Summertime & The Livin's Easy

15 Simple & Delicious Sheet Pan Summer Dinners

Throw everything on a pan and call dinner done.

by Ashley Jones

For a season that’s all about relaxation and enjoyment, summertime somehow always manages to get busy. Even though the kids are out of school, balancing an ever-changing schedule of summer camps and family vacations on top of the rest of the regular responsibilities of adulthood means even things like coming up with what to eat for dinner can be a slog. But, with these sheet pan summer dinners in regular rotation, you can have something easy to reach for when you’re pressed for time — or simply just don’t want to even think about standing over a stove at the end of a long, hot summer day.

Sheet pan dinners are such a simple hack for getting dinner done without a ton of fuss. It really doesn’t get much easier than piling all of the ingredients on one pan and sticking the whole thing in the oven to roast for a bit. If you’re looking for a way to use all the peppers, tomatoes, corn, and the rest of the ripe summer veggies in your garden to make a yummy dinner, you’ll find several ideas on this list. There are also plenty of BBQ-inspired and vacay-worthy dinners to enjoy with your family all summer long.

1Sheet Pan Shrimp & Broccoli

This sheet pan shrimp and broccoli from Well Plated is an easy and delicious way to feed your whole crew this summer. My aunt made a similar sheet pan dish one summer during a family beach trip and I’m always looking to recreate it because it was so, so good after a day out in the sun.

2Sheet Pan Panini

So you know those summer days where dinner just needs to be some meat thrown on a piece of bread and shoved in front of hungry kids after a long day? This sheet pan panini from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe is that, just in sheet pan form.

3Sheet Pan Sausage & Vegetables

Between the beautiful colors and bold flavors of the roasted peppers, broccoli, and cherry tomatoes in this sheet pan sausage and vegetables recipe from Averie Cooks, your dinner will have the perfect summery vibe. We actually just made a similar dinner for our family’s first night of our summer lake house trip and it was an absolute hit.

4Sheet Pan BBQ Chicken Dinner

Summer rainstorms can’t ruin your BBQ plans when you make it on a sheet pan. Feed the whole fam from a single sheet pan with this sheet pan BBQ chicken dinner recipe from Number 2 Pencil. Corn-on-the-cob is slathered in butter and wrapped up in foil to keep it from drying out as it roasts right alongside your meat and veggies.

5Sheet Pan Greek Nachos

Shake up your usual nacho night with this sheet pan Greek nachos recipe from Damn Delicious. It’s a lighter take on traditional nachos with fresh and cool ingredients like tzatziki, diced onions, cucumbers, and crumbled feta that’s perfect for summer.

6Sheet Pan Hawaiian Shrimp

This sheet pan Hawaiian shrimp recipe from Averie Cooks will make you feel like you’re on vacation in the islands. The best part? It cooks up right in your oven on a single pan in just 15 minutes.

7Sheet Pan BBQ Blue Cheese Chicken Pizza

Pizza night, but make it summery. Pull the flavors you get during your weekend cookout into your weeknight dinner this summer with this recipe for sheet pan BBQ blue cheese chicken pizza from Foodie Crush.

8Sheet Pan Baked Salmon

Fresh seafood in the summer is life-giving. Enjoy this sheet pan baked salmon and asparagus from Two Peas And Their Pod with plenty of fresh lemon juice squeezed over the top.

9Sheet Pan Steak & Veggies

Has the secret to getting your kids to eat their vegetables been to serve them alongside a juicy steak all this time? Actually, it’s possible. Make this recipe for sheet pan steak and veggies from Damn Delicious when you want an easy dinner with virtually no cleanup or leftovers to deal with.

10Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos

One of my go-to dinners on busy nights — summertime or otherwise — is a big pile of nachos. With this recipe for sheet pan chicken nachos from Budget Bytes, you can have a satisfying summer dinner ready in no time.

11Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken & Vegetables

This sheet pan cashew chicken and vegetables recipe from Dinner Then Dessert is on par with your favorite takeout and just as easy to do for dinner in the summer. The sauce features garlic, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and sriracha to create a tangy flavor that soaks nicely into the veggies and chicken breasts.

12Sheet Pan Cauliflower Nachos

Looking for a lighter take on nachos for summer? These sheet pan cauliflower nachos are packed with protein from black beans and get a zesty kick from fresh sliced jalapeños. It’s a crowd-pleasing summer sheet pan dinner that’s perfect to graze on during a lazy summer evening.

13Chicken Sheet Pan Quesadilla

For an easy-to-make summer dinner that’s sure to please every single member of your household, make these chicken sheet pan quesadillas from Gimme Some Oven. Simply cover your sheet pan with a single layer of tortillas, pile on the ingredients, and top with another layer of tortillas before you pop it all in the oven.

14Greek Sheet Pan Chicken

Not only is this Greek sheet pan chicken from Wholefully super simple to put together, but it also just looks so bright and summery. The grape tomatoes, asparagus, bell peppers, and kalamata olives, all toast up nice and scrumptious with juicy seasoned chicken nestled in between.

15Sheet Pan Fajitas

Make this sheet pan fajitas recipe from Cookies And Cups when you want to give your Taco Tuesday a summer sheet pan twist. Serve it up with some tortillas and toppings like sour cream, shredded cheese, and guacamole for an easy summer taco night.

The next time you need an easy meal after a long day at the pool or picking up the kids from camp on the way home from work, these sheet pan summer dinners will be there for you.