Leftover Thanksgiving Cottage Pie with Turkey | Best Recipe Box (2024)

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by Diane

Leftover Thanksgiving leftovers Cottage Pie is an all time favorite for us because it’s the whole Thanksgiving dinner in one awesome warm casserole. Cottage pie is a celebration of all of our favorite Thanksgiving comfort dishes in a “pie” and a great way to eat your Thanksgiving leftovers. This turkey cottage pie is a fantastic casserole using leftovers from Thanksgiving and nothing goes to waste!

Leftover Thanksgiving Cottage Pie with Turkey | Best Recipe Box (2)

Cottage Pie vs Shepherds Pie?

Traditionally Shepherds pie uses ground lamb and sometimes ground beef. We originally called this recipe a shepherds pie but got reminded that we were wrong. Ok! So we realized this recipe is more of a cottage pie because it doesn’t use the traditional ground lamb meat. But if you’re still fixated on this not being a cottage pie, then consider it a everything-but-the-kitchen-sink-leftover-thanksgiving-bake. What ever you decide to call it, we call it DELICIOUS!

Leftover Thanksgiving Cottage Pie

It’s hard to pass up this dish because it’s topped with mashed potatoes and baked until everything is warmed and combined into one complete delicious goodness. This turkey cottage pie recipe has veggies, meats, gravy and potatoes. So it’s the perfect opportunity to take all our Thanksgiving leftovers into a cottage pie version because Thanksgiving has all those delicious components! Share it with family and friends and enjoy. Thanksgiving doesn’t have to just be one day of feasting! This is the dish that keeps on giving. Click here for all of our great Thanksgiving Leftovers Recipes and Delicious Thanksgiving Recipes.

Video: Watch how Leftover Thanksgiving Cottage Pie is made!

Add Leftover Gravy to Cottage Pie

Thanksgiving and Holidays is always about the gravy and this cottage pie definitely is better with it. You can add some to the filling to make it more saucy. But we love adding more on top during serving. Having the rich gravy on top adds so much more flavor and decadence. Make an extra batch of gravy because you’ll love pouring this over this casserole.

Can you freeze this recipe?

You can freeze leftovers and they still taste great! If you made a big batch and more leftovers, then freeze them small batches. By doing this, they will thaw a little quicker. Or you can leave it in the fridge overnight to get a head start on thawing. They are even better later, especially when you’re craving leftovers. But also beware because when mashed potato thaws, it can often get a little dry and mushy.

Leftover Thanksgiving Cottage Pie with Turkey | Best Recipe Box (3)

Leftover Thanksgiving Cottage Pie with Turkey | Best Recipe Box (4)

Leftover Thanksgiving Cottage Pie

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 50 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

If the leftover ingredients are cold and straight from the fridge, they might be a little firm to spread and pour. Microwave them a bit to loosen up the texture. This will also help reduce the cooking time if the ingredients were layered warm.

5 from 6 votes

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups (480 ml) leftover stuffing , approximately
  • 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) leftover turkey , cubed or cut in small pieces
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) cranberry sauce
  • 1 cup (240 ml) leftover veggies , ham or anything but the pie, cut into small pieces
  • 1 cup (240 ml) leftover gravy , or more if you like!
  • 3-4 cups (720-960 ml) of leftover mashed potatoes
  • 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) butter , cut into 1/2” pieces

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9” pie pan or an 8”x8” baking dish.

  • Layer stuffing, turkey, cranberry sauce, veggies and gravy. Spread potatoes over the casserole. Dot with the butter.

  • Bake until heated through and potatoes are golden, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool slightly. If you want, drizzle more gravy on top! Enjoy!

Nutrition Information per Serving

Calories: 371kcal, Carbohydrates: 42g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 36mg, Sodium: 642mg, Potassium: 489mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 1415IU, Vitamin C: 10.3mg, Calcium: 34mg, Iron: 1.4mg

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Holiday

Calories: 371

Can you make this a vegetarian cottage pie?

Sure! If you don’t have leftover turkey, then use all your other leftovers except for the pies. Sautee up some extra vegetables if you’re a little low on leftovers. And for a vegetarian gravy, try our vegan mushroom gravy recipe.

More Holiday Recipes:

  • Thanksgiving leftover pull apart sliders
  • Easy Pumpkin Pie Recipe
  • Fresh cranberry sauce
  • No bake cranberry pie
  • Here’s more shepherds pie recipe ideas. This recipe was originally published in 2017 and re-published in 2018 with an updated video!

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posted in: 300+ Easy Meals, Casseroles, Chicken | Turkey, Holiday, Holiday-Thanksgiving 5 comments

Leftover Thanksgiving Cottage Pie with Turkey | Best Recipe Box (5)

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Leave a Reply

    5 Comments on “Thanksgiving Leftovers Cottage Pie”

  1. Janis Neill Reply

    Leftover Thanksgiving Cottage Pie with Turkey | Best Recipe Box (8)
    Looking forward to making this !

  2. Christiana Reply

    Leftover Thanksgiving Cottage Pie with Turkey | Best Recipe Box (9)
    I look forward to make this after Thanksgiving. We always end up with so much leftover.

  3. Melody Reply

    Leftover Thanksgiving Cottage Pie with Turkey | Best Recipe Box (10)
    Had the chance to make this last year and it was good!
    Came back here to check out how to make it again for this year’s Thanksgiving.

  4. Alice Reply

    Leftover Thanksgiving Cottage Pie with Turkey | Best Recipe Box (11)
    I remember making this for Black Friday dinner. It was the best. I’m totally making it again.

  5. Patricia Reply

    Leftover Thanksgiving Cottage Pie with Turkey | Best Recipe Box (12)
    This was such a great idea. I’m glad to get the chance to make it again.

Leftover Thanksgiving Cottage Pie with Turkey | Best Recipe Box (2024)

FAQs

Can you make cottage pie to eat the next day? ›

Yes, make the cottage pie right up to the point before you put it in the oven. Then quickly cool, cover and refrigerate, along with the gravy. It should be fine in the fridge for up to a day.

How long is leftover turkey and stuffing good for? ›

The answer is simple: leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for three to four days. This means you have until the Monday after Thanksgiving to eat all those delicious leftovers or place them in the freezer to enjoy later.

How do you deal with leftovers on Thanksgiving? ›

10 ways to use Thanksgiving leftovers (besides just reheating them)
  1. Roasted turkey and vegetable salads. ...
  2. Turkey tacos. ...
  3. Potato pancakes. ...
  4. Make a turkey pot pie. ...
  5. Turkey pizza. ...
  6. Turkey soup. ...
  7. Turkey grilled cheese. ...
  8. Turn stuffing into muffins.
Nov 23, 2023

How do you reheat leftovers for Thanksgiving? ›

Transfer the turkey and mashed potatoes into oven-safe dishes, add a little stock to the turkey and butter to the potatoes, and cover both dishes. Reheat them together for about 30 minutes at 350°F. You're winning the leftover dinner game right now.

Is it best to reheat cottage pie in oven or microwave? ›

Place the dish in cool water (obviously not over the lip of the dish) and change the water a couple of times as the pie warms it, then cover and put in the fridge or freezer. If you have the time I recommend you put it in the oven to reheat somewhere between 30 and 60 minutes at 350F depending on how deep it is.

How long will a cooked cottage pie keep in the fridge? ›

How long can you keep Cottage Pie in the fridge? Once you've put it out, ideally you should eat it within 4 hours. If you allow any left overs to cool, make sure to refrigerate in a container with a lid and chill. You can keep leftovers of Cottage Pie in the fridge for approximately 3 days or so.

Can you eat turkey 5 days after Thanksgiving? ›

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for three to four days, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service. Turkey typically lasts up to four days in the fridge before it goes bad.

Can you eat cooked turkey after 5 days? ›

USDA recommends using cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. Turkey can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Although safe indefinitely, frozen leftovers can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer times in the freezer.

Can you eat turkey on Monday after Thanksgiving? ›

The Monday after Thanksgiving means anything still in the refrigerator needs to go. This is your last chance to eat it, freeze it or dump what's left of the leftovers.

What percentage of people prefer Thanksgiving leftovers? ›

Apparently I'm in the minority, as this poll reported that 80 percent of Americans prefer the leftover version.

What is the rule for leftovers? ›

Leftovers can be kept for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. After that, the risk of food poisoning goes up. If you don't think you'll be able to eat leftovers within four days, freeze them right away. Frozen leftovers will stay safe for a long time.

Why do Thanksgiving leftovers taste better? ›

The flavor compounds – the herbs, the spices, the reactions that take place during cooking, sort of cool back and depending on how you have cooled and refrigerated your food, actually get back into the food and get trapped into the starches and the proteins.

How do you reheat leftover turkey and stuffing? ›

The best way to reheat turkey is in a 350°F oven.

Cover the dish with foil and heat in the oven at 350°F for about 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can microwave the sliced turkey (cover with a damp paper towel) in a microwave-safe dish at 50% power in 1-minute intervals.

How do you reheat turkey stuffing and mashed potatoes? ›

The best way to reheat the stuffing and the turkey is in the oven, and green beans and mashed potatoes would best be reheated over low heat on the stovetop until they're warmed through.

How do you reheat turkey and mashed potatoes? ›

Oven: If you don't want to add another heat source to your leftovers meal prep, the mashed potatoes can go into the oven with the turkey. Place them evenly in an oven safe dish, add some butter and cook at 350F for about 30 minutes or until warmed through.

Is it OK to make a pie the day before? ›

You can bake a fruit-based pie a few days in advance as long as it's stored properly. Loosely cover: After baking and cooling your pie, loosely cover it with aluminum foil. Store: store for at room temperature for up to two days, or up to seven days in the fridge according to USDA guidelines.

Is it OK to reheat cottage pie? ›

If you fall in this second category of people don't fret. You can absolutely reheat a cottage pie straight from frozen and still get tasty results. Hopefully, you've frozen it in an oven-safe dish, but if not, you'll have to transfer it to one now.

Can you make a pie the night before and bake the next day? ›

In case I need to do most of the work one day and cook the next, I do all the prep the day before and put the crust and filling in the fridge separately. Crust needs to be protected so it doesn't dry excessively. You sure can! By following these simple steps, you can have a pie ready to eat in just minutes.

Can you eat shepherds pie the next day? ›

Shepherd's pie can typically last in the fridge for about 3-5 days if stored properly in an airtight container. Make sure to let it cool down before refrigerating it, and always ensure that it's reheated thoroughly before consuming it again.

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