired. Cheese can also be used to help thicken the filling.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat covered in the oven or microwave for best results.
- Nutritional values are based on 6 servings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
