Holiday leftovers don't have to mean the same thing, reheated for days! These Turkey and Ham Pot Pies turn your leftovers into something new and delicious.
With its flaky pastry and creamy filling, this pot pie is pure comfort food. I love how simple these are to put together. And I love that they are made individually, great for older kids who are coming home from after school jobs and need dinner at at different time to the younger kids
Whether for a family dinner or a quick meal to share with friends, these Turkey and Ham Pot Pies are bound to become a favorite. I pair them with some potatoes and a crisp green salad or simple veggies for a really easy meal.
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Ingredients Notes
These notes are here to help make this recipe a success; they cover some but not all ingredients. For a complete ingredient list, with quantities, check out the recipe card below.
Onion: I use a regular brown onion, but white or yellow would work fine. You can also use a leek if you have one.
Chicken broth/stock: If you have leftover turkey broth, you can use it here. I use a low sodium/reduced salt broth to control the salt, as ham can be salty.
Milk: This recipe has been tested with full-fat and half fat/semi-skimmed milk. (I haven't tested it with 0% milk.) You can also use half and half for a richer creamier sauce.
Chicken/Vegetable bouillon: I use a powdered stock or 'better than bouillon'. You can substitute with a stock cube. These all add an extra punch of flavor to the creamy sauce.
Turkey: Any leftover turkey will work, we like a mixture the white and dark meat, but use what you have leftover. Remove the skin though. You can cube or shred the meat.
Ham: Again this recipe is perfect for leftover ham. Or you can buy ham from the store. We like to keep the ham quite chunky, but you can finely chop it if you prefer.
Salt: You may not need extra salt depending on your ham and broth. Taste your sauce and add salt if it is lacking flavor.
Puff Pastry: An all-butter puff tastes better and will get beautifully golden brown. But you can use regular puff pastry. If you are using all-butter puff pastry, cutting it while it is still a little frozen is far easier.
Egg: This is for the egg wash for the top of the pies. You can also use milk.
Top Tip
If you have leftover egg wash you can freeze it in a small ziplock bag or an airtight container and freeze it. It defrosts to be exactly the same so you can use it the next time you make pie.
Recipe Tips
We've tested this recipe at least 3 times to ensure it works well for you. Have a look at our tips for getting the best dish you can!
- Cook the onions, carrot and celery over low heat. You want the carrot and celery to soften and the onion to be sweet and just starting to color.
- When you add the flour, stir it well so it thoroughly mixes into the butter and vegetable mixture.
- Pour the broth/stock slowly into the vegetable mixture and stir it constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon.
- The sauce mixture should be quite thick (see picture below) because the ham will realise some liquid as the pie cooks.
- If you are making these in advance, allow the sauce mixture to cool completely before adding the meat.
- You can use any ratio of turkey to ham that you like. Just make sure you have 4 cups of meat in total. I try to do 50:50 but it depends on what we have left.
- You can either use the top your ramekin to cut out the pastry or a bowl that is slightly bigger. A bigger bowl will give you an overhang, shown in the pictures of this post, where as using the ramekin will let the pastry sit on top of the filling inside the ramekin (like my Seafood Pot Pies).
- I use 13oz/380ml ramekins.
Why Is This Recipe Special?
I developed this recipe in 2024, which was my year of turkey!! I made 5 different roast turkey recipes in October and November. And as I test all my recipes at least 3 times, I had a lot of leftover turkey! So I came up with a few ways to use up the leftovers. Turkey pie was our favourite way. That and a turkey pasta that I ran out of time to post, as by the time it was fully tested, turkey season was over and people had moved on! I will get it up this year for sure.
- These are a great way to use up leftovers.
- Pot pies are just so comforting and familiar.
- These can be made in advance.
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Recipe Adaptations
These are just suggestions and things that have worked in my test kitchen for my family, but it is your dinner, so adapt it to suit your family. That is the beauty of cooking; we can all create our own delicious meals.
- Add extra vegetables to your pie. Especially if you have anything left over form the holidays. Corn, chopped green beans, mushroom or potatoes work well.
- Add a spoonful of stuffing to each pie before adding the puff pastry crust.
- If you have leftover mashed potato. Add a potato top rather than a puff pastry lid.
FAQ's
These are some of the questions our testers have asked. If you have any other questions, please drop me a comment below, are I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
You can. Just bake it in a 9x13 inch dish (or similar). If you are making this ahead of time, for the bigger pie you will need to increase the baking time slightly to ensure the center if hot. Cover the edges with foil if the pastry starts to brown too fast.
Absolutely. Rotisserie chicken works perfectly, just shred or chop it and use it instead of the turkey.
Yes, you can assemble them in advance but allow the sauce to cool completely before adding the meat and topping with pastry. Then refrigerate until you are ready to bake them.
You can freeze them unbaked, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight and then bake as per the recipe. You can also freeze the fully baked pies in the same way. With these, I prefer to reheat in the microwave and then finish in the oven or air fryer to make the pastry crisp again. I find if you just use the oven the pastry gets too crispy and dark before the center is hot again!
You can use a little milk or melted butter instead of egg. But also you can freeze leftover egg wash and use it next time you are cooking pastry.
You know my motto when it comes to cheese and garlic! We measure both with our heart. So feel free to add cheese to the sauce. I would grate my own as pre-grated cheese can make your sauce grainy. A strong cheese like gruyere or mature cheddar will add most flavor, but a mild cheese like provolone or mozzarella will give you the cheese pull we all love.
Serving Suggestions
If you're wondering what to serve with this recipe, I've pulled together some of my (and my kids) favorite ideas so you can mix and match sides and drinks to make a complete meal.
What to eat with Turkey and Ham pot Pies
Serve these turkey and ham pot pies with a crisp salad with a tangy dressing to balance the richness of the filling and maybe some warm crusty bread to soak up any leftover creamy sauce. Steamed green beans or roasted carrots also work well. If you want something a bit more indulgent go for a bowl of fries or crispy potatoes.
What to drink with Turkey and Ham pot Pies
For those who prefer a white wine, a floral fruity Viognier (my fav!) perfectly balances the rich sauce and smoky ham. Or, go for a new world Chardonnay with bright citrus notes and that creamy buttery finish. It is perfect for complimenting and balancing the rich pie filling.
If you prefer a red, a light-bodied Pinot Noir, is fresh and fruity and won't overpower the turkey or subtle herbs in the pie. Or a Grenache, although it is more full-bodied it will not overpower the turkey or creamy sauce while working well with the ham.
More Recipes to Try
If you enjoyed this dish, here are a few more comforting, warming recipes I think you'll love! They're all easy, tasty, and perfect for adding to your weekly meal plan.
Enjoy x
If you try these Turkey and Ham Pot Pies, please leave a 🌟rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I really appreciate it, and it helps others to know that this recipe is trustworthy. And in a world where AI is becoming so common, it is nice to still have real human interactions.
Any questions about the recipe? Use the comment section below and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
Get the Recipe
Turkey and Ham Pot Pies
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 carrot finely chopped
- 1 rib celery finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ⅓ cup flour
- 1 ¾ cups chicken broth (see note 1)
- ⅔ cup milk (see note 2)
- 1 teaspoon chicken or vegetable bouillon powder (see note 3)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage
- 2½ cups turkey cubed/shredded (see note 4)
- 1 ½ cup ham cubed/chopped (see note 4)
- ½ teaspoon salt see note 5
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 1 egg (see note 6)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 390ºF/200ºC.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery.1 tablespoon olive oil1 onion1 carrot1 rib celery
- Sauté the veg over low heat for 10 minutes until softened. Add the butter and let it melt into the veg.1 tablespoon butter
- Add the flour to the pan, stir well, then cook for a minute.⅓ cup flour
- Slowly pour the chicken broth over the vegetable mixture, stirring continuously. Once combined, add in the milk.1 ¾ cups chicken broth⅔ cup milk
- Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 7-8 minutes until thick. (see note 7)
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the bouillon powder, herbs, and seasonings. Stir to combine.1 teaspoon chicken or vegetable bouillon powder1 tablespoon fresh parsley½ teaspoon dried thyme¼ teaspoon pepper¼ teaspoon ground sage
- Add the turkey and ham and stir to coat it in the sauce. Taste your mixture. Add salt if needed. (see note 5)2½ cups turkey1 ½ cup ham½ teaspoon salt
- Use a bowl to cut 4 circles out of your puff pastry. You want them to be about 1"/2.5cm wider (all the way around) than the ramekins.1 sheet puff pastry
- Spoon the turkey mixture into the 4 ramekins and top each with a pastry disk.
- Use a pastry brush to glaze the top of each pie with egg, and then use a sharp knife to pierce the top of each pie1 egg
- Bake the pies for 25-30 minutes until golden and puffed up.
Notes
- If you have leftover turkey broth, you can use it. I use low sodium/ reduced salt broth to control the salt, as ham can be salty.
- This recipe has been tested with full-fat and half-fat/semi-skimmed milk. I haven't tested it with 0% fat milk. You can also use half and half for a richer, creamier sauce.
- I use a powdered stock or 'better than bouillon'. You can also substitute it with a stock cube.
- You can use any ratio of turkey to ham you like. Just make sure you have 4 cups in total. Chop or shred the meat however you like.
- You may not need extra salt, depending on your ham and broth. Taste your sauce, and then add the salt if it lacks flavor.
- You can use milk or an egg to brush the top of your pies. I think egg make them crispier and golden.
- The sauce mixture should be thick because the ham will release some liquid into the sauce as the pie cooks.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
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