If you’re looking for simple and healthy one pan dinners you can meal prep ahead of time, this collection of quick and easy sheet pan dinners is just what you need! We’ve curated a ton of ideas for every palate and dietary need, including low carb, keto-friendly recipes and vegan dinners that are loaded with plant-based protein. And for our meat lovers, we’ve sprinkled in a mix of chicken, sausage, pork, and steak recipes that will hit the spot!
What Are Sheet Pan Dinners?
Sheet pan dinners are created using the same concept as one-pot meals, only they’re baked/roasted in the oven on a sheet pan. All you need is a sheet pan and parchment paper, a source of protein, vegetables, oil, and the seasoning of your choice and you can make a scrumptious meal the whole family will love with little to no cleanup! Don’t have a sheet pan? No worries! You can use a broiler pan or aluminum foil instead. Easy, peasy.
9 Tips to Make Perfect Sheet Pan Dinners
1. Use the right type of sheet pan
While any type of sheet pan will work, a half-sheet pan made out of heavy-gauge metal that measures 18″ x 13″ and has a 1-inch rim is best. Most sheet pan dinners are created with a pan with these dimensions, so if you’re following a recipe, you can be sure you’ll have room to spread your ingredients out sufficiently so they cook evenly and come out tender and crisp, instead of mushy and soggy.
2. Line with parchment paper
Some people prefer to use an unlined sheet pan, but if you hate doing dishes as much as I do, a piece of parchment paper will save you a lot of time!
3. Cut in similar sizes
Be mindful of how big or small you cut up your vegetables. Large potato and carrot pieces will take longer to cook than smaller pieces, so you’ll want to chop and dice accordingly! Also keep in mind that vegetables with a higher water content like zucchini will cook much faster, so you will want to cut those items into larger chunks.
4. Coat vegetables with oil
Be sure to coat your vegetables with your oil of choice to ensure they don’t dry out while they are roasting in the oven. Keep in mind that you want the oil to be evenly distributed. A great way to do this is to put your vegetables and any seasoning you’re using into a bowl, measure and pour the oil overtop, and then toss the vegetables using your hands. Once everything is covered, pour the mixture onto your sheet pan, add your protein, and place it into the oven!
5. Select proteins and vegetables with a similar cook time
If you prefer simple, one-pan meals that don’t require a lot of babysitting throughout the cooking process, make sure to choose ingredients that will cook within approximately the same amount of time to avoid having a perfectly cooked piece of protein and undercooked vegetables!
6. …or add things to your sheet pan later
If your recipe calls for one or more ingredients that do require different cooking times, don’t let that deter you! Start by baking/roasting the items that take longer to cook, and add the additional ingredients at a later time to ensure everything cooks evenly.
7. Use a cooling rack
A cooling rack is a great tool to use when making sheet pan dinners to ensure meat and/or fish remains crisp while still allowing vegetables to cook until they are tender. Place the cooling rack directly onto your sheet pan with your meat/fish on top, and place your vegetables underneath. I highly recommend this when cooking beef and pork as the drippings from the meat will add flavor to your vegetables!
8. Place ingredients strategically
When placing your vegetables on your sheet pan, make sure you are spreading them out sufficiently on your pan so they cook evenly and come out of the oven nice and crisp. If you need to flip your vegetables at any time throughout the cooking process, be sure your meat/fish has it’s own section on your pan so it doesn’t break apart while you are tossing your vegetables mid-roast!
11 Easy Sheet Pan Dinners
Parmesan Crusted Steak & Potato Sheet Pan Dinner | Lemons + Zest
Lemon Pepper Chicken & Potatoes | Delightful E Made
Chicken Fajitas | No. 2 Pencil
Teriyaki Chicken | The Recipe Critic
Shrimp Boil | Aberdeen’s Kitchen
15-Minute Garlic Ranch Chicken & Veggies | Gimme Delicious
Quick & Easy Sausage & Veggies | Cooking Curries
Easy Teriyaki Salmon with Veggies | Delicious Little Bites
Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Sausage, and Broccoli | Kalyn’s Kitchen
Ranch Pork Chops & Potatoes | Jo Cooks
Balsamic Chicken with Potatoes & Carrots | Creme de la Crumb
11 Healthy Sheet Pan Dinners
Health Baked Orange Chicken & Broccoli | Well Plated
Salmon & Asparagus with Potatoes | Creme de la Crumb
Garlic Herb Butter Chicken & Potatoes | Cafe Delites
Chicken Thighs with Brussels Sprouts | Little Sunny Kitchen
Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables | Cooking Classy
Honey Garlic Shrimp with Broccoli & Pepper | emeals
Sesame Chicken & Veggies | Eat Yourself Skinny
Tofu & Veggies | Food with Feeling
Maple Glazed Salmon & Veggies | Bake Eat Repeat
Lemon Butter Garlic Shrimp with Asparagus | Carlsbad Cravings
Kung Pao Tofu | Last Ingredient
11 Low Carb Sheet Pan Dinners
Bruschetta Chicken | Kay Nutrition
Beef & Broccoli | Mary’s Whole Life
Keto Garlic Butter Salmon & Broccoli | Maebells
Deconstructed Beef Kebabs | Fit Slow Cooker Queen
Chicken Bacon Ranch with Roasted Broccoli | Beauty & The Bench Press
Low Carb Kielbasa Veggie Dinner | Skinny Taste
Keto Sausage and Veggies | Kasey Trenum
Low Carb Cheese Cauliflower Nachos | Honest Grub Honest Foodie
Low Carb Chicken Fajitas | Low Carb Noman
Pork Chops with Brussels Sprouts & Apples | Do You Even Paleo?
Tex Mex Chicken & Zucchini | ifoodreal
11 Vegan Sheet Pan Dinners
Veggie Shawarma Bowls with Roasted Cauliflower & Sweet Potato | Plays Well with Butter
Baked Tofu & Veggies | Food with Feeling
Chinese Cashew Tofu | Darn Good Veggies
Cauliflower Fajitas | Kirbie’s Cravings
Cauliflower Chickpea Dinner | May I Have That Recipe?
Vegan Dijon Rosemary Sheet Pan Dinner | Rabbit & Wolves
Cauliflower Gnocchi Dinner | Darn Good Veggies
Vegan Potatoes & Tofu | Earth of Maria
Roasted Vegetables with Turmeric Tahini | Okonomi Kitchen
Tandoori Tofu & Jackfruit Kebabs | Vegan Lovlie
Teriyaki Tofu Dinner | Dietician Debbie Dishes
These fuss-free sheet pan dinners can be meal prepped ahead of time, helping you stick to your clean eating goals on even your busiest days! Whether you’re a meat lover, vegetarian, or pure vegan, I hope the recipes in this post inspire you!