16 Plant-Based Sheet Pan Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What size sheet pan for sheet pan dinner? ›

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.

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.

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.

Make quick and convenient family dinners

Sheet pan dinners are a saving grace on the nights when you don't feel like cooking. While it's a bit of a far stretch to say you won't have to lift a finger, it's essentially the most seamless way to bring a simple and delicious dinner to the table that your family will love.

Full-sheet cakes, as mentioned, are the crowd's favorites for large events, serving about 70-80 on average. As the go-to choice for smaller gatherings, half-sheet cakes can feed 36-48 people.

Baking Sheets or Sheet Pans

No matter what the size though, you can easily tell them apart by the inch-high rim around the entire edge of the pan. This rim is not only great for keeping juices and liquids in the pan, but it helps trap smaller vegetables and cubes of meat.

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

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.

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.

This means that if you're cooking in a skillet over medium, medium-low, or low heat, you'll probably be fine using parchment. Hill uses it in the oven all the time for any temps under 450°F, but never risks using it on the grill, with the broiler, or in a skillet over high heat because the temperature can exceed 500°F.

Which side of parchment paper goes up? ›

Since parchment paper doesn't have a helpful “this end up” sign with an arrow, it takes a little detective work. Just hold the paper up to the light and look for the side that's slightly glossier or shinier. It is the shiny or glossy side of the parchment paper that should be face up on your baking sheet or cake pan.

Do keep in mind that although preheating is ideal for veggies and meats, heating your baking sheet before baking is not recommended. Cookies, for example, will stick when added to a hot surface, and any dough containing butter will spread.

With frequent use, baking sheets can eventually show wear and tear. Perhaps the most obvious sign of a well-loved baking sheet is when it has browned and lost its natural shine, but that doesn't mean you should throw it out altogether. A well-made baking sheet should last a lifetime, even with stains or scratches.

According to the many experts I've interviewed over the years, stainless steel is the best material for a saucepan. It conducts heat evenly and is sensitive to variations, plus it's incredibly durable.

Our favorite half-sheet baking pan is the Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half-Sheet Pan. Cookies and cakes baked evenly, and roasted potato wedges browned nicely and released with ease. We've used these sheet pans for many years in our test and home kitchens and highly recommend them.

They're great for cooking for one, too, and can accommodate a single serving of protein for baking or roasting in the oven (or toaster oven!). I also like to use one to toast a handful of croutons for a single-serving salad.

Hotel Pans are usually Rectangular Stainless Steel Pans used cook, store & serve food. They are designed to fit in steam tables, racks & chafers. A full size pan is 12" by 20", yet there are also 1/2, 1/3, 1/6 & 1/9th pan sizes. Depths of these Pans vary: 2", 4" & 6".

Rimmed baking sheets are typically sized 12 or 13 inches by 18 inches. These “half-sheet” pans fit perfectly into most ovens, which are often 22 inches wide. They leave just enough room around the sheet for optimal air circulation.