This turkey pot pie soup delivers all the rich, savory flavor of a traditional pot pie without the fuss of making a full crust. It’s a creamy, satisfying soup filled with tender turkey, sweet potatoes, carrots, and peas, all brought together in a flavorful broth.
Ready in about 45 minutes, it’s a wonderful way to use leftover turkey from a holiday meal. The baked pie crust cutouts on top add a fun, flaky crunch that makes this dish feel special enough for any night of the week.
Why is Turkey Pot Pie Soup a Must-Try?
A simple roux made from butter and flour is the foundation for the soup’s rich, creamy texture.
Baking pie crust shapes separately keeps them crisp and provides a delightful textural contrast to the smooth soup.
Adding frozen peas at the very end ensures they stay bright green and retain a pleasant, firm bite.
Ingredients for Turkey Pot Pie Soup
• Turkey: This recipe is ideal for using leftover roasted turkey. You can also use cooked chicken.
• Pie Crust: A store-bought refrigerated pie crust is a convenient shortcut. Look for it in the dairy aisle.
• Broth: Chicken broth works well, but using turkey broth will enhance the turkey flavor even more.
• Cheese: Sharp cheddar adds a nice tangy flavor, but you could substitute with Gruyère or a mild white cheddar.
• Sweet Potato: This adds a gentle sweetness and color. You can use a regular potato like Yukon Gold instead.
• Poultry Seasoning: This is a blend of herbs like sage, thyme, and marjoram. If you don’t have it, a mix of those dried herbs will work.
Exact quantities are in the recipe card below.
How to Make Turkey Pot Pie Soup
Step 1: Bake the Pie Crust Toppers
First, get your oven preheating to 400°F. While it heats, cut fun shapes out of a thawed pie crust using cookie cutters. Bake them on a sheet pan until they’re golden and flaky, which takes about 10 minutes.
Step 2: Cook the Vegetables
In a large pot, melt some butter and sauté the chopped onion and carrots until they’re soft. Add the sweet potatoes and broth, then bring it to a simmer. Let the vegetables cook until the sweet potatoes are tender.
Step 3: Make the Creamy Base
While the soup simmers, make a quick cream sauce in a separate pan. Melt butter, whisk in flour to make a paste, and then slowly stream in milk. Once it’s thick, stir in the cream, cheese, and seasonings until smooth.
Step 4: Finish the Soup
Pour the cream sauce into the pot with the vegetables and stir to combine. Add the cooked turkey and frozen peas, and heat everything through. Once the turkey is hot, the soup is ready to be served with the pie crust toppers.
What to Serve with Turkey Pot Pie Soup
This soup is a complete meal on its own. For a little extra, you could serve it with a simple side salad with a light vinaigrette.
Expert Tips for Turkey Pot Pie Soup
Food Safety: Ensure the cooked turkey is heated to a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) before serving.
Pie Crust: You can bake the pie crust toppers a day ahead to save time. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Thickening: The roux is key to a creamy soup. Cook the flour and butter for a full minute to remove any raw flour taste before adding the milk.
Variations: Feel free to add other vegetables like corn, green beans, or mushrooms along with the carrots and onions.
How to Store and Freeze Turkey Pot Pie Soup
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Store the pie crust toppers separately at room temperature to keep them from getting soggy. Reheat the soup gently on the stove or in the microwave until it reaches 165°F (74°C). The soup does not freeze well due to the dairy.
Turkey Pot Pie Soup Recipe FAQs
Can I use chicken instead of turkey?
Yes, cooked, shredded or chopped chicken is an excellent substitute for turkey in this recipe.
Can I use something besides pie crust for the topping?
Certainly. Toasted croutons, crumbled crackers, or even puff pastry squares would also be delicious toppers for this soup.
How can I make this soup thicker or thinner?
To make the soup thicker, you can let it simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes to allow some liquid to evaporate. To thin it out, simply stir in a little more broth or milk until it reaches your desired consistency.
Turkey Pot Pie Soup
Ingredients
- 1 single-crust pie dough thawed, from a 14.1-oz/400g package
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter divided, 85g
- 1 cup diced yellow onion 150g
- 1 cup sliced carrots 130g
- 1 ½ cups peeled and diced sweet potato ½-inch cubes, 225g
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth 480ml
- 4 tbsp all-purpose flour 30g
- 1 ½ cups whole milk 360ml
- ½ cup heavy cream 120ml
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 55g
- 3 cups chopped cooked turkey 420g
- ¾ cup frozen peas 110g
- 1 ½ tsp poultry seasoning
- 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper plus more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Unroll the thawed pie crust onto a lightly floured surface. Use small cookie cutters (about 1-2 inches) to cut shapes. Place the shapes on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside.
- While the crust bakes, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken broth and add the diced sweet potato. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
- In a separate small saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly, to form a paste (this is a roux).
- Gradually whisk the milk into the roux until smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking often, until it thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the heavy cream, cheddar cheese, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper until the cheese is melted.
- Pour the creamy cheese sauce into the large soup pot with the vegetables. Stir everything together until well combined.
- Add the chopped turkey and frozen peas to the soup. Continue to cook on low heat, stirring gently, until the peas are bright green and the turkey is heated through to a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot, garnished with the baked pie crust toppers.
Notes
