Fall is finally here, and as we trade warm weather and late sunsets for chilly days and early nights, it’s time to makeover our dinner plans, too. No more cold plates and barbecues; now it’s time to think about cosy meals that will warm you up after a cold day and nourish your family.

When it comes to making dinners that hit the sweet spot of being easy, fast, affordable and tasty, you can’t go wrong with a sheet pan dinner. Roasting all (or almost all) of your ingredients on a single sheet pan (aka cookie sheet) might take a bit of extra prep work in the beginning, but it means that cooking and clean-up times are minimal. Here are our top picks for five days of sheet pan dinners.

Glazed salmon and bok choy

Top succulent salmon fillets with a tasty hoisin sauce and cook it alongside asparagus and baby bok choy for a well-balanced dinner with Asian flair. Staggering the cooking times ensure that nothing is overcooked.

Chicken tikka

Combine chicken, cauliflower and potatoes with a carefully balanced spice blend for a meal that brings a bit of heat and a lot of satisfaction. The combination of protein, starch and vegetable all on one pan means no side dish is required – instead, you can spend some of the 40-minute cooking time prepping garnishes (thinly sliced red onion, cilantro, lemon wedges) to elevate this meal from good to great.

Sausage and peppers

Grab a bag of crusty rolls and some spicy mustard to accompany this easy dinner. Italian sausages, roasted peppers and onions make for a satisfying supper that scales up easily (which makes it great for feeding a crowd!) and is ready in half an hour.

Chow mein

Roasted vegetables are combined with sesame oil and cooked noodles, then returned to the oven to crisp up before being drizzled with a savoury soy-based sauce. This will satisfy both the soft and crispy noodle fans in your household. Add some cooked chicken breast or shrimp (or both) for a protein boost.

Ratatouille

OK, so this is a bit more complicated than a typical sheet pan dinner, but roasting the end-of-summer garden favourites (eggplant, zucchini, summer squash and peppers) on a sheet pan before stirring them into a simple tomato sauce you’ve been simmering on the stovetop is a terrific way of ensuring that you’re getting the veggies in their most delicious form. Serve with crusty bread for a hearty vegetarian meal. Add chickpeas or feta cheese for a bit more protein.

Ready to try your own combinations? This Food Network blog post has helpful tips about what to consider when creating your own sheet pan dinners, from how to combine ingredients to what to prep ahead of time. Bon appetit!

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