Healthy Sheet-Pan Dinners Are Even Easier With This Recipe Formula

It’s the classic weeknight dinner dilemma: You don’t have the energy to use and then wash a mountain of pots and pans, it’s too late to start up the slow cooker and you’re dangerously close to being on a first-name basis with the pizza delivery person. Have no fear, the humble sheet pan will save the day!

Not only will these one-pan meals save you time and energy, they’re endlessly versatile. “What can you ​not​ put on a sheet pan?” says Maya Feller, RD, CDN, owner of Brooklyn-based Maya Feller Nutrition. The customizable nature of a sheet-pan dinner means she’s able to easily create a delicious, nutritious meal or batch cook and refrigerate leftovers for later in the week.

Balance the macronutrients on your sheet pan like you would on a dinner plate, Feller says. That means a heavy emphasis on vegetables with a moderate portion of protein and healthy fat — which, for sheet-pan dinners, usually comes in the form of extra-virgin olive oil.

There are two important components to keep in mind for a perfectly cooked pan of food: consistency and timing. Cut your ingredients into consistent sizes to help ensure even cooking, and consider how long it will take the various items on your sheet to cook through. Keep scrolling for all the details.

Root vegetables are the heart of a sheet-pan meal. Many also fall into the more widely known starchy veggie category. While starchy vegetables often get a bad rap, they’re actually loaded with fiber and other nutrients.

Feller’s favorites are sweet potatoes, beets, parsnips and butternut squash, drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkled with fresh thyme and rosemary. “I really love the taste, and I love the color combination all together,” she says. “I eat as much with my eyes as with my stomach, so all the colors together are a visual cue that I’m getting a wide variety of nutrients.”

Aim for 1/4 pound per person, or 1 pound to serve four. Cut root veggies into uniform pieces — approximately 1/2-inch works best. Choose from any of the following:

• Potatoes
• Sweet
  potatoes
• Beets
• Carrots
• Parsnips
• Turnips
• Rutabaga
• Radishes
• Winter
  squash

To complete your rainbow of colorful veggies, pick more produce from the non-starchy vegetable category.

Feller’s favorites are Brussels sprouts, onions, garlic or cauliflower with curry powder or cumin. Aim for 1 cup per person, or 4 cups to serve four. If you’re using dark leafy greens, up the amount to 1 1/4 cups per person, or 6 cups for four.

The following vegetables are included in this category:

• Cherry
  tomatoes
• Green
  beans
• Broccoli,
  cut into florets
• Cauliflower,
  cut into florets
• Asparagus,
  halved
• Mushrooms,
  halved
• Brussels
  sprouts, halved
• Onions,
  cut into 1-inch wedges
• Peppers,
  sliced into 1-inch wedges or strips
• Summer
  squash, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Dark
  leafy greens, chopped

Want more healthy meal ideas? Download the MyPlate app and get simple, tasty meals and snacks tailored to your nutrition goals.

Your choice of protein determines how long you’ll need to cook your sheet-pan meal. As a general rule of thumb, checking the internal temperature will guarantee your food is cooked through. Grab a meat thermometer and look out for the below:

• Poultry: 165 degrees Fahrenheit
• Beef: 155 degrees Fahrenheit
• Pork: 145 to 155 degrees Fahrenheit
• Seafood: 145 degrees Fahrenheit

Aim for 4 to 5 ounces per person, or approximately 1 pound for 4 servings. These proteins work best in a sheet-pan meal:

• Poultry:
  chicken or turkey cutlets or boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• Pork:
  boneless pork chops or pork tenderloin
• Beef:
  skirt steak
• Sausage
• Fish:
  thicker fillets such as cod, salmon, halibut or arctic char
• Shrimp,
  peeled and deveined
• Tofu
  or tempeh, cut into 1-inch-thick slices

Experiment with whatever flavors you like. Remember, it’s easier to start with a lower amount of spices and seasonings and add more as you go, because you can’t get rid of it once it’s there.

Look to use around 1 to 3 teaspoons total, depending on your taste preferences, of any of these options:

• Chili powder
• Curry powder
• Five spice powder
• Herbs de Provence
• Everything bagel seasoning
• Italian seasoning
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Ground:
  • Coriander
  • Cumin
  • Ginger
  • Turmeric
• Dried:
  • Oregano
  • Basil
  • Rosemary
  • Sage
  • Thyme

Every dish can use a little something special to add a pop of flavor, color and texture. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Spritz
  of citrus juice
  • Lemon
  • Orange
  • Grapefruit
  • Lime
• Spritz of vinegar
• Toasted
  nuts or seeds
• Fresh
  chopped herbs
• Cheese
  • Parmesan
  • Goat cheese
  • Feta