30 Speedy Sheet Pan Dinners Your Family Will Love

We give the large bone-in breasts a head start in the oven so they will be perfectly cooked by the time the vegetables are done. This cut is also rather juicy; you’ll want to drain off the liquid from the pan before adding the vegetables so they can caramelize evenly. Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, and acorn squash are at their absolute best when roasted. The trick is to cut them into even pieces with a maximum surface area (halves or cubes) so they can benefit from all the direct heat. A sprinkle of hazelnuts is a fine finishing touch, but you can skip it if you like.

In addition to getting the food into the oven in stages, you should also prep the food in stages to make most efficient use of your time. As the oven preheats, skin and bread the chicken; when the chicken goes in, prepare the sweet potatoes. Once those go in, get the broccoli ready. To easily skin the drumsticks, use a paper towel to grab an edge of the skin on the fat end, then pull down. Keep in mind that drumsticks can vary in size, and the cook time is calculated for 31/2-ounce ones; we had good luck buying organic drumsticks, which tended to be smaller than conventional.

Roman also uses this paprika rub to smear on pork roasts or to marinate chicken. It’s her go-to seasoning that makes everything taste like really great sausage. The low and slow oven heat ensures none of the spices or bits of garlic burns, while giving the chicken fat plenty of time to render out slowly and evenly.

Our Asian-inspired nachos are wildly flavorful with a tangy kick from kimchi. Kimchi is a spicy Korean condiment that is often fermented and aged, delivering gut-healthy probiotics. Assemble the nachos on a baking sheet, and then deliver them straight to the table for easy serving and fun presentation. You can use shredded rotisserie chicken or shrimp instead of ground pork. In place of melted cheese, we use a chili-spiked yogurt sauce that helps bind all of the toppings to the chips.

Arrange the fish and the broccoli-carrot mixture on the same pan for quick cleanup. Add lemon wedges and bring to the table for a gorgeous presentation.

If you have young kids serving themselves, lift the nachos off the pan with the parchment paper (and remove the hot pan from the table). For the creamiest nacho sauce, start with a block of cheese and shred it yourself.

Individual mini meatloaves, green beans, and mashed potatoes, all cooked to perfection on one pan? Yes, it’s true! The potatoes are chopped and cooked with a little water in a foil packet so that they steam to tenderness alongside the meatloaves (then you just quickly mash them with milk and a little butter). Be sure to stick to russet (baking) potatoes, and cut them into the ½-inch pieces called for; starchier potatoes and larger chunks will take much longer to get tender. We tuck cubes of creamy-sharp colby-Jack cheese into the meatloaf mixture for added yumminess; you can substitute cheddar, mozzarella, or provolone for different flavor profiles. And while we love green beans with this classic comfort dinner, you could also switch to broccoli or asparagus.

Enjoy tacos while also keeping your weeknight dinner fast, easy, and mess-free. All you need is a sheet pan, food processor, and bowl for this vegan recipe. Richly spiced chipotle tofu gets delectably chewy while brightly colored veggies sear for a flavorful taco filling that is sure to be a new member of your weekly recipe rotation.

This dinner combines three of our favorite food trends: spatchcock chicken (quicker cooking than a whole roast chicken!), hasselback potatoes (so many yummy crispy edges!), and zoodles (hooray for the spiralizer!). When the chicken comes off the pan to rest, you’ll add the zucchini fries to the open space in the pan. It’s important to spread them out in as thin a layer as possible so that they have the greatest chance of becoming crisp. You can also bake them on a separate sheet pan on a lower oven rack as the potatoes finish cooking if you don’t feel you have enough room on the first sheet pan.

Admittedly, this is not a classic jambalaya recipe. But it does capture the ingredients and flavors that are characteristic of jambalaya—bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, sausage, shrimp, rice, and Creole seasoning. It’s just a chunkier, fresher take on the classic. Bell peppers, onions, and sausage get a head start on the pan, and then shrimp and tomatoes get added. As the veggies cook on the pan, they release some of their flavorful juices; and then you add the rice, which soaks up all the tasty liquid. It’s a perfect candidate for sheet-pan cooking.

Meet your new favorite weeknight meal. Salmon is marinated in an umami-rich, Asian-inspired sauce before being roasted to flaky, melt-in-your-mouth perfection. Paired with creamy roasted butternut squash and earthy Brussels sprouts, this sheet pan dinner hits all the flavor notes of sweet and deeply savory. The vegetables are pre-roasted to optimize their crisp exterior before joining forces with the salmon for the final roasting period. Not only is this quick weeknight dinner easy to make, but it’s also brimming with heart-healthy omega-3 fats, and vitamins A, C, and K. Time-saving tip: while the salmon marinates, begin roasting the veggies.

A whole chicken, cut into quarters, lets everyone enjoy their favorite parts of the bird. You can quarter the chicken yourself by removing each breast first, followed by the thigh and leg pieces.

Minimal fuss and cleanup with maximum flavor – what’s not to love? Here, super lean pork tenderloin is slathered in a sweet and smoky BBQ chipotle sauce before being seared and then roasted to juicy perfection. Oh, and side dishes? We have those covered, too. Snappy asparagus and sweet potato wedges roast on the same sheet pan with the pork, soaking up some of the flavors in the process. Look for thick-cut asparagus to avoid overcooking. Substitute sweet potatoes for butternut squash or baby red potatoes, if you like.

Dinner doesn’t get much easier, or more fun, than sheet pan nachos. The pan does double duty: Toast the chips first, then pile high with toppings and return to the oven to melt the cheese and heat everything through. Here the Mexican classic takes a detour to Greece with pita chips, a shredded Greek salad, and crumbled feta. Rotisserie chicken breast makes this meal even easier, though this dish is a great use for any leftover cooked chicken. Bring the whole pan to the table and cut into servings, like you would a square pizza.

A bright citrus kick is just the thing for cold nights. This sheet pan supper gets a double dose from thin lemon slices roasted until tender, and fresh lemon juice added to a quick herb dressing that’s spooned over the finished dish. Sumac has a tart, lemony quality as well. It’s fantastic as a rub here, but is also delicious in vinaigrettes or sprinkled over dips. If you can’t find sumac, you can substitute 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind. If you want a little extra browning, pop the pan under the broiler for about 5 minutes, being careful not to let the vegetables get too dark.

Sure, everyone loves a good cauliflower pizza crust, but have you tried roasted cauliflower as the pizza topper? This sheet pan pizza is a game changer and sure to become a new household favorite. Cauliflower is roasted with a bounty of garlic to develop aromatic flavor and buttery texture before being piled high on whole-wheat pizza dough. To add velvety creaminess and keep saturated fat at a minimum, we look to Kite Hill brand cream cheese style spread, which is made from almond milk. Topped with toasty whole-wheat breadcrumbs, tangy Parmesan, and herbs, this pizza will wake up your taste buds with just one bite. To make the recipe entirely vegan, simply substitute nutritional yeast for the Parmesan cheese.

A quick balsamic vinaigrette doubles as a marinade for the vegetables and a sauce for the pork. Taking the roasting pan from stove to oven jump-starts cooking so the pork, potatoes, and onions finish at the same time.

A very hot oven quickly roasts the potatoes and finishes the chicken without overcooking. You can substitute fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise, for the small Yukon gold potatoes. Tarragon and mustard are a perfect pair—the herb's slightly sweet anise notes balance the mustard's pungency. Serve with Chile and Lime Roasted Carrots.

Green beans steam in their own sealed packet while tomatoes slowly roast and panko-crusted tilapia gets nicely crisp on top, all on a single baking sheet.
 

This incredibly easy seafood dinner uses fresh pineapple and a teriyaki-style sauce for the classic sweet-and-tangy profile of Hawaiian shrimp. The pineapple also concentrates as it bakes and helps keep the rice mixture from becoming too dry. Rather than spreading the rice to the far edges of the sheet pan, keep it closer to the center and layer the vegetables and shrimp on top. This way their juices seep right into the rice, and the teriyaki drizzle coats every bite.

This vegetarian one-pan meal is loaded with color and texture, from the soft sweet potatoes to the crisp-tender cauliflower and juicy pomegranate seeds. Preheating the pan will help the potatoes and tofu achieve a crispy exterior; be careful when adding the vegetable mixture to the hot pan. A cool, tangy yogurt drizzle will help balance the slight chile heat from the curry powder. Drizzle the sauce over the pan, or serve at the table.

A super hot pan, preheated under the broiler, will help to brown the underside of the steak while the broiler chars the top and cooks the meat through. Broccoli is sturdy enough to hold up under direct heat; the stems will become crisp-tender while the florets get deliciously frizzled. Italian salsa verde, a bright mixture of parsley, capers, and crushed red pepper, is the zingy condiment this simple main needs. Serve with roasted potatoes or brown rice.

Made from roasted red peppers and chiles, harissa (a.k.a. "Moroccan ketchup") is a flavor bomb that transforms this dish. Its chunky texture helps it cling to the eggplant and tempeh, which roast up crispy, glazed, and delicious.

If you can’t find Japanese eggplant at your grocery store or local Asian market, regular eggplant will work just fine.

Load up the nachos on a baking sheet, then bring straight the to the table for easy serving and a great presentation. You can use pinto beans instead of black beans and shredded rotisserie chicken instead of ground beef. While we love melty shredded cheese, we found that it makes the nachos a bit unwieldy. Instead, a creamy cheese sauce coats each chip and makes them easier to separate from the pack. The topping potential is endless: Try adding diced avocado, sliced jalapeño for the hotheads in your family, or chopped bell pepper.

Combine the simplicity of a sheet pan dinner with the classic comfort of chicken Parmesan in this simple weeknight recipe. Clever use of aluminum to "wall" off certain ingredients helps you cook everything properly without dirtying multiple pots and pans.

Pork adds richness, but you can use all beef if you prefer. If you won't be using the rest of the meatballs soon, freeze them in a ziplock bag for up to 2 months; thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. 

This dish gets a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese, which becomes satisfyingly rich when stirred into the kale, artichoke hearts, and baked chicken. We found that smaller chicken breasts (about 5 ounces each) will cook more easily in the time frame. Trim larger breasts and use the remaining chicken for tomorrow’s soup or stir-fry. Avoid thin cutlets here; the thickness of the breasts will keep them juicy as they roast.

This easy dinner comes together in less time than it takes to wait for a table at your favorite Mexican restaurant. Mild poblano chiles and bell peppers get a nice char under the broiler and deliver more than double a day’s worth of immunity-boosting vitamin C.

Use this herby dip to anchor a tray of what we call Snack Dinner. Surround it with lots of fresh vegetable dippers, seasonal fruit, sliced cheese, olives, nuts, and a little meat.

A very hot oven quickly roasts the potatoes and finishes the chicken without overcooking. The simple oil mixture, using solely extra-virgin olive oil to keep it paleo-friendly, packs a ton of flavor without adding excessive calories or fat to an already flavorful dinner. To serve a family, double the recipe and use an additional sheet pan for added space. You can substitute fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise, for the small Yukon gold potatoes.