The sheet pan is a god-tier kitchen item for its pure usefulness. Put a sheet pan under another pan to catch drips in the oven, or use it as a work surface under a cutting board to contain fruit or meat juices. Even though most sheet pans in home kitchens are actually half-sheet pans, it’s still ample size for one of cooking’s superstars, the sheet-pan meal. Sheet-pan dinners cook all the ingredients together in the oven, making them awesome for people who don’t have much time to spend cooking and people who aren’t willing to wash a ton of dishes. They’re also endlessly customizable: just choose a protein, some vegetables and some seasonings, making it easy to try a new vegetable or protein. 

Here’s a quick guide to preparing and seasoning a sheet-pan dinner any way you like. 

Sheet-Pan Dinner Guide

15 minutes prep time, 15-35 minutes cook time

Serves 4 to 6, depending on ingredient quantity. Recipe halves well. 

Step One: Preparing the ingredients

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Combine a pound prepared protein of choice (see suggestions) with desired quantities of two to three vegetables (see suggestions) in a large bowl. Pour over the desired seasoning ingredients and toss to coat. If using seafood, toss it in the seasoning mix before adding vegetables and remove to another plate so it doesn’t get damaged tossing the vegetables. Marinate if desired — optional, but will make seasoning flavors deeper. 

Step Two: Roasting

Scoop the mixture onto the prepared sheet pan, leaving the extra seasoning and oil in the bowl while spreading out the ingredients evenly. Roast until vegetables are tender and protein is done using a thermometer to assess. If something finishes before everything else (chicken and other meats sometimes do this), remove it to a plate until serving time. Feel free to sprinkle with herbs, flaky salt or lemon juice before serving.

Simple Seasoning (Start here if you don’t know what you like, or if you’d like to try your own spice blend, feel free to add more spices to this basic recipe)

3 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of half a small lemon (About 2 tablespoons)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Ground black pepper to taste

Spicy Garlic-Ginger Seasoning

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 to 2 tablespoons sambal oelek, to taste (You could also use gochujang, chili garlic sauce, Sriracha, harissa or any similar thick hot sauce.)

2 cloves garlic, grated

1” piece ginger, grated (No need to peel first, just wash.)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Ground black pepper to taste

Sweet Honey-Lemon Seasoning

3 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of half a small lemon (About 2 tablespoons)

1 teaspoon honey (Any more will burn.)

Pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Ground black pepper to taste

Protein Suggestions: 

• Chicken thighs, with or without skin and bones, marinated in seasoning for up to 24 hours, roast 20-30 minutes, flipping once until browned
• Peeled, deveined shrimp, marinated in seasoning up to one hour. Add shrimp at the very end of cooking vegetables, roast 5 minutes or until pink 
• Skin-on salmon fillets, cut into servings, marinated in seasoning up to one hour. Add toward the end of cooking vegetables and roast 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork
• Drained, pressed tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes, marinated in seasoning up to 24 hours, roast 25-50 minutes, flipping as often as desired until browned
• Canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed, marinated up to 6 hours, roast 15-20 minutes, shaking the pan often to promote browning

Vegetable Suggestions: 

• Yellow or red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes, roast 25-30 minutes turning once
• Sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes, roast 25-30 minutes, turning once
• Summer squash or zucchini, cut into half-inch-thick rounds, roast 12-15 minutes, turning once
• Red onion, quartered,cut into wedges, roast 10-20 minutes for soft or 20-30 minutes for crispy
• Broccoli, cut into small florets, roast 20-25 minutes until browned
• Cauliflower, cut into small florets, roast 20-25 minutes until browned
• Brussels sprouts, cut in half or quartered, roast 20-25 minutes until browned and crisp on the outer layers