My husband usually gets home from work around 8 p.m., so dinners that come together easily and quickly are my favorite kind to make. With sheet pan meals, prep is usually minimal and the oven does the rest of the work. With any luck, there’s even time for a quick walk around the neighborhood!
BAKED FETA WITH BROCCOLINI AND TOMATOES
This recipe skyrocketed to viral fame during the COVID-19 pandemic, when more families turned to home cooking. It’s easy to make and packed with perfectly roasted vegetables. Feta cheese is the star of the meal with its soft and creamy texture, making every bite bold and flavorful.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch broccolini, trimmed
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 small red onion, sliced
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced
- 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. cumin
- ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 8-oz. block of feta cheese, cut into 1-inch slices
- Cooked orzo, for serving
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Add broccolini, tomatoes, onion, and lemon slices to large baking sheet. Toss with olive oil and seasonings until combined. Nestle feta slices between vegetables.
Roast 15-20 minutes until broccolini edges are slightly charred. Serve over orzo. Makes 4 servings.
ITALIAN-STYLE MAC AND CHEESE
Celebrity chef Giada de Laurentiis has perfected mac and cheese. Seriously, this is the only recipe you need, and I stand by that as a mac and cheese aficionado. Enjoy this rich and creamy mac with a crunchy topping and a touch of sweetness from the tomatoes.
For the topping
- ¾ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
For the pasta
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, plus more for sheet pan
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- 1¼ tsp. kosher salt
- 2 cups grated Fontina cheese
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella
- 1 lb. short pasta of your choice (we used campanelle)
- 1 28-oz. can Italian peeled tomatoes, drained and diced
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Butter an 18x13-inch rimmed sheet pan.
In a small bowl, mix panko, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and salt. Set aside.
To make the cheese sauce, heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Melt butter and whisk in flour until smooth. Slowly add milk, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring often, and cook for 3-5 minutes until slightly thickened. Season with garlic powder and salt. Remove pan from heat. Fold in fontina and mozzarella until cheese is melted and smooth.
Meanwhile, bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just shy of al dente, about 2 minutes less than package directions. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pasta directly into cheese sauce. Mix until pasta is well-coated.
Pour pasta mixture into prepared sheet pan. Add tomatoes on top. Top evenly with breadcrumb mixture.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Let rest for at least 10 minutes before enjoying. Makes 6-8 servings.
PARMESAN GARLIC CRUSTED CHICKEN
We’re all about maximizing the ingredients we have on hand, so this was the perfect dish to use the remaining Parmesan from the mac and cheese recipe above. To make this chicken dish a complete meal, we added baby potatoes and green beans, but feel free to substitute your favorite veggie.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 lbs. chicken breasts (about 4 pieces)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 lb. baby potatoes, quartered
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray sheet pan with cooking spray.
In a shallow dish, whisk together egg and milk. In a separate plate, add panko, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Mix until combined.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Coat in egg mixture and then in panko. Lay on sheet pan.
In a medium bowl, add potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Add potatoes next to sheet pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, add green beans to same bowl used for potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with remaining olive oil.
Remove chicken and potatoes from oven. Flip chicken over and add green beans to pan. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked. Use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Makes 4 servings.
Sheet pan superstars
Crank up that oven and try some of our other sheet pan meals:
.jpg)