8 One-Pan Meals That Will Change the Way You Cook
If you’ve had a long day, the thought of having to cook dinner and then wash multiple pots, pans and dishes might make you think twice. Enter sheet pan meals! The following eight dinner recipes can all be made using one or two sheet pans.
Overview
If you've had a long day, the thought of having to cook dinner and then wash multiple pots, pans and dishes might make you think twice. Enter sheet pan meals! The following eight dinner recipes can all be made using one or two sheet pans. By using an oven-safe, stainless-steel draining grate, you increase your chances of a healthier outcome by losing some fat that might otherwise have made it to the plate. So go ahead and pre-heat that oven; dinner will be served in no time.
1. Cheesy Cauliflower Steaks With Roasted Lemon Romaine and Tomatoes
It may be hard for those who are meat-obsessed to believe, but a vegetable-only dinner really can be satisfying. And while nobody is going to mistake cauliflower for filet mignon, vegetable steaks are delicious and filling — more than you may think. This two-pan solution may be one of the simplest recipes in this roundup: Just season, sear, roast and serve.
Related: For the Full Recipe -- Cheesy Cauliflower Steaks With Roasted Lemon Romaine and Tomatoes
2. Bone-In Pork Chops With Roasted Corn, Zucchini and Leeks
Conventional kitchen wisdom says cooking on the bone makes for a tastier cut of meat. Whether you believe it's because the bone actually insulates the meat and slows the cooking or in some way helps to flavor the meat, a bone-in cut is an impressive-looking meal. This roasted bone-in pork chop has the look and feel of an all-American meal and requires just two pans: one to sear the chop and one to finish it on in the oven.
Related: For the Full Recipe -- Bone-In Pork Chops With Roasted Corn, Zucchini and Leeks
3. Lobster Bake With Corn, Chorizo and Clams
Craving seafood for dinner? Make a lobster bake! Lobster is a great source of lean protein, and as long as you're not drenching it with butter, each 6-ounce portion has only 1.2 grams of fat. Corn, clams and a little Spanish chorizo add quintessential seasonality, sea brine and savory flavors, respectively. While this recipe requires you to first break out a pot to parboil the lobsters and then to shock them with ice water to prevent the meat from toughening, it's pretty much a two-pan cleanup. If you're squeamish about cooking a live lobster, feel free to use lobster tails instead.
Related: For the Full Recipe -- Lobster Bake With Corn, Chorizo and Clams
4. Sheet Pan Pizza
Listen, pizza is one of those things. A 14-inch regular-crust slice has 285 calories. One with sausage or pepperoni can run up to 324 calories. You can eat it, just not as much as you may want! Now in case you haven't noticed, pan pizzas are having a moment. Even New Yorkers, who typically will trip over themselves to dismiss deep-dish, are warm and fuzzy about Detroit-style pan pizzas invading Gotham. We won't lie: Making pizza from scratch requires work, but not as much as you'd think. This recipe is inspired by Portland, Oregon, chef Ken Forkish of Ken's Artisan Pizza. He calls his "'I Slept In But I Want Pizza Tonight' Dough." You get the drift: Dough needs hours to rise, but this is the recipe for those late-to-commit folks. (There's also no shame in store-bought dough.)
Related: For the Full Recipe -- Sheet Pan Pizza
5. Greek Salmon With Lemon Potatoes and Greens
Salmon is said to help with battling belly fat because it contains both omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, but its richness and flavor also make it one of those things that tastes like it must be some kind of a cheat. In fact, whether baked, broiled, seared or grilled, it's widely regarded as among the most heart-healthy of dishes. While you'll need a second small pan to cook the potatoes in a little stock and a timed entry of the salmon to make sure they're both done at the same time, this is a simple recipe. It follows the tried-and-trusted method of not messing with a good thing. A little salt, a little olive oil, some lemon — you truly don't need anything else.
Related: For the Full Recipe -- Greek Salmon With Lemon Potatoes and Greens
6. Moroccan Lamb Roast With Chickpeas and Apricots
Be sure to sear this roast before cooking it with the kale, chickpeas and apricots. Searing caramelizes the meat for more flavor and texture. With the savory hominess of the lamb, the nutty flavor of the chickpeas, the warm sweetness of faded apricots and the pepperiness of kale, this a recipe just as cozy on a cool fall evening as it is on a warm summer night.
Related: For the Full Recipe -- Moroccan Lamb Roast With Chickpeas and Apricots
7. Roast Chicken, Carrots and Celery With 40 Cloves of Garlic
40 cloves chicken is a classic. Its name sounds impressive for what at first may sound like excess, but while the pungency of the garlic fades, the taste doesn't. Aromatic and earthy, belly-warming and fully satisfying, this sheet pan version accompanied by a garlicky crust of bread foregoes the full casserole treatment, but, like the inspiration behind it, it doesn't skimp on flavor.
Related: For the Full Recipe -- Roast Chicken, Carrots and Celery With 40 Cloves of Garlic
8. Ground-Beef Nachos
Homemade nachos make for a deliciously unique dinner that can be enjoyed in moderation. A serving of 18 chips equals about 275 calories, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Nutrient Database (a number you could lower by baking your own tortilla chips at 400°F for 10 minutes), which isn't so bad as long as you're making sure to fill up on protein too. To make this a one-pan cleanup, cook the meat on the draining grate alongside the nachos, then crumble it on top and return it to the oven to finish. Pro tip for sour cream fans: No, it doesn't taste exactly the same, but a little warm water, lemon juice and salt mixed with plain no-fat or low-fat yogurt is a very tasty, lower-calorie alternative to Mexican crema.
Related: For the Full Recipe -- Ground-Beef Nachos
What Do YOU Think?
Have you tried making dinner using just one sheet pan before? Which of these sheet pan dinner recipes would you try? What are some creative dinner ideas you can come up with? Share with us in the comments section below!
Related: 10 Easy Clean-Eating Recipes