Sometimes, when you’ve been gifting an abundance of time, cooking doubles as a leisure activity and a way to relax. Then there are times when cooking is the necessary chore that needs to be done to get dinner on the table. It’s nights like these that call for sheet pan dinners.
The beauty of sheet pan dinners is that they don’t dirty very many dishes and allow you to simply pop something in the oven to cook as opposed to constantly monitoring something on the stove. If you cook regularly, you probably know how to make sheet pan veggies. But vegetables are only one part of a well-rounded meal. Without any protein, no meal is truly satiating. Not sure how to incorporate protein into a sheet pan dish? Not only do the below recipes have you covered, but every single one is vegan, with plant-based protein being used instead of meat, fish, or eggs.
Since all the meals are 100 percent plant-based, they are not-so-coincidentally made with longevity-supporting ingredients. This includes foods like beans, which longevity expert Dan Buettner says can add about four years of life expectancy when eaten regularly. Other longevity all-stars you’ll find in these recipes include tofu, chickpeas, anti-inflammatory herbs, and, yes, lots and lots of veggies.
Watch the video below to learn more about the benefits of chickpeas:
Bookmark this list so you can come back to it on nights when you have no energy to cook. Whichever one you decide to whip up, you’ll be able to get something on the table that is nourishing, delicious, and doesn’t leave you with a sink full of dishes to do after you eat. Weeknight cooking just got easier.
10 vegan, protein-packed sheet pan dinners:
1. Mediterranean sheet-pan dinner
The Mediterranean diet is notorious for being an eating plan linked to longevity and this recipe is the perfect example of what it looks like to put it into practice. Tofu serves as the dish’s protein, while five different types of veggies add fiber. The recipe also shows how to make an olive-oil based marinade with herbs linked to helping prevent chronic inflammation, aka an ultra-nourishing dinner or one of the best vegan lunch ideas.
Get the recipe: Mediterranean sheet-pan dinner
2. Sheet pan-roasted vegetable hash
This veggie-forward dish can be enjoyed as a savory breakfast or dinner—either way you’ll be getting great protein, fiber, and antioxidants. Literally every single ingredient is full of nutritional benefits. Sprouted lentils, squash, beets, and tomatoes are all used to make this hash. “With hashes, I think it’s important when you’re choosing your vegetables. Choose vegetables that have different flavor profiles and different textures,” says chef Nyesha Arrington, who created this recipe.
3. Vegetable and chickpea sheet pan meal
The core ingredients for this dinner are sweet potatoes and chickpeas. As long as you have those on hand, you can incorporate whatever else you have instead of following the recipe exactly. For example, if you don’t have broccoli, red onion, or zucchini, you can use cauliflower, green beans, or other veggies you have in your crisper. The end result will still be an easy, well-rounded dinner.
Get the recipe: vegetable and chickpea sheet pan meal
4. Vegan Greek dinner
This sheet pan dinner also calls for sweet potatoes and chickpeas, but the end result tastes completely different than the last one. Kalamata olives, vegan feta cheese (yep, it exists), and olive oil give it a Greek-inspired taste bursting with flavor.
Get the recipe: vegan Greek dinner
5. Vegan dijon rosemary sheet pan dinner
The combination of fingerling potatoes, tofu, and broccoli makes this dinner hearty, but it doesn’t feel overly heavy thanks to the brightness of the dijon, rosemary, and lemon.
Get the recipe: vegan dijon rosemary sheet dinner
6. Vegan sheet pan gnocchi and vegetables
Sheet pan gnocchi is almost as genius as baked feta pasta. There’s no waiting for the water to boil and no pots to wash when you’re done. Add your fave veggies and edamame for protein. Want to take your meal one step up? Make a vegan deviled eggs appetizer, too.
Get the recipe: vegan sheet pan gnocchi and vegetables
7. Cajun bell peppers and potatoes
Fun fact: Bell peppers have more vitamin C than oranges making them a major immunity-supporting food. This dinner is full of anti-inflammatory spices including cumin, garlic, and the essential cajun spice (a mixture of paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic).
Get the recipe: Cajun bell peppers and potatoes
8. Vegan sheet pan quesadillas
Instead of using a frying pan to make one quesadilla at a time, you can make a whole batch using a sheet pan. (Um, so smart.) Something else that makes this recipe so amazing is that it has not one but two protein sources: black beans and tofu. Don’t forget to add vegan cheese!
Get the recipe: vegan sheet pan quesadillas
9. Southwest sheet pan dinner
This recipe was created by a registered dietitian, so you *know* it delivers on the nutrient front. Like many of the vegan sheet pan dinners on this list, sweet potatoes are involved (baked sweet potatoes are just so darn good), and it also incorporates black beans, zucchini, red bell pepper, and corn.
Get the recipe: Southwest sheet pan dinner
10. Butternut squash and tofu with tahini sauce
Similar to sweet potatoes, butternut squash is a roasted veg classic. But if you haven’t tried it paired with tofu and topped with a nutty tahini sauce, you’ll want to try this recipe ASAP. Up the fiber by adding other veggies, too—virtually any you have on hand will taste delish in this dish.
Get the recipe: butternut squash and tofu with tahini sauce
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