It can be hard to find the time and energy to prepare a healthy meal during the week — especially one that requires major prep or lots of ingredients. Between long workdays and social obligations, cooking can easily fall to the bottom of the priority list.
That’s where the sheet-pan meal comes in: With one hour or less, you can cook a healthy, flavorful dinner on a single pan — and with almost no dishes left to wash.
With a more complex recipe, you need the luxury of time to build layers of flavor. For these sheet-pan meals, the savory Mexican seasonings and marinades do that work for you.
To make these flavors shine, follow a few easy steps: Let your oven fully preheat for optimal roasting; allow time for your ingredients to marinate; and always taste and adjust the salt level before serving. Most importantly, use the largest sheet pan you have and avoid overcrowding to ensure every bit browns beautifully.
You can also keep a few simple ingredients on hand to round out a sheet-pan meal: precooked grains, ready-to-eat salad kits, and your favorite salsas.
Chipotle Shrimp Tacos
Makes 2 servings • Prep time 35 minutes • Cook time 25 minutes
MARINADE
- 1 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tbs. ground cumin
- ½ tbs. chipotle powder (or 1 tbs. adobo from canned chipotles)
- ¼ cup minced cilantro
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tbs. soy sauce
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
SHRIMP TACOS
- 12 oz. medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced (remove seeds for less heat)
- 4 corn tortillas
- Avocado or salsa for topping (optional)
SLAW
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 2 tbs. minced cilantro
- 1 tbs. white vinegar
- Juice of 1 lime
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a medium bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the shrimp, onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, and jalapeño. Toss to coat, and marinate for 15 to 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F with a sheet pan placed inside.
- While the oven preheats, combine the slaw ingredients in a small bowl.
- Carefully remove the sheet pan and line with parchment paper. Spread the marinated ingredients on the sheet pan and roast for 15 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven, stir, and return to the oven for five minutes more, until everything is evenly browned
- Heat the corn tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat on the stove.
- To serve, fill the tortillas with the roasted shrimp and vegetables, then top with slaw and any additional toppings, such as sliced avocado or your favorite salsa, as desired.
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Tofu Fajita Bowl
Makes 2 to 4 servings • Prep time 15 minutes • Cook time 30 minutes
FAJITAS
- 1 16-oz. block extra-firm tofu
- 2 medium bell peppers, cut into ¼-inch slices
- 1 medium red onion, cut into ¼-inch slices
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- Cooked grains, for serving
- Avocado, salsa, or sour cream for topping (optional)
MARINADE
- 1 tbs. ground cumin
- 1 tbs. chili powder
- ½ tbs. smoked paprika
- ½ tbs. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. Mexican oregano (or Italian oregano)
- ½ tsp. cayenne
- ¾ tsp. sea salt
- 2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lime
- Cut the tofu block in half both ways to make four equal slabs. Press the tofu slabs with a kitchen towel and dry thoroughly to ensure optimal browning.
- In a small bowl, combine all marinade ingredients minus the lime juice to form a thick paste. Remove a third of the marinade and combine with the peppers, onion, and garlic in a medium bowl.
- Add the lime juice to the unused marinade and spread evenly onto all sides of the tofu with a small spoon.
- For easier cleanup, line a sheet pan with parchment paper; for crispier tofu, use an unlined pan. Arrange the tofu slabs on the sheet pan with some space between them. Place the pan in the cold oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.
- When the oven comes to temperature, remove the pan. Add the peppers, onion, and garlic, then return the pan to the oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Remove the pan, flip the tofu, move the vegetables around, and return to the oven for 10 more minutes, until all the ingredients are evenly browned.
- Thinly slice the tofu and serve with the roasted vegetables and cooked grains. Top with avocado, sour cream, or salsa as desired.
Cod Veracruz en Papillote
Makes 4 servings • Prep time 20 minutes • Cook time 20 minutes
VERACRUZ VEGETABLES
- 3 medium Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 20 green olives, pitted and chopped
- ¼ cup capers, chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
- ¼ cup minced parsley, plus more for serving
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ white onion, minced
- 2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp. Mexican oregano (or Italian oregano)
- ½ tsp. sea salt
FISH
- 4 6-oz. cod fillets (or other flaky white fish, like sea bass, flounder, or pollock)
- Sea salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 12-inch pieces of parchment paper
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- Lemon wedges, to serve
- Combine all Veracruz vegetable ingredients in a medium bowl. Sprinkle each fish fillet with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F while assembling the parchment-paper pouches.
- To make the pouches: Place ½ cup of the cooked quinoa in the center of one sheet of parchment, and top with ¼ cup of the Veracruz vegetables, a fish fillet, and an additional ¼ cup of Veracruz vegetables. Bring the top and bottom edges of the parchment together above the center of the fish, and fold the parchment over itself several times, until the edge of the parchment reaches the top of the fish and vegetables. Fold each side several times and tuck the ends underneath the package to create an airtight seal. Repeat with each pouch.
- Arrange the four pouches on a sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes.
- To serve, transfer the pouches to plates and cut each open with a sharp knife or scissors, taking care to avoid the hot steam as it releases from its pouch. Top with additional parsley and serve with the lemon wedges.
Citrus-Cilantro Pork Tenderloin
Makes 4 servings • Prep time 20 minutes, plus 3+ hours marinating times • Cook time 30 minutes
MARINADE
- 1 cup cilantro leaves and stems
- 2 oranges, juiced
- 2 limes, juiced
- 2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbs. honey
- ½ tbs. Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp. Mexican oregano
- ½ tsp. red-pepper flakes
- 2 tsp. sea salt, divided
- 6 garlic cloves
- ¼ white onion
PORK
- 1 1½-lb. pork tenderloin, excess fat and silver skin removed
VEGETABLE AND SEASONING
- 1 medium sweet potato, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 medium yellow squash, cut into ¾-inch cubes
- 1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- ¾ tsp. sea salt
Make the marinade (three to six hours in advance):
- Place all the marinade ingredients except the garlic and onion in a blender with 1 teaspoon of the sea salt, and blend until smooth.
- Remove ¼ cup of the marinade and reserve, covered, in the refrigerator for serving.
- To the rest of the marinade, add the onion, garlic, and the remaining teaspoon of sea salt and blend.
- Place the marinade and pork tenderloin in a container with a lid, turning the tenderloin with your hands to coat in the marinade. Refrigerate and marinate for three to six hours, preferably overnight.
To prepare:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F with a large sheet pan placed inside. While the oven preheats, toss the vegetables and seasonings in a medium bowl to combine.
- Carefully remove the sheet pan and line with parchment paper. Remove the pork tenderloin from the marinade, draining the excess to ensure even browning. Arrange the pork and vegetables on the sheet pan and return to the oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove the sheet pan, flip the tenderloin, move the vegetables around, and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Finish under the broiler for three to five minutes until the tenderloin is browned; the internal temperature of the pork should be 145 degrees F. Let the tenderloin rest for five minutes before slicing.
- Slice the pork and serve with the vegetables, drizzled with the reserved marinade.
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