Avoid these mistakes and you'll be ready to whip up some easy, healthy sheet pan dinners in no time!
6 Mistakes Every Sheet Pan Supper Newbie Makes
Updated on Jul. 13, 2022
Sheet pan dinners have taken off like wildfire, and for good reason. Cooking on the humble sheet pan not only makes it easy to get weeknight dinner on the table, but it also creates a healthy, flavorful cooking environment. Quick and healthy—sign me up! Don’t worry if you’re a sheet pan newbie, because everyone comes up against some obstacles. It really is possible to cook your entire dinner all on one sheet pan…if you avoid these six all-too-common mistakes.
Using these sheet pan dinner tips, you’ll find yourself with flavorful, easy-to-execute dinners in no time. While your meat and vegetables cook up in the oven, you’ll feel at ease to whip up a side of rice, quinoa or a side salad. Here are the most common mistakes people make with sheet pan suppers (and how we suggest you fix them).
By the way—Meal plan like a pro with these easy ways to get started.
1. Your sheet pan warps in the oven
Sure, you can use any old sheet pan, but you might want to upgrade if your sheet pan warps in the oven. Most inexpensive (or older) sheet pans tend to warp at some point in the cooking process, and sometimes that can toss your smaller ingredients onto the oven floor! That’s because the oven’s heat can buckle thin baking sheets, so look for professional, heavy-gauge aluminum baking sheets. We love this one from Nordic Ware.
2. The food lacklusterly steams in the oven
If you overcrowd the sheet pan, the result is steamed food instead of beautifully flavored, browned food. Steam is the enemy of searing, and it can also water down your flavors and make everything taste a little bit blah. Do yourself a favor and keep plenty of space in between the ingredients. If you’re feeding a large crowd, that might mean using two sheet pans. If you need a quick meal, these sheet pan suppers are prepped in just 15 minutes!
3. Everything sticks to the sheet pan
Unless your sheet pan has nonstick coating, there’s a good chance your entire meal could stick to the pan. Even if it does have a nice coating, all that browning can create a cleanup disaster—and that’s not why you chose a one-pot meal! Using aluminum foil or parchment paper will maximize the amount of food that makes it onto the plate (and, it keeps cleanup easy). If you’re planning to use the broiler, choose aluminum foil so you don’t catch the parchment paper on fire.
4. The ingredients don’t cook evenly
Those hearty potatoes certainly aren’t going to cook at the same rate as tender salmon, especially if they’re not trimmed to the right size! If you’re using ingredients with longer cook times, cut them into very small pieces while leaving quicker-cooking foods in larger sizes. For example, in this pork and asparagus sheet pan dinner, we dice the potatoes but leave the asparagus whole. If you’re still worried about it, you can choose to cook the ingredients in stages. Start with the longer cooking foods and add the tender ones for the last 10 minutes of cooking.
5. It just lacks that promised flavor
We promised you easy, flavorful, healthy food—but your sheet pan dinner falls short in the flavor department. You can take advantage of flavorful marinades and seasonings, but you can also be wise when it comes to choosing the ingredients. The foods that work best for sheet pan dinners are naturally good when roasted. I would almost never roast a ribeye (that would be reserved for the grill or seared in a cast iron) but I would definitely roast a piece of salmon or a chicken breast. Think about the ingredients list and combine foods that naturally taste good together—like salmon and green beans.
6. The food is burnt on one side of the pan and undercooked on the other side
Every oven works a bit differently—my oven works great on the top left side, and not so great on the bottom right. These are oven hot spots and, like becoming a grilling expert, a sheet pan expert has to know her oven. Invest in an inexpensive oven thermometer to make sure that your settings really pan out to actual oven heat (mine tends to run 25 degrees under). Then, you’ll know where and how to rotate your sheet pans. If you’re cooking on two racks, it’s always a good idea to swap them halfway through the cook time to ensure even heating.
The best way to truly master the sheet pan supper? By experimenting! Play around with the ingredients and learn firsthand what works and what doesn’t. Start with these sheet pan dinners and branch out from there.
Sheet Pan Suppers You Can't Mess Up
Sheet-Pan Lemon Garlic ChickenEveryone needs an easy meal. Try this sheet-pan chicken with roasted potatoes for a simple and tasty meal guaranteed to please the whole family. If you use fresh lemon juice, garnish each serving with a little lemon zest for bright flavor. —Andrea Potischman, Menlo Park, California
Sheet-Pan Pork SupperI created this pork tenderloin sheet-pan dinner to suit our family's needs. It's so quick and easy to clean up since you use one pan for everything! Use any variety of small potatoes—fingerlings or other colored potatoes are a fun and delicious option. —Debbie Johnson, Centertown, Missouri
Mini Meat Loaf Sheet-Pan MealI grew up with this classic meat loaf recipe, but I adapted it to mini meatloaves so that they would bake more quickly. The sauce topping is always a hit. I added the potatoes and asparagus to make an easy complete meal. —Deanne Johnson, Reading, Pennsylvania
Turkey Lattice PieWith its pretty lattice crust, this cheesy baked dish looks as good as it tastes. It's easy to make, too, since it uses ready-to-go crescent roll dough. —Lorraine Naig, Emmetsburg, Iowa
Sheet-Pan Chicken Curry DinnerThis sheet-pan chicken curry is a quick way to get a meal on the table without fuss. Everyone loves it, and it's healthy to boot! Serve it with a side of jasmine rice. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
Rosemary Salmon and VeggiesThis rosemary salmon is a favorite, thanks to the savory herb that adds unbelievable flavor to the fish as it bakes. Cooked with asparagus and red peppers, it's a healthy and quick dinner option that pulls in rave reviews too.
Portobello and Chickpea Sheet-Pan SupperThis is a fantastic meatless dinner or an amazing side dish. It works well with a variety of sheet-pan-roasted vegetables. We enjoy using zucchini or squash in the summer, and you can also change up the herbs in the dressing. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah
Potato and Pepper Sausage BakeWhen my family smells this dish baking in the oven, they know they are in for a treat! If you like spice, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or switch the mild Italian sausage to hot Italian sausage. —Ashli Claytor, Chesapeake, Virginia
Pork Chops and AsparagusThis pork chop and asparagus recipe is a complete dinner (even dessert) cooked on a single sheet pan. Hands-off cooking and simple clean-up make this ideal for busy weeknights.
Shrimp-Stuffed Poblano PeppersI created this dish for my mother when she moved back to our hometown. Since she really enjoys shrimp and slightly spicy food, I decided to create a shrimp-stuffed poblanos to surprise her. She was delighted.—Tina Garcia-Ortiz, Tampa, Florida
Baked Chicken ChimichangasI developed this quick and easy recipe through trial and error. I used to garnish it with sour cream, too, but I eliminated it in order to lighten the recipe. My friends all love it when I cook these chimichangas, and they're much healthier than deep-fried. —Rickey Madden, Clinton, South Carolina
Sheet-Pan Honey Mustard ChickenThis sheet-pan chicken is an easy gluten-free, low-carb meal ideal for busy weekdays. The chicken is tender, juicy and so delicious! It's now on the list of our favorite meals. You can substitute any low-carb vegetable for green beans. —Denise Browning, San Antonio, Texas
Avocado Crab BoatsThese boats are wonderful with tortilla chips, beans or rice. You can also cover them, pack them on ice, and take them to a picnic or potluck. Straight from the oven or cold, they're always delicious. —Frances Benthin, Scio, Oregon. Try one of these sheet pan dinner recipes this spring.
Hoisin Sriracha Sheet-Pan ChickenThe convenience and simplicity of this chicken dinner make it extra awesome. Feel free to change the veggies throughout the year—the sticky-spicy-sweet sauce is tasty on everything!! —Julie Peterson, Crofton, Maryland
Sheet-Pan Tilapia and Vegetable MedleyUnlike some one-pan dinners that require precooking in a skillet or pot, this one uses just the sheet pan, period. —Judy Batson, Tampa, Florida
Smoked Sausage and Veggie Sheet-Pan SupperThis recipe is tasty and quick, and it can easily be doubled for last-minute dinner guests. Cook it in the oven or on the grill, and add the veggies of your choice. —Judy Batson, Tampa Florida
Baked Chicken FajitasThese baked chicken fajitas are one of our top-rated chicken dinners for a reason. Cooks rave about the easy prep, robust flavor and effortless cleanup—everything we want in a weeknight dinner!
Sheet-Pan Chicken and VeggiesOur sheet-pan chicken and veggies recipe features herby chicken thighs, roasted red potatoes and spinach in one no-muss, no-fuss dish. The best part: Cleanup is a breeze!
Sheet-Pan Tandoori ChickenThis tandoori chicken recipe is easy for weeknights since it bakes in one pan, but it is also special enough for guests. The best part? There isn’t much to clean up when dinner is over! —Anwar Khan, Iriving, Texas
Cod and Asparagus BakeThe lemon pulls this flavorful and healthy dish together. You can use grated Parmesan cheese instead of Romano if you'd like. —Thomas Faglon, Somerset, New Jersey
Caesar ChickenOur tasty baked Caesar chicken recipe translates all the flavors of Caesar salad into a delicious, easy-to-make chicken dinner.
One-Pan Sweet Chili Shrimp and VeggiesThis one-pan shrimp and veggies recipe has everything I'm looking for in a weeknight family dinner: quick, flavorful, nutritious and all three of my kids will eat it! My oldest son loves shrimp and I thought it would work well as a sheet-pan supper. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah
Sheet-Pan Pineapple Chicken FajitasFor our fajitas, I combine chicken and pineapple for a different flavor. These fajitas are more on the sweet side, but my family loves them! —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada
Crispy Dill TilapiaEvery week I try to serve a new healthy fish. With its fresh dill and delicious panko bread crumb herb crust, this dish with mild tilapia is a winner. —Tamara Huron, New Market, Alabama
Chicken Foil PacketsThese herbed chicken foil packets are individually portioned and conveniently cooked in the oven, perfect for meal prep.
Sausage and Peppers SandwichThese sausage and pepper sandwiches are sweet and savory and they're finished with a layer of molten provolone to make it even more decadent.
Sweet & Tangy Salmon with Green BeansI'm always up for new ways to cook salmon. In this dish, a sweet sauce gives the fish and green beans some down-home barbecue tang. Even our kids love it. —Aliesha Caldwell, Robersonville, North Carolina
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Poblano PeppersSince I do not like green bell peppers, I decided to create a filling that would go well with my favorite pepper, a poblano. After a few taste tests with my family, this stuffed poblano peppers recipe is now one of our favorites. I have also added black beans, used Cubanelle peppers and served with cilantro lime rice. —Lorri Stout, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Baked Chicken ParmesanBaked chicken Parmesan is just as tasty as the original, without the fuss and hassle of frying. This recipe cooks your vegetable side dish right alongside the chicken, in the same pan, for added ease.
Andouille Sausage and PeppersThis tasty sheet pan meal is just what you need when the nights are busy and you have too much to do.
Mediterranean TilapiaI recently became a fan of tilapia. The mild taste makes it easy to top with our favorite ingredients. And it’s low in calories and fat. What’s not to love? —Robin Brenneman, Hilliard, Ohio
Chicken & Garlic with Fresh HerbsThe key to this savory chicken is the combination of garlic, fresh rosemary and thyme. I like to serve it with mashed potatoes or crusty Italian bread. —Jan Valdez, Lombard, Illinois
Buffalo Chicken PizzaOur easy Buffalo chicken pizza lets you crank up the heat for pizza night! Just add crunchy veggies and your fave dipping sauces.
Orange-Glazed Pork LoinThis is one of the best pork recipes I've ever tried. My family looks forward to this roast for dinner, and guests always want the recipe. The flavorful rub, and the glaze brightened with orange juice, are also outstanding on pork chops. —Lynnette Miete, Alna, Maine
Slow-Cooker Pork Chops & PotatoesSavory, comforting and largely hands-off, this slow-cooker pork chops and potatoes dish is always welcome on the table.
Parmesan Chicken with Artichoke HeartsI've liked the chicken and artichoke combo for a long time. Here's my own lemony twist. With all the praise it gets, this dinner is so much fun to serve. —Carly Giles, Hoquiam, Washington
Chicken Caesar PizzaDressed greens on top of warm pizza may sound a little strange but trust me, it's fantastic. —Tracy Youngman, Post Falls, Idaho
Pepperoni CalzoneIndulge in a homemade pepperoni calzone, a blend of melty cheese and zesty pepperoni wrapped in a crispy golden crust. Serve this classic Italian-inspired favorite with a side of zesty marinara sauce.
Balsamic Roasted Chicken Thighs with Root VegetablesI will always remember the way my grandmother's house smelled when she made these balsamic chicken thighs every Sunday. Ever since she gave me the recipe, the heartwarming flavors always take me back to my childhood. — Erin Chilcoat, Central Islip, New York
Sheet-Pan Kielbasa and VeggiesSheet-pan kielbasa and veggies is a quick and easy dinner—the key is cutting the ingredients into roughly equal pieces so everything cooks evenly.
