Holy Sheet (pan)! Easy and Delicious Ways To Dine

Sheet pan meals are having a moment and why not? What’s better than preparing a whole meal using just one pan? Plus, most sheet pan recipes are just one step—prep and sit back while it roasts in the oven. And there’s something about the shallow pan with just one layer of ingredients that makes everything turn golden and caramelized.

I don’t know how widely sheet pan meals are prepared around the world, but I do know it’s easy to add international flair with a planet’s worth of seasonings and ingredients. If you don’t have one already, I recommend you invest in a heavy duty 13-by-18-inch rimmed sheet pan. You can order them online from a restaurant supply store—they’re sturdy and won’t warp like ones you pick up at the supermarket or big box store. You can also use it for baking cookies or roasting nuts.
 

Sheet-Pan Chicken with Chickpeas and Spices

Serves 4

The spices in this dish make it Indian-inspired. It contains turmeric, which is an antioxidant and reduces inflammation, as do the other spices. The acid in the yogurt marinade helps tenderize the chicken and the sugars help brown and caramelize the skin of the chicken as it roasts. Be sure to toss the chickpeas and cauliflower florets occasionally as they roast to encourage them to get coated in the chicken fat as it renders.

Ingredients

3 – 3 ½ pounds of bone-in, skin-on chicken parts, such as breasts, thighs, and legs
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 ½ cups low fat Greek yogurt, divided
5 Tbs. fresh lemon juice, divided
2 tsp. ground turmeric, divided
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 Tbs. fennel seed
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground cardamon
½ tsp. ground cayenne
1 large red onion, thinly sliced, divided
1 cup cauliflower florets
2 Tbs. olive oil
½ cup mint or cilantro leaves, torn

Directions

1. Season chicken parts with salt and pepper.

2. Combine ¾ cup yogurt, 2 Tbs. lemon juice, 1 tsp. turmeric and 2 Tbs. water in a large bowl. Season well with salt and pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat evenly. Let sit at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or overnight in the refrigerator.

3. Place oven rack on the top third of the oven and heat to 425 degrees F.

4. Combine chickpeas, fennel seed, cumin, cardamon, cayenne, remaining teaspoon of turmeric, cauliflower, and half the red onion slices on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss well to coat.

5. Move the vegetables to the outer edges of the baking sheet. Scrape any excess marinade off the chicken and place the chicken parts in the center, skin side up. Place baking sheet in oven and bake, tossing chickpeas and cauliflower occasionally, until the skin of the chicken is evenly browned, and the chickpeas are golden and starting to crisp, 45 to 50 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, toss remaining onion slices with 2 Tbs. lemon juice and season with salt and pepper; set aside.

7. Combine remaining yogurt with remaining 1 Tbs. lemon juice and season with salt and pepper; set aside.

8. Once chicken is ready, scatter with lemony onions and mint or cilantro. Serve with seasoned yogurt alongside as a sauce.
 

Miso/Maple Marinated Salmon with Green Beans

Serves 4

This is quite a stunning dish despite the fact you can throw it together in about half an hour. The miso paste gives it an Asian accent. Salmon, of course, is a superfood filled with healthy Omega-3 fatty acids and protein. The green beans contain fiber along with good amounts of vitamins A (for healthy skin) and C (to boost immunity).

Ingredients

4 (6-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets, about 1-inch thick
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. maple syrup
1 Tbs. white or brown miso
1 Tbs. rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. lime (or lemon) ponzu sauce
1 garlic clove, crushed and diced
1 lb. green beans, trimmed
2 Tbs. olive oil
Pinch of red-pepper flakes
¼ tsp. toasted sesame oil
¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro, both leaves and tender stems
4 lime wedges, for serving
Flaky sea salt, for serving
Cooked white jasmine rice for serving

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. and line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. Season the salmon fillets well with salt and pepper and place them on a plate or in a large shallow bowl.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, miso, rice wine vinegar, ponzu sauce, and garlic. Pour the mixture on top of the salmon and gently massage the marinade all over the fish. Let marinate while the oven comes to temperature.

3. Meanwhile, blanch the green beans in boiling salted water for 1-2 minutes. Remove and drain. In a medium bowl, toss together the green beans with the olive oil, red-pepper flakes, and sesame oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay the salmon fillets on the sheet pan skin side down and spread the green beans around the fillets.

4. Bake until the salmon is opaque, and the green beans are cooked through, about 12 minutes. Right before serving, scatter with cilantro and a good squeeze of lime. Season with flaky sea salt and serve with the jasmine rice.
 

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Serves 6-8

Eggplant Parmesan is a classic Italian dish but it’s a bit notorious for being fried in oil and calorie heavy. This baked version uses much less oil, so it’s healthier. The cooked tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopene, an antioxidant that helps prevent certain types of cancer.

Ingredients

4 Tbs. olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
One 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
¼ tsp. Italian red pepper paste
Kosher salt
½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus more torn leaves for serving
1 medium-large eggplant (about 1 ½ lb.), sliced into ½-inch thick rounds
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 eggs, beaten
¾ cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
12 oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
¼ cup grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Put 2 Tbs. olive oil and the garlic in a large skillet and place over medium heat. When the garlic sizzles and its edges start to brown (about 1 minute), add the tomatoes, red pepper paste and ½ tsp. salt. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped basil.

3. Heat an 18-by-13-inch sheet pan in the oven for at least 10 minutes while you bread the eggplant. Line up 3 shallow dishes; put the flour and oregano in one, fill one with the beaten eggs, and one with the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle both sides of the eggplant slices with salt and pepper. Dredge each eggplant slice in the flour (tapping off excess), then dip in the egg, and finally dredge it in the breadcrumbs. Repeat until all the eggplant is coated.

4. Carefully remove the heated sheet pan from the oven and brush it with 2 Tbs. olive oil. Place the eggplant on the sheet pan in a single layer. Bake until the undersides are crisp and browned, 8 to 10 minutes, then flip the slices and continue baking until they are golden on the second side, 8 to 10 minutes more.

5. Top the baked eggplant with the tomato sauce and mozzarella slices, sprinkle on the Parmesan. Return the pan to the oven and bake, rotating halfway through, until the cheese melts and browns and the sauce is bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Top with torn basil before serving.
 

Roasted Winter Salad with Halloumi

Serves 4

This warm sheet pan salad or light entrée has it origin from fattoush, a Lebanese tomato-cucumber-pita bread salad found on menus all over the Middle East. This version features fall/winter vegetables and Halloumi, a semi-soft salty brined cheese similar to feta and enjoyed in Greece, Turkey and the Middle East. Delicata is a hard-shelled winter squash with bright orange flesh that indicates it’s full of healthful vitamin A from carotenoids, lutein, potassium, fiber, and folate, all for around 80 calories per cup. Purple cabbage is another superfood that is a great source of antioxidants and other beneficial plant compounds that help protect against cellular damage. It also contains large amounts of vitamins C, B6 and K.

Ingredients

5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. Aleppo-style pepper or crushed red pepper flakes
½ small head of purple cabbage (about 10 oz.), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium red onion, cut into 8 wedges
1½ lb. winter squash, preferably delicata, halved, seeded, and sliced crosswise ½-inch thick
1 large carrot, sliced into coins about ¼” thick
1 large pita bread, split into 2 layers, cut or torn into 1½- to-2-inch pieces
8 oz. Halloumi cheese, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. ground sumac
Mint sprigs (for serving)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with 1 Tbs. oil. Mix garlic, salt, Aleppo-style pepper, and 3 Tbs. oil in a large bowl. Add cabbage, onion, carrot, and squash and toss to coat. Spread out on prepared baking sheet (keep bowl handy) and roast until squash is browned underneath, 25–30 minutes.

2. Toss pita, Halloumi, and remaining 1 Tbs. oil in reserved bowl. Scatter over vegetables, then turn vegetables over with a large spatula. Roast until squash is fork-tender and cabbage, onion, pita, and Halloumi are browned in spots and cheese is soft, 15–20 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with vinegar. Top with sumac and mint.

Note:

Halloumi cheese can be found at Greek markets, natural and specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets. Sumac is available at Middle Eastern markets, specialty foods stores, and online.