29 Simple Sheet Pan Side Dishes
You've seen it work wonders with cookies and chicken roasts, but the trusty sheet pan is actually one of the most versatile tools in your kitchen. Fill it up, throw it in the oven, and never overthink weeknight side dishes again.
Orange-Tarragon Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables
Orange-Tarragon Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables Recipe
A mix of colorful root vegetables may be your star side. Peeled, prechopped butternut squash saves time, but pieces tend to be irregular and small--we prefer peeling and cubing it yourself.
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Sheet Pan BLT Salad with Avocado Mayo
Sheet Pan BLT Salad with Avocado Mayo Recipe
One of your favorite sandwich classics, transformed into a quick, easy, and totally vibrant sheet pan dinner. This BLT Salad is a delicious example of just how versatile the sheet pan can be. If you thought yours was only for roasted vegetables, give this weeknight-ready salad a try.
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Cauliflower Steaks
There are a thousand different ways to make cauliflower, but one of the most satisfying is, thankfully, also the simplest. Pair this hearty side with your favorite protein, or go the other way and add a simple side salad for a veggie-forward—if not entirely meatless—meal.
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Lemon-Herb Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables
Lemon-Herb Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables Recipe
A mix of colorful root vegetables may be your star side. Peeled, prechopped butternut squash saves time, but pieces tend to be irregular and small--we prefer peeling and cubing it yourself.
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Broccoli Steaks with Tofu Fries
Broccoli Steaks with Tofu Fries Recipe
Here's a fun meat-free twist on steak frites: lightly charred broccoli steaks with crunchy tofu sticks and Sriracha aioli for dunking.
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Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Batons With Tahini Dip
Roasted Carrot and Parsnip Batons With Tahini Dip Recipe
Deep caramelization from roasting brings out the natural sweetness in carrots and parsnips. Try to cut the vegetables into the size we call for in step 2. If the pieces are too large or too long, they may cook unevenly or end up limp; if they're too small, they will likely burn. You can make the dip a day or two ahead, but bring it to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.
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Sheet Pan Fried Rice
Top fried rice with rich, runny egg yolk and creamy Sriracha mayo for added texture and flavor. You don't need a wok for perfectly cooked fried rice, simply preheat a sheet pan, add oil, and use day-old or microwavable rice. Make sure the rice kernels are separate so that they are evenly toasted and won't glob together. Serve this dish along with mongolian beef, orange chicken, crab rangoons, or spring rolls.
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Roasted Rosemary Rutabaga Fries
Roasted Rosemary Rutabaga Fries Recipe
Salty and delicious, you won't even realize they're not the real thing. Best of all, one serving is a mere 116 calories—less than a third of the calories in a normal serving of potato fries!
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Roasted Kale and Chickpea Snack Mix
Roasted Kale and Chickpea Snack Mix Recipe
This fiber-filled, gluten-free snack mix is great sprinkled over salads to give them a little spicy crunch.
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Roasted Balsamic Radicchio with Pancetta and Walnuts
Roasted Balsamic Radicchio with Pancetta and Walnuts Recipe
Radicchio--that bitter, crunchy, scarlet and white vegetable Italians adore, becomes entirely different when roasted. Its color deepens and the flavor turns mellow and nutty, with just a hint of bitterness remaining. Serve it alongside roast pork, chicken, or beef. Or, to turn it into a main course, chop and toss with hot cooked pasta.
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Miso-Garlic Broiled Eggplant
Miso-Garlic Broiled Eggplant Recipe
Miso, garlic, and crushed red pepper give this dish an intense flavor. Serve this as an appetizer or side.
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From-Scratch Oven Fries
From-Scratch Oven Fries Recipe
This all-American snack pairs perfectly with your favorite burger or barbecue recipe. Don't be afraid to sprinkle with different seasoning blends instead of salt for a new twist.
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Roasted Butternut Squash, Apples, and Figs with Sage Brown Butter
Roasted Butternut Squash, Apples, and Figs with Sage Brown Butter Recipe
If you only want to use one sheet pan and make 4 servings, divide this recipe in half, and save the extra half of your par-cooked butternut squash for a soup, roast, or stuffing.
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Harissa-Roasted Carrots
Harissa-Roasted Carrots Recipe
The harissa spices are muted here, lending complexity but not heat.
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Fusilli Pasta with Spinach, Tomato, and Bacon
Fusilli Pasta with Spinach, Tomato, and Bacon Recipe
If your favorite part of a lasagna or baked ziti is the golden crunchy edges, you'll love this sheet pan pasta. Made with a cheesy Alfredo sauce, bacon, tomatoes, spinach, and a touch of lemon zest for brightness, it gets super crisp and brown on top because it bakes in a sheet pan. Before the pasta goes into the oven, the bacon is cooked on the same sheet pan, for less cleanup, plus added flavor from the drippings.
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New Potatoes with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette
New Potatoes with Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette Recipe
While raw garlic is pungent, roasted garlic is sweet and mild with a buttery texture. Roast extra garlic for our Roasted Garlic Pizza. Serve this warm twist on potato salad as a side dish with steak or roast chicken.
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Mexican Broiled Corn Salad
Mexican Broiled Corn Salad Recipe
The broiler offers a fantastic way to give food the taste of fire, yet it's perhaps the most overlooked way of cooking. Here it brings alive the flavors of late-fall corn and peppers so they taste as good as at summer's peak. To help control the intense heat of a broiler, move foods closer to or farther away from the element--not just up or down the oven racks but also toward or away from the sides.
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Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter
Roasted Asparagus with Balsamic Browned Butter Recipe
Toss roasted asparagus in browned butter, seasoned with soy sauce and a splash of balsamic vinegar, for a super easy side dish that's big on flavor.
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Roasted Parsnips with Walnuts, Maple, and Thyme
Roasted Parsnips with Walnuts, Maple, and Thyme Recipe
If you're not familiar with parsnips, they look like white carrots and have a decidedly sweet, earthy flavor. Avoid larger parsnips, which tend to have tough, woody cores.
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Salsa-Roasted Potatoes
Yep. With Salsa. You won't believe how good they taste.
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Roasted Baby Spring Vegetables
Roasted Baby Spring Vegetables Recipe
Use white balsamic vinegar to maintain the vegetables' vibrant hue. Look for baby carrots with tops, which have tender texture and subtly sweet flavor. Small carrots packed and sold as "baby" carrots are actually whittled-down mature vegetables.
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Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Pomegranate and Pine Nuts
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Pomegranate and Pine Nuts Recipe
For a bit of showmanship, bring the whole cauliflower to the table, and then "carve" and dress with the vinaigrette, pomegranate arils, pine nuts, and parsley.
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Cornmeal-and-Brown Sugar-Crusted Bacon
Cornmeal-and-Brown Sugar-Crusted Bacon Recipe
For easy cleanup, line jelly-roll pans with aluminum foil.
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Roasted Winter Kale
Lacinato kale (often sold as "dinosaur kale" or "Tuscan kale") is a little crisper when roasted than ordinary kale, and its shape looks prettier on the plate. Flavor-wise, though, regular kale would be just fine to use. Serve the kale on its own as a snack, or as part of a composed plate with Calvados Pan-Fried Pork Chops and Spicy Roasted Pears.
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Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Onions and Brussels Sprouts
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Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Lemon
Roasted Broccoli with Garlic and Lemon Recipe
For perfectly roasted broccoli, start out with a warm pan by placing a jelly-roll pan in the oven while it preheats for a nice slow roast.
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Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables
Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables Recipe
A mix of colorful root vegetables may be your star side. Peeled, prechopped butternut squash saves time, but pieces tend to be irregular and small--we prefer peeling and cubing it yourself.
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Wasabi-Roasted Edamame
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Dressing-Stuffed Mini Peppers
Dressing-Stuffed Mini Peppers Recipe
We love these stuffed peppers as an appetizer, but you can also serve them as a side dish. Be sure to use baby bell peppers and not mini sweet peppers (shaped like jalapeños) so they're big enough to accommodate the filling. As an alternative to broiling, you can char the peppers directly over a gas flame, turning frequently with tongs.