8 Super Simple Springtime Sheet Pan Dinners That Fight Inflammation
The following sheet pan dinner recipes not only meet these important credentials for busy spring schedules, but they also feature a host of anti-inflammatory ingredients that champion the season's freshest produce. All fresh fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants—aka compounds found in plant foods that fight free radical damage and inflammation in the body—but when a piece of produce is at peak ripeness (like the way asparagus and rhubarb are right now), they're even more chock-full of these beneficial compounds.
Ready to nourish your body (and save your sanity) with some delicious, easy-to-make dishes? Read on for some of our favorite anti-inflammatory sheet pan dinners that celebrate spring's freshest, peak-season produce.
Anti-inflammatory sheet pan dinners perfect for springtime (or any time)
1. Spring Chicken with Artichokes and Asparagus
This delicious recipe from the Defined Dish is elegant enough to serve at a dinner party while being easy enough to breezily pull together on a busy weeknight. Plus, artichokes are a top source of polyphenols, powerful anti-inflammatory compounds that stave off chronic disease, free radicals, and even the harmful effects of UV rays while asparagus is an excellent food for your gut as it’s packed with antioxidants and prebiotic fiber.
Get the recipe: Sheet Pan Spring Chicken with Artichokes and Asparagus
2. Greek Salad Flatbread Pizza
Save time on post-dinner clean up with this salad-topped pizza from Love and Lemons. This recipe combines all the classic flavors of a Greek salad with your favorite pizza dough, which can be store-bought or homemade. All of the colorful salad toppings are packed with polyphenols, and the olives (and olive oil) are full of monounsaturated fats, which are essential nutrients for staving off inflammation. The best part? This meal comes together in just 30 minutes.
Get the recipe: Greek Salad Flatbread Pizza
3. Salmon and Broccoli
Among all of the anti-inflammatory sheet pan dinners, is there a better pair out there than salmon and broccoli? Salmon is one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, and it is also a good source of B vitamins, which are both key players in combating signs of inflammation throughout the body. Broccoli is full of phytochemicals and antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber, offering an extra boost of anti-inflammatory benefits. This seven-ingredient recipe from Averie Cooks is ready in just 20 minutes but tastes like there was way more work involved—our favorite kind of meal.
Get the recipe: Sheet Pan Salmon and Broccoli
4. Roasted Turmeric Chicken Pitas with Garlic Lemon Tahini
Turmeric has become a poster child for fighting inflammation, but all the delicious spices used in Half Baked Harvest's recipe for roasted chicken pitas also offer these benefits. Paprika, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper make a flavorful seasoning for the chicken while the creamy tahini sauce is jam-packed with vitamins B and E, along with healthy fats, that further up the inflammation-fighting ante in this recipe. Pair with your favorite veggies and your favorite fluffy naan bread for a comforting dinner recipe you’ll find yourself making over and over again.
Get the recipe: Roasted Turmeric Chicken Pitas with Garlic Lemon Tahini
5. Shrimp Fajitas
We love this Damn Delicious sheet pan fajita recipe. It packs a rainbow of produce all in one meal—and we’re always looking for the excuse to whip up a fresh batch of guac. Shrimp, however, is the star of this meal here, as it is a lesser-known source of omega-3 fats (it offers about 10 percent of your daily needs), and we like to seek out wild-caught options, when available. Add a diverse array of colorful veggies and you have quite the anti-inflammatory meal.
Get the recipe: Sheet Pan Shrimp Fajitas
6. Pesto Gnocchi
This 35-minute dish from Two Peas and Their Pod is a great way to use all those fresh spring herbs popping up in your garden for a flavorful pesto, but in the words of Ina Garten, store-bought is (also) fine. Simply place your gnocchi and veggies on a sheet pan, layer with the pesto, bake, and garnish for a polyphenol-rich meal, thanks to all the tasty herbs and colorful veg. You could also incorporate spring peas and other seasonal veggies in your area into this versatile dish.
Get the recipe: Sheet Pan Pesto Gnocchi
7. Sheet Pan Zucchini Chicken Meatballs with Coconut Curry Sauce
Ambitious Kitchen's recipe is loaded with top inflammation-fighting foods like turmeric and other spices, veggies in a range of colors, and coconut milk, which is packed with medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), a type of fat that is both anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial. And while chicken is a popular protein source, it’s also a great way to get in a hefty dose of inflammation-fighting zinc and B vitamins. It’s worth making a double-batch of the creamy, delicious coconut curry sauce to drizzle on grain bowls and other noodle dishes throughout the week.
Get the recipe: Sheet Pan Zucchini Chicken Meatballs with Coconut Curry Sauce
8. Beef and Broccoli with Mushrooms
Beef can be an excellent source of hard-to-get vitamins and minerals like iron and B12. Heal Me Delicious pairs it with broccoli, mushrooms, garlic, ginger, and olive oil for a nourishing dinner that’s backed with anti-inflammatory benefits. Mushrooms in particular are excellent for boosting your brain, skin, and immune health when consumed regularly, while garlic and ginger can do wonders for your immune system and brain health..
Get the recipe: Sheet Pan Beef and Broccoli with Mushrooms
Oh hi! You look like someone who loves free workouts, discounts for cutting-edge wellness brands, and exclusive Well+Good content. Sign up for Well+, our online community of wellness insiders, and unlock your rewards instantly.
Loading More Posts...
