Leftover Turkey Shepherd's Pie

Last Updated January 2nd, 2022 at 11:45 am by Lisa

After the holidays, try this leftover turkey recipe for shepherd's pie. Use turkey leftovers, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and more from Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas.

Years and years ago, I had so many leftovers. I asked my Dad, "What am I going to do with all this food?" And he wisely said, "Well why don't you make a turkey shepherd's pie?"

At first, it sounded weird, but then I thought hey that is a good idea. So I made one. Dad, this recipe is all yours, I give you full credit.

As a matter of fact, it is a yearly tradition and a great freezer meal. Bake it up all golden and bubbly on a cold evening. This is fast comfort food to love...

These are the turkey leftovers and fixings I had from Thanksgiving that went into this recipe...

Why Everyone Will Love It

• Well, what is a better reason than, it uses your leftovers?
• Everyone loves comfort food.
• No prep with this recipe, just layer leftovers and bake.
• The sweet and savory layers just work. Trust me. And yes, even the cranberry sauce.
• You will have a casserole in the freezer ready to go, with ZERO dinner prep!
• Each bite is different. I put mashed potatoes on the top but you could even do Mac and Cheese or scalloped potatoes top. I mean why not?
• No wasted leftovers, and they taste even better after a day or two.

Leftovers You Will Need...

• Dressing or Stuffing
• Turkey
• Gravy
• Cranberry Sauce
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Mashed Potatoes

More Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes

Mix it up and try different things for your Thanksgiving leftover casserole. Use what you have and what you made for the holidays. There really are no rules, you can layer so many different things in this shepherd's pie.

Mashed potatoes are classic, but why not top with Mac and Cheese with a sprinkle of buttered breadcrumbs or panko? Or, try potato au gratin or scalloped potatoes, and sprinkle with cheese.

You can layer roasted veggies, sprinkle fried corn or add some green bean casserole. Even if you don't have enough mashed potatoes to cover the top, just dollop them on and criss-cross with a fork for a beautiful pattern.

• Roasted Butternut Squash or Acorn Squash
• Scalloped Potatoes
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes or Carrots
• Green Bean Casserole
• Potato Au Gratin
• Cut Corn
• Sauteed Mushrooms
• Crumbled Cornbread
• Mac and Cheese

How To Put It Together

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with non-stick spray.

LAYER 1: Put stuffing in the bottom of the dish, which is about 2 cups.

LAYER 2: Next, lay 2 cups of leftover turkey pieces.

LAYER 3: Now drizzle ½ cup gravy over the turkey.

LAYER 4: Then spoon ¼ cup of cranberry sauce all over.

LAYER 5: Now dollop spoonfuls of sweet potato casserole all over the casserole.

LAYER 6: Place large spoonfuls of mashed potatoes on top, and press down with a fork. Dip the for in water to make a criss-cross pattern.

Bake 45 minutes until mashed potatoes are turning golden brown and the casserole is heated all the way through. Serve hot.

More Thanksgiving Recipes

Make these Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes with 5 Ways to Reheat them for your holiday party.

For more sides, you can't beat classics like Southern Sweet Potato Casserole,  Coconut-Pecan Sweet Potatoes. 

Dinner Rolls, or Easy Cornbread Muffins. Sausage Dressing is a meal by itself, with crumbled sausage, cornbread, and more. A modern twist on Cranberry Sauce, this recipe has fresh pineapple and oranges. 

Easier to roast than a whole Thanksgiving turkey, a Roast Turkey Breast easily goes well with any side dishes you choose and gives you leftovers!

Turkey Leftover Recipe: Empanadas

Wondering what to do with your Thanksgiving leftovers? Make Turkey Empanadas also know as hand pies.

Use Thanksgiving leftovers like turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, or stuffing baked into homemade or store-bought pie crust...