Shout Out for Sheet Pans

They just make life a little easier

Easy to prepare, easy to clean-up and packed with flavor, sheet pan meals are increasingly popular in recent years.  They’re low effort, deliver maximum flavor and come in handy when it’s 5pm (or later) and dinner is quickly approaching! 

Seriously, what’s not to love about a meal where you can toss some seasoned vegetables and protein on a pan and have in your belly in about 30 minutes?  Dole’s Registered Dietitian and Chef, Melanie Marcus says “They are my go-to meal because they are adaptable and can turn whatever you have on hand into a quick and comforting meal.  From chicken and salmon to chickpeas and tofu the opportunities are endless.  Plus, you can easily make more than you need to meal prep nutritious lunches too!  I didn’t think they could get any easier, until I learned that Dole was coming out with Sheet Pan Meal Starter Kits!” 

Each starter kit contains a combination of potatoes, carrots and either broccoli or string beans plus a seasoning packet of homestyle roasted herb, French onion or lemon parmesan which simplifies what you need to have on hand for dinner to two things.  Chicken and the Dole Sheet Pan Starter Kit of your choice! 

Marcus experimented with other protein options and many worked just as well as the chicken while offering more variety. These were some of the top contenders and how to prepare them! 

Homestyle Herb: 

Try with shrimp or cod! Preheat oven to 450 F. Line sheet pan with aluminum foil. In large bowl season veggies with ½ the seasoning packet and spray with olive oil. Turn oven down to 425 F and bake veggies for 15 min. Meanwhile, add 1 pound large, peeled and deveined shrimp or 4, 5oz cod fillets to veggie bowl. Combine with remaining seasoning packet, toss to coat! Make room on veggie tray for shrimp. For cod, place fish in each of the 4 corners of the tray. Spray with olive oil and cook for 12-15 minutes until fish reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees.

French Onion: 

Try with lean ground turkey!

Preheat oven to 450 F. Line sheet pan with aluminum foil. In large bowl season veggies with ½ the seasoning packet and spray with olive oil. Turn oven down to 425 and bake veggies for 15 min.

Meanwhile, combine 1 pound (98% lean) ground turkey and remaining seasoning packet with 1 cup shredded zucchini.  Form into 4 equal size “loaves”.

Once veggies cook for 15 minutes, place turkey loaves on sheet pan with vegetables, spray with olive oil, cook for additional 20 minutes or until turkey reaches internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Try with Tofu!

Remove block of extra firm tofu from water and wrap with paper towel or clean kitchen towel.  Press for 30 minutes to remove excess water. 

Preheat oven to 450 F. Line sheet pan with aluminum foil. In large bowl season veggies with ½ the seasoning packet and spray with olive oil. Turn oven down to 425 and bake veggies for 10 min.

Meanwhile, cut tofu in 8 equal bars.  Add tofu to veggie bowl.  Spray with olive oil and sprinkle both sides with remaining seasoning packet. 

Once veggies have baked for 10 minutes, place tofu bars on pan; spray with olive oil and let all bake for additional 20-25 minutes until golden brown. 

Lemon Parmesan: 

Try it with Salmon!  Preheat oven to 450 F. Line sheet pan with aluminum foil. In large bowl season veggies with ½ the seasoning packet and spray with olive oil. Turn oven down to 425 F and bake veggies for 15 min. Meanwhile, season four, 6oz salmon fillets with remaining seasoning packet. (We like 1-2 tsp per fillet!) Once veggies cook for 15 min, place salmon on sheet pan, moving veggies aside as needed. Cook for 15-20 minutes more until salmon reaches internal temperature of 145 degrees.

Published October 1, 2021