When Making Sheet Pan Dinners, We Beg You To Stop Seasoning Straight On The Tray

Sheet pan dinners are the ultimate hack when it comes to saving on time, effort, and dishes while still getting a delicious meal on the table. Plus, they never get boring since you can make anything from sheet pan baked salads to sheet pan chicken fajitas. You might already be aware that cooking all of the food evenly on the sheet pan is key to success but so is seasoning it the right way. We spoke to ​​Lloyd Rose, vegan chef and author of "Island Vegan: 75 Flavorful Recipes from the Caribbean: Jamaica, Trinidad, Haiti, Dominican Republic," and creator of Plant Crazii, who explained the downsides of seasoning food that's already on the tray.

Rose warned us that, "The sheet pan 'drizzle and sprinkle' method looks beautiful for social media, but when it comes to actual flavor and texture, it's often not the most effective approach." Not only are you wasting all the seasonings that end up on the pan, but your food likely won't get evenly coated with oil or spices. This is a real problem. Rose explained, "A light, even coat of oil helps food brown rather than steam. If you drizzle oil unevenly, some areas might stay dry (and burn), while others drown (and stay soggy)."

When seasoning your ingredients, Lloyd Rose gave us his go-to method. "My favorite method is tossing everything in a large mixing bowl — never directly on the pan. That way, each vegetable or protein gets an even coating of oil and seasoning, which helps everything brown evenly and actually taste seasoned." This is the best method to also ensure that you're not left with burnt spices, which can happen if they're sprinkled directly onto the pan — something you want to avoid as burnt or overcooked spices can make your food taste bitter.

Your seasonings of choice might vary depending on what you're cooking, but Rose mentioned his personal favorites. "I use a mix of olive oil, salt, and a blend of dried spices (like garlic powder, paprika, cumin, or dried oregano). I toss it all thoroughly in a bowl so it's evenly distributed, then spread it on the sheet pan in a single layer." 

If you're cooking a Mediterranean-style sheet pan dinner, try a blend of oregano, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. For a more Mexican flavor, use a pack of taco seasoning, or make your own by mixing together chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and salt. And remember, sprinkling your seasonings directly onto the pan might look impressive, but it's not doing your meal any favors.