The Sheet Pan Fish Dinner You Need in Your Repertoire
Healthy, delicious, and easy, this sheet pan fish and veggies combo with a tahini drizzle checks all the boxes
Mediterranean Cod and Vegetables Sheet Pan Supper. Recipe by Rima Kleiner, MS, RDN; photo by Olga Ivanova.
Let’s be real — weeknight dinners can be tough. Between work, homework, and activities, getting food on the table quickly can feel overwhelming. And when we’re rushed, our motivation to make sure dinner is healthy can fall by the wayside. Then there’s the clean-up. If this sounds familiar, have I got the dish for you.
In my house, we rely on sheet pan dinners regularly. They’re easy to make and perhaps even more importantly, easy to clean up. And it’s super simple to make them nutritious. To illustrate, I’m highlighting a favorite recipe I created for Yummly, Mediterranean Cod and Vegetables Sheet Pan Supper. From start to finish, this sheet pan fish dinner brings the taste of the Mediterranean to your table in 35 minutes.
The vegetables and tender white fish cook together on one pan with an herby olive oil, and they’re finished with a drizzle of creamy, lemony tahini-garlic sauce. It’s an easy, delicious, and gluten-free main dish. I predict this combo may become your new go-to recipe, not just for hectic weeknights, but for weekends, too.
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Sheet pan cod and vegetables FAQs >>
How to make sheet pan fish and veggies >>
Get the recipe: Mediterranean Cod and Vegetables Sheet Pan Supper >>
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Sheet pan cod and vegetables FAQs
If you’re new to fish sheet pan dinners, start here.
How to buy cod
You can find cod at the seafood counter or in the freezer section at most supermarkets. At the seafood counter, look for fish with moist-looking flesh. Frozen cod is an affordable way to get one of your two to three recommended servings of seafood each week. Whether you opt for fresh or frozen, choose pieces that are close in size and thickness. And if using frozen, thaw the fish fillets overnight in the fridge before cooking.
Do the fish and vegetables cook at the same time?
Yes. The key to a perfect sheet pan dinner is to ensure that the vegetables and protein require a similar cooking time. In my recipe, the broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and cod all take 15-20 minutes total time to cook.
How do I make sure the fish cooks evenly?
There are several tricks to cooking fish evenly in a sheet pan meal. First, choose fillets that are similar in size and thickness. You want to leave some space between them on the pan. Then, cook the fish in the center of the pan. This placement ensures the fillets cook at about the same temperature. It’s also easy to remove them if they end up cooking a little faster than the vegetables.
How do I cook perfect sheet pan vegetables?
You want to start with similarly-sized pieces. For my recipe, I cut large broccoli florets in half. Tossing the vegetables with olive oil before cooking helps them brown evenly. Since broccoli and cherry tomatoes aren’t as delicate as cod, I cook the vegetables around the pan edges, where it tends to get hotter.
How to make sheet pan fish and veggies
Here’s how my easy sheet pan fish recipe comes together with mild cod, colorful broccoli and cherry tomatoes, simply seasoned olive oil, and a light and lemony tahini sauce.
1. Preheat the oven and line the sheet pan
Start by preheating the oven to 425°F, and lining a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. It’s important not to crowd the food, so if you’re increasing the recipe and cooking for more than four people, use two sheet pans.
2. Prepare the broccoli and fish
Set out some broccoli florets on a cutting board and cut any large florets in half, so they’re all the same size. Pat your cod pieces dry with paper towels.
3. Season vegetables in herb oil
Photo by Rima Kleiner, MS, RDN
Combine olive oil, herbs, salt, and black pepper in a large mixing bowl. Add broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and kalamata olives and toss well to coat.
4. Arrange vegetables around the edges of the pan
Set vegetables around the outer edges of the sheet pan, leaving the center of the pan open.
5. Set fish in the center of the pan
Photo by Rima Kleiner, MS, RDN
Arrange cod pieces in the middle of the pan, leaving space between them for even cooking. Drizzle fish with olive oil, turning to coat, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Bake
Photo by Rima Kleiner, MS, RDN
Bake the cod and vegetables until the fish is cooked through, tomatoes have burst, and broccoli is tender-crisp, 15-20 minutes. If needed, remove the baked fish to a platter as the pieces are done to keep them from drying out. Cod is cooked through when it’s opaque in the center and flakes easily when tested with a thin knife.
7. Prepare the tahini sauce
Photo by Rima Kleiner, MS, RDN
While the fish and vegetables are cooking, whisk together tahini, water, lemon juice, and minced garlic cloves in a small bowl until well-combined. Taste and add more lemon juice or kosher salt if you like. The sauce should be pourable; if it’s too thick, stir in water 1 or 2 teaspoons at a time.
8. Serve it up!
Drizzle the tahini sauce over the roasted fish and vegetables, sprinkle with a little parsley, and enjoy.
Get the recipe: Mediterranean Cod and Vegetables Sheet Pan Supper
Ready to try this sheet pan meal? The flavors of herbs, briny olives, and lemony tahini sauce will transport you to the Mediterranean. Feel free to customize it another time with a different fish like tilapia or halibut, other herbs, or other favorite vegetables such as bell peppers or zucchini.
Mediterranean Cod and Vegetables Sheet Pan Supper
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