Make a super simple flaky and buttery ham pot pie with puff pastry! You can use your holiday leftovers or grab some ham from the deli for a delicious dinner.
I’ve always loved a creamy and delicious pot pie. It’s such a great way to use up leftover chicken, turkey or ham–it’s become a winter staple in our house.
Plus, my trick of using puff pastry for the pie crust makes it fast enough for a weeknight (just remember to thaw it in the fridge the night before). You can also make your own pastry dough for the crust if that’s your preference.
I keep the ingredients in my pot pie straightforward and classic. It starts with a mirepoix; a combination of onion, carrots and celery. Then I make a roux, which results in a creamy filling. I also like to add peas, and of course the cubed ham.
How to thicken the filling
I always use a roux to thicken the filling in any kind of pot pie. A roux is a combination of fat and flour. For this recipe, we’re using butter as the fat, and in this particular roux we’re using more flour than butter (3 tbsp of butter and 4 tbsp of flour).
You may feel like the filling is super thick before it goes into the oven, but don’t worry, that is exactly what we’re going for. The filling will loosen as the pie bakes.
This is a riff on my turkey pot pie, with a few updates because ham and turkey are totally different ingredients, with very different flavours. Plus, I keep this on the lighter side by using a combination of chicken broth and milk (instead of half and half) to make the filling.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Absolutely. This is one of my go-to dishes to prep ahead of time. Simply make the recipe up until the point of putting it in the oven. Cover with foil and it will keep in your fridge for three days before baking.
Can prep and then freeze this recipe?
I haven’t tried freezing this, but if I were making this to freeze, I would just prep the filling and freeze it. When I was ready to bake it, I would thaw the filling and the puff pastry at the same time and simply assemble it.
That’s what makes this such an easy recipe for batch cooking, just double the filling and keep it in the freezer. You’ll thank yourself during a busy week!
What else can I do with leftover ham?
When you have leftover ham in the fridge, you usually have a lot. Ham pot pie is just one of the recipes you can make, I also love a French inspired lentil and ham soup or pineapple and ham fried rice.
If you’re looking for more comfort food recipes, I love a classic shepherd’s pie (using ground lamb).
Ham Pot Pie
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cubed cooked ham, smoked ham or leftover ham will work
- 4 tbsp butter, divided
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 rib celery, diced
- ½ cup frozen peas
- ½ tsp salt, divided
- 4 tbsp flour
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Place cubed ham in a standard sized pie plate and set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp of butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook for 3 minutes. Add peas and ¼ tsp salt. Cook for another minute until peas have thawed and turned bright green. Add the vegetables to ham in pie plate and wipe saute pan clean and return to stove.
- Add remaining butter and melt. Add flour in one addition, whisking constantly. Cook roux until smooth, about 2 minutes. It's ok if the flour browns slightly. Whisking constantly, add broth in two additions. Once incorporated, add milk. Cook liquid for 6-7 minutes, whisking constantly until it is very thick. Stir in dried thyme and remaining salt.
- Pour liquid over top ham and vegetables in pie plate. Stir to combine. Working quickly, Cover with puff pastry, trim edges and cut some slits in the top to allow steam to release. The puff pastry will soften quickly, press edges to side of pie plate and crimp, if desired.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 40-45 minutes. Check halfway through and Cover with foil if browning too quickly.
Louis 
Allison Ryder-Holtz 
Louisa Clements 
Shirley Clements
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