Turn Thanksgiving leftovers into this stuffing-topped turkey pot pie

There’s a lot to love about the customary day-after-Thanksgiving sandwich: ho-hum turkey dressed with hot, full-bodied gravy; the act of putting bread-based stuffing between two slices of bread; the silly way the sweet potatoes ooze out every time you take a bite; the slick of cranberry sauce that adds zing; that smear of mayonnaise that ties it all together.

But after one, maybe two, of those monstrosities, I start itching for something different. Something that’s not a sandwich. Maybe a soup? Maybe a chili. Maybe something more substantial, like this pot pie stuffed with leftover turkey in a vegetable-filled sauce, thick and rich under a craggy, soft-and-crunchy stuffing topping.

There’s not much to it. Start by sautéing a bit of diced onion, carrot and celery in a skillet. (This is a skillet pot pie, so you’re only going to dirty one pan. Use a 10-inch skillet for the best results.)

Then, make a roux, or a butter and flour paste that will thicken the liquid you’ll add next. The creamy mixture that envelops all of the meat and vegetables is based on this roux, mixed with stock or broth and milk. Season it well.

Stir in pulled or chopped (cooked) turkey meat and leftover (cooked) green beans. Or Brussels sprouts. Or collards. Or peas. Or corn. Watch as the simple sauce enrobes everything, transforming leftovers into something entirely new.

Next, the fun part. Make a topping for your skillet pot pie out of leftover bread-based stuffing. You’ll need about 2 cups, or two big handfuls of stuffing. Loosen the bread mixture by adding some broth or stock. Then, use your hands to form rough balls of the topping and place them atop the still-hot filling. They’ll sink in a little. Spread them out so they’re more rough-and-tumble. That way, as the pie bakes, they’ll get browned and crisp.

Now, bake your pot pie until the filling is bubbling and the topping is crunchy. I like to serve it in bowls next to a green side salad dressed with a vinaigrette made from some of the leftover cranberry sauce. It’s just the thing to cut through the pie’s richness.

For those who want to play around with the recipe, here’s an idea: Instead of making the roux, if you have leftover mashed potatoes — chunky or smooth — stir them into the simmering broth and milk. They will thicken the liquid nicely, no roux needed. Giving all sorts of leftovers new life — that’s something to be thankful for.

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Turkey Pot Pie With Stuffing Topping

For the filling:

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ small yellow onion (2 ounces total), diced

1 rib celery (2 ounces), diced

1 small carrot (2 ounces), scrubbed and diced

Fine salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 cup turkey, chicken or vegetable broth, preferably low-sodium, warmed

½ cup whole milk

2 cups (12 ounces) cooked turkey meat, pulled or diced

¾ cup cooked green beans, chopped

For the topping:

2 cups cooked stuffing or dressing

½ cup turkey, chicken or vegetable broth, preferably low-sodium, plus more as needed

Make the filling: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375°F.

In a medium (10-inch) ovenproof skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and a pinch each of salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Push the vegetables to the edges of the skillet, then add the butter to the center of the skillet and let it melt. When it begins to bubble, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour and butter combine into a paste (roux) that turns pale golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Slowly stir in the broth, scraping up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Stir in the milk, being sure to scrape the edges of the pan so everything is well combined. Remove the skillet from the heat, and stir in the turkey and green beans. Taste, and season with more salt and pepper, as desired.

Make the topping: In a medium bowl, mix together the stuffing and ½ cup of the broth until combined. If the mixture seems dry, add more broth, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture looks wet but still holds its shape. Using damp hands, form 7 rough balls of the stuffing mixture, and arrange them on top of the filling in the skillet, spreading the stuffing balls out to cover most of the surface.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the topping browns and the filling is bubbling and very hot. Serve hot, family-style.

Substitutions: For turkey meat, use rotisserie chicken or other cooked poultry. For a vegetarian pot pie, substitute cooked, chopped mushrooms or cubed baked tofu. If you have leftover cooked mushrooms, add up to 1 cup, along with the green beans. Instead of a roux, stir in ½ cup of leftover mashed potatoes, letting them melt into the simmering broth and milk until it thickens. No leftover green beans? Use frozen peas or cut up, cubed and cooked butternut squash. If you have leftover gravy, you can thin it with water and use that in place of broth.

4-6 servings

Nutritional information per serving (1⅓ cups) | 293 Calories: 18g Carbohydrates, 51mg Cholesterol, 16g Fat, 3g Fiber, 20g Protein, 4g Saturated Fat, 971mg Sodium, 4g Sugar

— G. Daniela Galarza