It turns out your sheet pan is good for so much more than roasting vegetables. Take these comfort classics, for example: Who doesn't love the crunchy breadcrumb topping on a baked mac and cheese, or the caramelized, crispy edges of a lasagna? Baking dishes like these on a sheet pan maximizes the surface area, so you get more of the best parts in every bite. This trusty all-purpose pan is also great for turning out big batches of eggs or eggplant Parmesan — dishes that would traditionally keep you in the kitchen, hovering over a frying pan. Here are seven sheet pan-recipes to show you how it's done.
Photography by Tara Donne
Extra-Crunchy Sheet-Pan Mac and Cheese
When you spread your mac and cheese out on a sheet pan and top it with lots of buttery breadcrumbs, you achieve maximum crunchiness in every cheesy bite.
If you are someone who is always stealing the crumbs off the top of the apple crumble, this recipe is for you. Spread the apples out on a sheet pan to maximize the surface area, and up the chewy oats and crumb topping so that every bite has plenty.
Skip the messy process of frying eggplant and bake it on a sheet pan instead. The thick slices get the same crisp exterior and soft interior, but you'll use a lot less oil.
This ingenious method allows you to fry your bacon and cook more than a dozen eggs right on a sheet pan in the oven, eliminating all that time standing in front of the stove.
Cooking meatloaf in a sheet pan cuts down the cooking time dramatically, making this a perfect weeknight dinner. Shaping it thin and flat ensures that you get enough sticky-sweet glaze in every bite.
Savor caramelized cheese and crispy pasta with every bite of this sheet-pan lasagna that's all browned bits and crunchy edges. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce if you like an extra kick of heat.
