Sheet Pan Meal Formula
Cook an entire meal in one pan (can you say easy cleanup!?) with this sheet pan meal formula. You won’t believe how quick and easy it is!
Step 1. Take a rimmed baking sheet pan and line it with foil or parchment paper. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the sheet pan in the oven to heat. Once your vegetables and meat are prepped, remove the pan from oven. Placing the sheet pan in the oven as it preheats will give you a sizzling surface for your veggies and lead to a beautiful (and tasty) browned crust.
Note: Avoid nonstick sheet pans if you can. They may be easier to clean up, but they don't give a lot of color to roasted meats or vegetables. For easy clean-up, line the pan with foil or parchment paper. After cooking, simply lift off the foil/paper and discard.
Step 2: Select your vegetables. Choose hearty vegetables that can stand up to high heat. Hearty Vegetable Options: sweet potatoes, daikon, patty pan squash, radishes, turnips, beets, carrots, cabbage, kale, cauliflower, bell peppers, broccoli, and fresh green beans.
Other Veggie Options: More tender vegetables like tomatoes and eggplant can also be used, but just be sure to add them later in the process so they don’t overcook.
TIP: Take care to cut vegetables into similarly-sized pieces for more even cooking.
Optional Step 3: Choose a protein. Add your meat to the pan. You may want to separate the meat to one side of the pan or on a separate pan to keep the juices from running together.
TIP: Break down your chicken, slice a pork chop or steak up, bite-size pieces work well.
Step 4: Add your seasonings. Use spices, oil, or glaze. Ideally, season everything before it goes onto the sheet pan. Sea salt and freshly ground pepper are a great place to start. Drizzle with ghee or coconut oil and toss in a large bowl before arranging on the sheet pan.
Be creative! Seasoning ideas: Rosemary, oregano, basil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, maple syrup, SHF Taco seasoning, Dijon mustard sauce, barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, chili powder, or even a little coffee rub!
TIP: Add seasoning before you cook, and again toward the end of cooking for a bolder flavor. Stir or flip food at least once during cooking.
Step 5: Bake at 400°F for 35-45 minutes. Temperatures range from 400-450°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.
Pierce the protein and heartier veggies with a fork at 35-40 minutes to see if they are done. Turn up the edges of a piece of foil to make a rectangular tray if you need to keep items separate from each other — especially if their juices are flowing!