Sheet pan meals are my go-to meal idea for those nights when I'm running in the door at the last minute or have minimal energy or time to throw dinner together. When plotting out my meal plan for the week, a sheet pan meal is what I'll slate for the night if I've had a long day of meetings and want something easy to cook for dinner.

Check out my tips for slaying sheet pan meals below. I've also included a free download for 10 plant-based sheet pan meal ideas, and this round up of sheet pan meal recipes. 

Italian Roasted Veggies + Tofu Orzo Bowls

Greek Quinoa “Tabbouleh” Pita Pockets

Southwestern Tempeh & Corn Burritos

Black Bean & Vegan Beef Nachos

Cauliflower, Potato + Chickpea Curry Bowls

This delicious and creative meal idea has simplified my meal prep and clean up—and constantly infuses my weekly meal plans with creativity and new flavors. I hope it does the same for you.

What is a sheet pan meal?

A sheet pan dinner couldn’t be simpler: Everything goes on one baking sheet and cooks in the oven at once. No other meal prep or dishes required! Sometimes, I’ll batch cook rice or chop lettuce to turn my sheet pan into a bowl or salad, or make a pot of pasta while the sheet pan is cooking to complete the meal, but most of the time, everything is done in the oven on one sheet pan.

It takes about 20-30-ish minutes to roast the contents on your sheet pan. If you batch cook your grains and prep your dressings or sauces on the weekend, you can get your meal on the table even quicker. 

To assemble your sheet pan meal, lay out a combination of vegetables and plant protein in an even, single layer on the pan. Season with a marinade or herb blend, and place it in the oven to bake.

When the contents on the sheet pan are done cooking, dinner is served! It’s easy and convenient. (You only have to wash one pan.) It’s also a great way to clean out your fridge and use up whatever produce is lying around. 

Ethnic dishes are a great place to start when brainstorming ideas for sheet pan meals. Italian, Indian, Mediterranean and Asian cuisines are some of my favorites. Sheet pan meals are also a great solution for feeding me and my non vegan family. I can make two separate sheets pans with the same meal but different proteins to please everyone. Dinner success!  

Tips for Sheet Pan Meals

• Keep it simple

Don't crowd too much on a sheet pan or the ingredients won't cook evenly. All you need are two to three ingredients for a flavorful meal. If you're working with more than that, spread the contents out across multiple sheet pans.

• Line your sheet pan with a silpat mat or parchment paper

Clean up will will be easier and quicker with this simple tip.

• Baste throughout cooking

Add extra flavor and zing to your sheet pan meals by basting the contents of your sheet pan in the middle of cooking and at the end. I aim for every 10 to 15 minutes of cooking time. Serve the marinade with the meal.

• Use vegetables as "stacks" and "bowls"

Spaghetti squash, potatoes, zucchini, bell peppers and tomatoes make great bowls for sheet pan meals. Batch cook a filling on the weekend and all you have to do is stuff the vegetable and bake.

Additionally, portobello mushrooms and cauliflower steaks make great bases for stack meals, where you layer ingredients and sauces in between "stacks" of vegetables. Prep a sauce or spread ahead of time, and all you need to do is roast a few of these vegetable layers and stack to serve.

• Add a surprise ingredient to your sheet pan

Give your sheet pan meal a little something special by adding a burst of flavor with a special ingredient, such as capers, olives, sun-dried tomatoes or marinated artichoke hearts. Nuts and seeds add great texture and crunch, as well as enhanced flavor when they're roasted.

Sheet Pan Meal Ideas

Anything goes when it comes to sheet pan meals. Get creative and experiment with different flavor combinations and cuisines.

Some of my family's favorite sheet pan meals include:

• Nachos
• Baked Gnocchi
• Eggless Tofu Frittatas

Want more sheet pan meal ideas? Check out our free download here and our Pinterest board with tons of recipes here.

Sheet Pan Meal Recipes

For more sheet pan meal inspiration, browse this round up of recipes.

Italian Roasted Veggies + Tofu Orzo Bowls

On the sheet pan:

Cherry tomatoes

Cubed tofu

Broccoli

Cremini mushrooms

Whole garlic cloves

Toss all of the above with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, an Italian herbs seasoning blend, salt and pepper. Roast at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve over cooked orzo and top with one or more of the dressing and toss-in options below.

Dressing and sauce options:

Italian dressing

Caesar

Lemon-garlic tahini sauce

Tasty toss-ins:

Kite Hill Ricotta cheese

Pine nuts

Freshly, chopped basil

Greek Quinoa “Tabbouleh” Pita Pockets

On the sheet pan:

Cauliflower florets

Chickpeas (drained, rinsed and patted dry)

Kalamata olives (pitted)

Artichoke hearts

Pita bread

Toss all of the veggies and chickpeas with olive oil, dill and oregano (or Greek seasoning blend), garlic powder, salt and pepper. Roast at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. (Place pita on the sheet pan about 5 minutes before the veggies are done. Toss the veggies and chickpeas with the quinoa and serve inside sliced pita halves with one or more of the dressing or toss-in options below.

Dressing and sauce options:

Red wine vinaigrette

Tahini sauce

Hummus

Tasty toss-ins:

2 cups cooked quinoa

Chopped cucumber

Fresh dill

Sun-dried tomatoes

Southwestern Tempeh & Corn Burritos

On the sheet pan:

Cubed tempeh

Corn (cut off the cob or canned, drained and rinsed)

Red bell pepper, chopped

Red onion, sliced

Toss all of the veggies and tempeh with olive oil and your favorite taco seasoning. Roast at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. About 5 minutes before the veggies and tempeh are done, place the flour tortillas on the sheet pan. When done cooking, scoop the tempeh and vegetable filling into the tortillas and top with one or more of the dressing and toss-in options below.

Dressing and sauce options:

Salsa

Taco sauce

Dairy-free sour cream

Tasty toss-ins:

Black beans (drained and rinsed) or refried beans

Sliced black olives

Sliced avocado

Black Bean & Vegan Beef Nachos

On the sheet pan:

Tortilla chips

Black beans (canned, drained and rinsed)

Veggie ground “beef”

Dairy-free cheddar cheese

Spread the tortilla chips out across the sheet pan. Sprinkle the remaining ingredients on top, with the cheese last. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. When done cooking, top with one or more of the sauce and toss-in options below.

Sauce options:

Taco sauce

Guacamole

Dairy-free sour cream

Tasty toss-ins:

Cilantro

Chopped tomato

Chopped red onion

Chopped avocado

Cauliflower, Potato + Chickpea Curry Bowls

On the sheet pan:

Cauliflower florets

Chickpeas (canned, drained and rinsed)

Potatoes (scrubbed and cubed)

Toss all of the above with olive oil, curry powder and garam masala. Roast at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve over cooked jasmine rice and top with one or more of the dressing and toss-in options below.

Sauce options:

Bottled curry sauce 

Lime juice

Dairy-free Greek-style yogurt

Tasty toss-ins:

Cilantro

Peas

Peanuts

More Family Meal Ideas

• Food Bars
• Leftover Makeovers