8 Easy One Pan Dinners With Almost No Cleanup

If you’re like me, the cooking part of dinner is fine and the sink full of pans afterward is what wears you down.

I’ve skipped making a real dinner more than once just to avoid washing a skillet, a pot and a colander.

So one pan became my weeknight rule.

With a sheet of parchment on the tray, some nights there’s nothing left to wash at all.

1. Sheet Pan Shrimp Boil

A shrimp boil without the giant pot of boiling water.

Potatoes roast with corn and smoked sausage, then shrimp join them on the tray, and everything gets Old Bay butter, fresh dill and lemon.

About thirty-five minutes total, four servings.

Shrimp turn rubbery quickly, so wait until the potatoes are nearly tender before adding them.

Spread newspaper on the table and eat it straight off the pan if you want the full experience.

2. Parmesan Crusted Steak and Potatoes

Steak night on one sheet pan.

Flank steak, red potatoes and asparagus share one pan with garlic, olive oil and a Parmesan crust.

It’s thirty minutes and serves four.

Let the steak rest five minutes, then cut it thinly against the grain, or flank steak chews like a belt.

3. Sheet Pan Hot Honey Mustard Chicken

Crushed corn flakes make the crust on this chicken, and they stay crunchy in the oven.

The coated chicken gets a hot honey mustard glaze made with Dijon, honey, lemon juice and cayenne.

Brussels sprouts and shallots roast on the same pan and go crispy at the edges.

About forty minutes for six servings.

Cut the sprouts in half and set them cut side down on the pan so they brown.

4. Spanish Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes

Chorizo does a lot of work in this dish, because its paprika-red fat seasons everything else in the pan.

Chicken thighs roast with sliced chorizo, potatoes, red bell pepper, onion, rosemary and a generous amount of garlic.

About fifty minutes, six servings.

Look for Spanish chorizo, the firm cured kind you slice, since fresh Mexican chorizo crumbles like ground meat.

Spoon the red oil from the pan over the chicken before serving.

5. One Pan Pork Chops and Apples

One skillet and twenty-five minutes for pork chops with apples, onion and fresh herbs.

Bone-in pork chops get seared, then apples and red onion cook in the same pan with rosemary, sage, thyme, chicken stock and a spoon of Dijon.

It serves three as written, and it doubles easily if you sear the chops in batches.

Pull the chops at 145°F and let them rest, which keeps them juicy and is a safe temperature for pork.

Firm apples like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith hold their shape in the pan.

6. Sheet Pan Chicken Shawarma

The spice mix is what makes this taste like shawarma, with cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika and oregano rubbed into boneless chicken thighs.

Cauliflower, red peppers and red onion roast right alongside it.

Thirty minutes, four servings.

Pile it into bowls or warm pita with lettuce, tomato, feta and plenty of tahini sauce.

Thighs are worth it here, since they stay juicy at the high oven heat that dries out breasts.

7. Sheet Pan Mediterranean Cod

The lightest dinner here, and one of the prettiest on a plate.

Cod fillets bake on a bed of cherry tomatoes, zucchini, onion and kalamata olives with lemon, garlic and oregano.

A little balsamic and honey make the tomatoes jammy, and crumbled feta goes on at the end.

Thirty minutes from start to finish, four servings.

Cod is done when it flakes easily with a fork, so check it a few minutes early.

8. Sheet Pan Pierogies and Kielbasa

Frozen pierogies roast on a sheet pan with no boiling, and they come out golden with crisp edges.

Sliced kielbasa, bell peppers and red onion share the pan, and chives go on at the end.

Twenty-five minutes, four servings, about five minutes of actual work.

Toss the pierogies in oil while they’re still frozen so they don’t stick together.

Sour cream on the side for dipping is not optional at my house.

Tips for Sheet Pan Dinners

Crowding is the most common problem, because packed vegetables steam and go soft without browning.

Use two pans if everything doesn’t fit in one layer.

Cut ingredients that cook at the same speed to the same size, and add quick-cooking pieces like shrimp or fish later.

A heavy rimmed half sheet pan won’t warp in a hot oven the way thin ones do.

Notes on Cleanup

Parchment paper or foil on the pan means most nights you just throw it away.

Parchment can scorch at very high temperatures, so check the box for its limit before you go above 425°F.

For stuck-on bits, soak the pan in hot water with a spoon of baking soda for twenty minutes.