Our 20 Absolute Favorite Sheet-Pan Recipes (2024)

This article was originally published in June 2020. It has been updated to include more of our community's favorite recipes.

I’d like to give a shout-out to sheet pans. Because it’s amazing how the simplest, cheapest of tools can accomplish quick, delicious, and fuss-free (in the planning, prepping, and cleaning) meals the entire family adores. Sure, we love Instant Pots, Air Fryers, and the like, but sheet pans are the OG busy (and hungry) cook’s best friend.

But I hardly need to tell you this. Sheet-pan recipes are some of our most popular attractions (ahem, please refer to this list). There are the buttery, flakey slab pot pies, roast-y salads, a full American breakfast...I could keep going!

But I don’t want to keep you here all day, so I’ve combed through Food52's recipe box for the most cooked, most favorited sheet-pan recipes ever. Yes, it was hard to narrow it down to just 20, but these superstars are the best of the best—our community's absolute favorites. Now, without further ado:

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Our 20 Best Sheet-PanRecipes

1. Sheet Pan Shrimp Scampi for One

Senior Editor Eric Kim was inspired to make this solo shrimp scampi supper after a trip to Hawaii. Now we can enjoy it, too (without stepping on an airplane).

Sheet-Pan Shrimp Scampi for One

2. Sheet-Pan Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake

“I love this cake because it's one of those things I'm able to throw together when it seems I have nothing in my pantry and fridge,” writes recipe developer Eric Kim. “All it needs are the usual suspects, things like brown sugar, butter, flour, eggs, and milk—plus chopped dates.”

Sheet-Pan Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake

3. Sheet-Pan Eggs

This egg-cellent (not sorry) breakfast is perfect for those blurry mornings when you have to cook for a crowd. Simply whisk eggs, pour into a greased pan, bake, and then pat yourself on the back.

Sheet Pan Eggs

4. Sheet-Pan Chicken With Broccoli, Chickpeas, And Parmesan

This all-in-one traybake from the queen of weeknight suppers, EmilyC, uses tons of smartypants tricks. My favorite? Add baking powder for better browning.

Sheet-Pan Chicken With Broccoli, Chickpeas, and Parmesan

5. Sheet-Pan Croquembouche

Sheet pans make quick work of desserts, too. “This streamlined version makes at-home croquembouche totally doable,” writes recipe developer Emma Laperruque. “Look no further for a holiday showstopper or even a birthday cake replacement (trust me, no one will complain).”

Sheet-Pan Croquembouche

6. All-In-One Sheet-Pan Brown Rice With Sweet Potato And Broccoli Rabe

This recipe highlights a reliable, forgiving method for cooking grains on a sheet pan in the oven, and results in a flavorful, do-it-all grain salad you’ll turn to again and again.

All-in-One Sheet-Pan Brown Rice with Sweet Potato and Broccoli Rabe

7. Sheet-Pan Roast Chicken and Cabbage

In just 40 minutes, you’ll get juicy, crispy-skinned chicken and sweet, tender cabbage, flavored by not only the spicy dressing, but also the aromatic drippings of the chicken. What are you waiting for?

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8.

This bright and bold harissa chicken maintains a perfect, five-star rating amongst our community members. Trust Cathy on this one: “This is amazing! Every element blends perfectly together." It won over Emily, too: Consider me a skeptic until about 3 minutes before plating. Never been happier to be wrong.”

9.

Yes, salads can be cozy comfort food, too. See below.

10. Sheet-Pan Chicken And Cauliflower Bake

This tray bake is the spicy, smoky shawarma-inspired dinner that you’ll definitely want to add to your weeknight rotation.

Sheet Pan Chicken and Cauliflower Bake

11. Sheet-Pan Crispy Rice With Bacon And Broccoli

Absolute Best Tests columnist Ella Quittner speaks the truth: “Crispy bits are textural and flavor magic.” And this dish is chock full of ‘em.

Sheet-Pan Crispy Rice with Bacon and Broccoli

12.

This convenient play on huevos rotos (“broken eggs” in Spanish) is the perfect lazy brunch recipe. It requires only 10 minutes of actual work, serves up to six people, and highlights the beloved trio of sausage, potatoes, and eggs.

13. Sheet-Pan Lamb Meatballs With Cauliflower And Tahini-Yogurt Sauce

Fact: Super tender lamb meatballs and comforting cauliflower combined with the refreshing brightness of pomegranate, makes the crowd go wild.

Sheet Pan Lamb Meatballs with Cauliflower and Tahini-Yogurt Sauce

14.

With a scrappy vinaigrette that does triple-duty, as well as tapping into the wallet-friendly bulk bin (hey there, dried figs), this dinner is both inexpensive and satisfying.

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15.

Consisting of white miso, yellow mustard powder, sugar, and rice vinegar, nuta is a typical Japanese dressing for blanched greens and seafood that tastes like really good honey mustard. Here nuta works double-duty: caramelized on chicken thighs and squash, and as a piquant dressing for peppery arugula.

16.

Salad? On a sheet-pan? Recipe developer EmilyC thinks yes, making three great cases for it.

17. Our Best Brussels Sprouts With Bacon

Our best version of the best food partnership (okay at the very least tied with peanut butter and eggs). Top a bowl of these Brussels sprouts and crisp bacon bits with a soft, oozy egg, for a square (round?) meal.

Brussels Sprouts With Bacon

18.

While a schnitzel-ready, thin, boneless pork cutlet is likely to dessicate in the oven, a thicker-cut, bone-in chop is ready. Dry-rub one per person and lay atop a bed of root vegetable hunks—the recipe calls for carrots and fennel, but why not beets, parsnips, or turnips?—eager to drink in any (sheet-)pan juices.

19. Baking Sheet Macaroni and Cheese

Food52 co-founder Amanda Hesser wanted a mac and cheese that didn’t skimp on the crunch—so she made this recipe. Combining techniques from baked pasta, gratin, and kugel, Amanda’s mac is texturally complex and decidedly delicious.

Baking Sheet Macaroni and Cheese

20. Sheet-Pan Apple Crisp

A traditional apple crisp is heavy on the apples, lighter on the streusel. Not with this sheet-pan riff from Food Editor Emma Laperruque. “Instead of using a deep-dish casserole pan, a sheet pan creates a shallow crisp that’s equal parts jammy apples and oaty streusel,” Emma writes. If there’s a more perfect use for an eighth-pan, I don’t want to know about it.

Sheet-Pan Apple Crisp

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Just kidding I do—share some of the best things to come out of your half-, quarter-, and eighth-sheet-pans in the comments below!
Our 20 Absolute Favorite Sheet-Pan Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is a good meal to serve 20 people? ›

19 Ideas For Easy Meals For Large Groups
  • Taco Bar.
  • Meatballs.
  • Butter Chicken.
  • Lasagna.
  • Chili.
  • Homemade Pizza.
  • Baked Pasta.
  • Skewers.
Apr 4, 2023

What size sheet pan for sheet pan dinners? ›

The right baking sheet to use for sheet pan dinners is called a half-sheet pan. It's made of heavy-gauge metal, measures 18 by 13 inches, and has a 1-inch rim all the way around. It's sturdy enough to take high oven heat — and sometimes broiler heat if your recipe calls for it.

What is the basic of sheet pan dinners? ›

A sheet pan takes the concept of a one-pot meal and flips it onto a pan. It saves time, makes clean-up easier, and doesn't require expensive equipment or fancy ingredients. Just start with your protein of choice, then add vegetables, fat and flavorings, and roast at high heat until everything is golden brown.

Do you cover sheet pan dinners? ›

Foil is the right choice when you're roasting at temperatures of 425°F (220°C) or higher. Unless it's labelled non-stick, foil needs greasing, and — surprise! — it makes no difference if the shiny side is up or down. Cover the baking sheet completely, including the sides and corners, to catch any mess.

What is a good meal to feed a large crowd? ›

Hearty Chili

A big pot of chili is a fantastic option for feeding a crowd. Whip up a batch of your favorite chili recipe, and serve it with toppings like shredded cheese, diced onions, sour cream, and a basket of cornbread on the side.

What is the best cheap food to feed a crowd? ›

Feed the masses without breaking the bank with these budget-friendly dishes.
  • Turkey and Pumpkin Lasagne. ...
  • Slow Cooker Savoury Mince. ...
  • Slow cooker barbecue chicken. ...
  • Slow cooker chicken and olives. ...
  • Slow cooker beef stew. ...
  • Creamy Chicken Pie. ...
  • Chicken, Avocado and Bacon Salad. ...
  • Potato Salad.

What is the difference between a baking sheet and a sheet pan? ›

Baking Sheet. Although cookie sheets are often referred to as "baking sheets," there are differences between a cookie sheet and a baking sheet (also known as a baking sheet pan or simply a sheet pan): Baking sheet pans have rolled edges with a lip around the entire pan, whereas cookie sheets do not.

Which is better for baking aluminum or stainless steel? ›

Baking pans are frequently made from aluminum (an excellent heat conductor), or an aluminum-steel combination. Less common are stainless steel pans; while easy to clean and non-reactive, they don't conduct heat as well as aluminum.

Is a sheet pan the same as a baking sheet? ›

Baking pans, also known as sheet pans and jelly roll pans, have a flat surface with a one-inch high edge around the sides of the entire pan.

How long do you bake sheet pan dinners? ›

Temperatures range from 375-400°F for sheet pan meals. Depending on the vegetables and protein you've chosen, it may take anywhere from 35-45 minutes to cook thoroughly. Remember if you've chosen something you know will overcook in that period, you want to add it in later on in the cooking time.

Can you use parchment paper for sheet pan meals? ›

Aluminum foil and parchment paper are your friends.

Line the pan with either foil or parchment before cooking to help make clean-up easy! Remember: If you're broiling, do not use parchment paper, which can catch fire. Go with the foil, and mist it with cooking spray to prevent food from sticking.

What kind of pan for sheet pan dinner? ›

Why is the Nordic Ware Naturals Aluminum Half-Sheet our pick for best sheet pan? Our crowd-favorite baking sheet is made with pure light-colored uncoated aluminum, which conducts heat more efficiently and uniformly than aluminized steel (aluminum-coated steel) or stainless steel.

Can you prep sheet pan meals ahead of time? ›

You can also prep components ahead and store in the fridge for up to 5 days, making it even easier! Sheet pan chicken fajitas with tender and juicy chicken, bell peppers, and onions tossed in a delicious homemade fajita seasoning. Ideal for meal prep or for a simple weeknight dinner.

Do you cover sheet pan meals with foil? ›

We recommend foil over parchment paper for sheet pan cooking. As it conducts heat, foil can help accelerate the cooking process and help browning.

Should I use aluminum foil on sheet pan? ›

Additionally, you can use heavy-duty foil to line large roasting pans or sheet pans for roasting meats or vegetables, making for easy cleanup later. Weaver even lines her oven with a double layer of foil to help keep it clean if something like a juicy fruit pie drips. Aluminum foil can also be great for food storage.

How much food do you need for a 20 people party? ›

Each adult will consume 1 pound of food total; children, about 1/2 pound. The more options you have, the less you need of each; decrease the main course portion sizes by 1 to 2 ounces if served on a buffet.

How to cater for 20 people? ›

Finger foods, canapes, and grazing tables are great options that can feed a crowd and are easy to shape around any style. From gourmet cured meats and cheeses to catering classics like mini pies and pastries, there is bound to be something for any theme.

How much food do you need for 20 guests? ›

Food for Dinner Parties
FoodUp to 10 guests20-30
Green salad10 cups30 cups
Fruit salad5 cups15 cups
Rolls or bread slices20 pieces60 pieces
Cakes1 layer cake3 layer cakes
9 more rows

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