Easy Dairy Free Mini Turkey Pot Pies are individual single-serve meals, without milk or butter, that are quick and simple to make. Turkey, onions, peas, and carrots in a smooth savory sauce.
Easy Dairy Free Mini Turkey Pot Pies taste just like the regular size chicken pot pie, but use less dough as the only dough is on the top. Make them in no time at all as a quick meal or as an addition to another main course. Yum!
Have leftover turkey? This Easy Dairy Free Mini Turkey Pot Pies are a perfect way to use it up!
And check out the health benefits of turkey, peas, and carrots!
Want to try beef or chicken mini pot pies? Really Easy Mini Beef Pot Pies and Really Easy Mini Chicken Pot Pies
Prefer vegan? Try this! Really Easy Mini Vegan Pot Pies
A little of my cooking background
I really wanted to title this blog “If I can make it, anyone can”, because – honestly – if I can make it, anyone can.
I never really liked cooking and when I was single, a meal for me meant grilled cheese, eggs, tuna, or something else that didn’t require effort or time.
When my kids were young, I was still able to get away with preparing only a small variety of easy meals, but the older they got, the more dishes I learned to make at their request.
Still, I insisted on keeping it simple.
Honestly, I never understood why some cooks unnecessarily complicate meals. I have seen recipes that have several ingredients that don’t really seem to add much, if anything, to the dish. So, why bother?
It has always been important to me that whoever eats at my table will have plenty to enjoy and that includes my kids (I never agreed with the “You will eat what is served or you won’t eat” ideology) and, because I keep it simple, I can prepare a variety of dishes in a relatively short period of time.
I have a philosophy regarding being a great cook: Prepare food according to the tastes of those who will be eating it and they will love your cooking!
As far as I am concerned, start with the basic ingredients that make the dish what it is, adapt according to taste, and voila! you are an amazing cook!
The bottom line is that while there are certainly delicate recipes out there for specialty dishes, making delicious meals doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming. It’s not difficult to impress – just make sure it tastes good.
While some of the recipes on my blog are more time-consuming than others, they are all tried and true easy-shmeezy!
Of course, one always has to consider the conditions under which they cook. Weather (humidity, heat, cold), different types of ovens, different quality of pots, etc. – all of which can affect your cooking and baking.
Nevertheless, as I said, if I can do it, anyone can!
Everyday pantry essentials (suggested)
As I learned to prepare more and more recipes, I also learned which basics and seasonings are good to have on hand to have the ability to make a dish on short notice and not have to run out to the store or borrow from a neighbor.
While I will admit that I am not always prepared when one of my kids will ask for eggplant parmesan or lasagna at the drop of a hat (which they have done), I dislike having to postpone making something just because the ingredients needed to make a reasonable meal were not readily available.
So, I maintain selection of what I consider “pantry essentials” in my refrigerator and on my shelves at all times.
Initially, many of the herbs and spices were useful to me only on occasion (having been purchased for a particular recipe) and I usually just had them around as leftovers. However, as I began to cook more of a variety, I was really glad to have them (hey, look, I already have that !) and that is how my list began.
While, of course, most of the essentials will not be needed just for any one recipe, at least some of them are needed for most recipes, and you would be surprised how many recipes be made just with this list. So, if you keep whatever you use regularly on hand, it can really save you time and effort.
Everyone has their favorite recipes, preferred seasoning, and just whatever they like to use to cook. Your own list should certainly reflect your own cooking tastes and style.
Just to give you an idea, the list below is a comprehensive list of what I normally keep on hand (this does not necessarily include what I keep for baking and there may be some overlap between the two lists as some items are used for both, such a brown sugar) and, of course, it reflects the meals and desserts that I like to make for my own family and guests.
Seasoning and flavoring:
- salt (my receipes use regular table salt)
- ground black or white pepper
- granulated garlic or garlic powder (I prefer granulated)
- onion powder
- sweet paprika and/or sweet pepper flakes (paprika is ground dried red pepper, pepper flakes are crushed dried red pepper)
- hot paprika, hot pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper (moderately spicy dried ground chili pepper) for those occasional spicy dishes
- ground turmeric
- ground cumin
- ground cinnamon
- ground ginger
- ground nutmeg
- ground Cloves (for pumpkin flavors)
- sugar (granulated)
- brown sugar
- chicken consomme powder / beef bullion powder (regular or vegetarian)
- onion soup mix
- onion flakes (substitute for fresh onion – 3 tablespoons for 1 medium onion).
- various herbs
- additional spices to adapt taste to preference
Misc:
- oil / margarine / butter / cooking spray
- coconut cream as a dairy free cream substitute
- corn starch as a thickening agent
- flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- bread crumbs or Corn Flake crumbs (you can make these with your blender or food processor) for coating
- condiments – such as ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce
- tomato sauce/tomato paste/canned tomatoes – diced or crushed/pasta sauce
- soy sauce
- ready made pie crusts and dough (to just add filling)
We always have eggs in the fridge and onions, rice, and potatoes on our shelves as well as pasta.
In addition, having some fresh vegetables in the fridge, such as carrots, celery, tomatoes, bell peppers (red, green, etc), etc. can be very useful when putting together a quick, but delicious meal.
It is also a good idea to have some ground meat or chicken (breast, ground, or in parts), in the freezer for anyone who likes meat dishes in a snap.
Weather can have an affect on some of the spices and on the chicken consommé powder, so I keep as many of the seasonings in the refrigerator or freezer as I can and I keep everything tightly closed in containers (you will be surprised to know just how determined moths are at getting into sealed bags and how hot red pepper powder can attract little black bugs – YUCK!).
Therefore, store your items well.
Why are these pantry essentials beneficial to have on hand?
Personally, having the above ingredients in my kitchen is very advantageous, as I make a variety of dishes and use most of the items on the list regularly enough to warrant storing them. However, I do not store items for dishes that I make seasonally or only on rare occasions or those that spoil easily.
Whether or not it is workable for you depends on your cooking style, the space you have to store, and whether or not you mind running out to the store as needed. Of course, the more you cook and the more varied your recipes, the more you will use, and the more you will need.
A little about Pot Pie
It seems that the first version of the pot pie began with the Greeks who made a dish with different meats and other ingredients cooked in open pastry shells called “artocreas”. The pastry was made of a flour and oil mixture and the dish was served at banquets
When the dish spread to the Romans, they served the dish with various meats, fowl, and seafood and added pastry on top.
The Crusaders spread meat pies across medieval Europe.
The English of the 16th century used meat such as pork, lamb, birds and game, such as venison in their pies. While the basic version was eaten by the lower class, the wealthy would serve them at banquets in which the chefs would show their talent by crafting and decorating them with flowers, designs, and heraldic devices.
The pies were brought to America by the settlers, who made chicken pot pie, beef pot pie, and Sea Pie, which was apparently developed on the ships across the ocean and used turkey, veal, and mutton, whichever was available.
While many things are called pies (take Eskimo Pie, for example, which is an ice cream), anything that does not include dough and is not baked is not truly a “pie”.
Then there is Pennsylvania Dutch chicken pot pie, made by the Pennsylvania Dutch (of course). It is most commonly made with chicken, noodles, potatoes and sometimes vegetables, and is eaten out of a bowl. So, it is not really a pie at all as there is no dough and no baking involved.
Tips for Easy Dairy Free Mini Turkey Pot Pies:
- You can use fresh or left over turkey (as long as the turkey is not dry).
- You can pour into ready made mini pie crusts and cover with a second pie crust – just pinch the edges and make slits on the top for air to escape.
- If you use canned or frozen vegetables, the cook time will be reduced compared to fresh.
- Cornstarch works better as a thickener for slurry and makes gravy more glossing. However, in a pinch, you can use flour, but you must double the amount needed for cornstarch.
- You might find it easier to put the cornstarch in a bowl and then slowly add the liquid while mixing to make a slurry rather than visa versa.
Easy Dairy Free Mini Turkey Pot Pies
Easy dairy free recipe for mini Turkey Pot Pies
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups turkey breast, cubed or shredded small
- 2 cups peas and carrots*
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon chicken or beef consommé (bullion) powder
- 1 1/2 cup water or milk substitute
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or 1/4 cup flour as a thickening agent**
- Dairy free pastry dough cut into 4" circles (5" circles if you want to flute)
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Heat a little oil in the bottom of a medium size sauce pan.
- Lightly fry diced onions on medium heat.
- Add turkey and mix with onions, stirring occasionally.
- When turkey has cooked through (around 5 minutes) add peas and carrots, consomme powder, and water or milk substitute***
- Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes or until turkey is cooked through.
- Lower heat to medium low.
- Remove 1/2 cup of liquid from mixture, pour in a bowl and add cornstarch or flour.
- Mix until smooth to make a slurry, pour back into pot, and mix well.
- Cook on medium low heat until thick (around 2 minutes).
- Pour mixture into suitable size ramekins or mini aluminum tins.
- Cover each with dough circle (4" dough will just sit on top, to flute 5" dough, lightly pinch edges).
- If you have sealed the dough by attaching it to the edge of the ramekin or pan, make small slits in the top layer of dough for air to escape. This is not necessary if you have just laid the dough on top.
- Bake in oven that has been pre-heated to 425°F for 20 minutes or until top crust is golden brown.
Notes
*Or any 2-cup mixture of vegetables; peas, carrots, diced celery, corn, diced potatoes. If you use celery or raw potatoes, fry them with the onions so they will get soft..
** Cornstarch is a better thickener and makes the sauce more glossy.
*** Or you can use 1 ½ cups chicken broth instead of the consomme powder and water.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 644Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 463mgCarbohydrates: 58gFiber: 5gSugar: 8gProtein: 39g