We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more.

The 7 Best-Tested Pans for Roasting Vegetables

We roasted dozens of batches of vegetables to find the pans that will deliver the brown, crispy, perfectly cooked veggies of your dreams.

a collage featuring the best roasting pans for vegetables
Photo:

Courtesy of Brand

As anyone who grew up eating soggy boiled Brussels sprouts knows, roasting is one of the best things you can do for a vegetable. It intensifies their flavor and gives them a delightfully crispy texture—plus, it's incredibly easy. Pop a pan of vegetables in the oven alongside chicken, fish or tofu, and your main and side will cook together for a fuss-free dinner. Roasted vegetables keep beautifully in the fridge or freezer, too, so they're great for meal prep.

When it comes to roasting vegetables properly, the pan you choose is key. To that end, we put over three dozen pans to the test to see which ones delivered the crispiest, most perfect roasted veggies. During our testing, we took into account factors like size, material, weight and oven safe temperature when deciding what to use in the EatingWell Test Kitchen and our own homes. The good news is that a great pan will last for ages, and you don't have to spend a fortune. Here are the brands that performed best in our tests, plus advice on what to look for when choosing a pan for roasting vegetables.

Our Vegetable Roasting Pan Recommendations

Best Overall: Nordic Ware Naturals Big Sheet Baking Pan

Nordic Ware Big Baking Sheet

Amazon

What we like: This pan is large enough to spread out veggies and strong enough to prevent warping.

What to know: Food sometimes sticks to its surface.

This classic aluminum sheet pan is a workhorse in the kitchen, whether you're making sheet-pan dinners, baking cookies or roasting vegetables. We love the simplicity of Nordic Ware's Naturals line, which is made from uncoated aluminum. The Naturals pans come in a wide range of sizes, but the "Big Sheet" one really lets your vegetables spread out so they roast to perfect crispiness instead of steaming.

In our tests, all of the pans in the Naturals line received top marks for performance, value and ease of cleaning. We love this pan's thick, sturdy material and the rimmed sides, which allow you to toss your vegetables without them flying off the pan. This sturdy style also helps prevent warping.

During our testing, we did find that food sometimes stuck to the Nordic Ware Naturals pans, but you can avoid that to a certain degree by making sure to oil them well. For stubborn stuck-on spots, simply soak the pan before washing (but be sure to cool it before soaking).

Material: Aluminum | Size: 21"L x 15"W x 1"H | Nonstick coating: No | Oven safe to: 500°F

Also Great: Williams Sonoma Traditionaltouch™ Cookie Sheet

Williams Sonoma Traditionaltouch™ Cookie Sheet

Williams Sonoma

What we like: Another great baking sheet at an affordable price, this one from Williams Sonoma has a corrugated surface that allows more air circulation to help vegetables brown.

What to know: This pan is only oven safe to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

This is an excellent pan that browns vegetables beautifully, thanks to its corrugated surface, and its durable aluminum construction helps to distribute heat evenly for consistent roasting. This sheet also provides ample surface area so you can roast a large batch without risk of overcrowding.

This piece is oven safe to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, which is no issue for roasting vegetables—but keep this in mind, in case you want to use the broil setting or are planning to crank up the heat for things like pizza. Also, note that this pan has angled sides designed to help cookies slide off, which is something to be aware of when you’re moving your veggies to and from the oven.

Material: Aluminized steel | Size: 18"L x 14"W x 1/2"H | Nonstick coating: No | Oven safe to: 450°F

Best Value: Nordic Ware Naturals Baking Sheet Set

nordic-wares

Amazon

What we like: This set has multiple sizes, so you can tackle everything from a whole butternut squash to just a couple sweet potatoes.

What to know: You’ll want to oil these well to help keep your veggies from sticking. 

This three-piece set is made from the same material as our overall winner, the Nordic Ware Naturals Big Sheet. It includes a quarter-sheet, a half-sheet and a jelly roll pan, which means you can tailor your batch of vegetables (and how many items you have to wash afterwards) to whatever recipes you’re making that day. For example, you could use the quarter sheet pan to roast a piece of fish while also roasting a batch of vegetables on the half-sheet pan.

Just like the overall winner, every item in this set is made of sturdy metal that resists warping and roasts vegetables (and other foods) perfectly. It cleaned up well during our tests, and for a set of three, you can’t beat the price.

Material: Aluminum | Sizes: Half-sheet: 17.25"L x 12.25"W x 1"H; Jelly roll: 15"L x 10.5"W x 1"H; Quarter-sheet: 12.25"L x 8.87"W x 0.9"H | Nonstick coating: No | Oven safe to: 500°F

Best for Crispy Veggies: Lodge Cast Iron Baking Pan

Amazon Lodge 15.5" x 10.5" Cast Iron Baking Pan

Amazon

What we like: This cast iron pan conducts heat evenly, crisping and browning food incredibly well.

What to know: Cast iron is heavy, so be prepared for a bit of a workout with this pan.

There's nothing like cast iron when it comes to browning or searing, whether that's a steak, a piece of chicken or a batch of vegetables. "I like my roasted vegetables to have lots of crispy browned bits (but without being mushy!)," says former EatingWell senior food editor Devon O'Brien. "Dark-colored cookware is best for browning fast."

This Lodge cast iron pan is fantastic for roasting vegetables when you want a bit of char—for example, Brussels sprouts or roasted cauliflower. We like that it's large enough to fit lots of vegetables onto it without crowding. And it's safe in the oven up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, so you can really turn up the heat if you want. Just be sure to clean your cast iron properly so it doesn't rust or lose its natural nonstick coating, and this pan will last for generations.

Material: Cast iron | Size: 15.5"L x10.81"W x 1.5"H (excluding handles) | Nonstick coating: No | Oven safe to: 500°F

Best for Small Batches: Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

Amazon Lodge 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Pre-Seasoned Skillet

Amazon

What we like: This skillet will crisp up your vegetables while its high sides keep them contained. Plus, it has plenty of other uses in the kitchen.

What to know: The handle of this cast iron pan gets hot, so be sure to cover it with a kitchen towel, hot pad or silicone cover when you remove the pan from the oven.

If you’re wondering why a skillet made it onto a list of mostly sheet pans, hear us out. When you just want a single serving of roasted sweet potatoes, broccoli or any other veggie, a cast iron skillet is your secret weapon.

Just like the larger cast iron baking pan from Lodge above, this smaller cast iron skillet will brown your vegetables like a dream and keep the smaller portion nicely contained. Well-seasoned cast iron is naturally nonstick, so cleanup tends to be easy, too. This pan is also great for other meals—think fried eggs and potatoes for breakfast, grilled cheese for lunch and myriad one-pan dinners.

Material: Cast iron | Size: 16.12"L x 10.25"W x 2"H | Nonstick coating: No | Oven safe to: 500°F

Best Roasting Pan: Cooks Standard Stainless Steel Roasting Pan with Rack

Cooks Standard Stainless Steel Roaster with Rack

The Home Depot

What we like: This roasting pan is excellent for big batches, and you can toss your veggies well thanks to the high sides. 

What to know: The pan comes with a rack, but you won't need it for roasting vegetables (unless you want to cook a turkey or chicken at the same time, of course).

If you are roasting a large batch of vegetables, skip the sheet pan and grab your roasting pan—yes, the one that typically only gets used once or twice a year to roast a turkey. Since roasting pans are so deep, you can toss cut-up veggies with oil and seasonings right in this pan, which means you don't have to dirty a bowl to ensure your veggies are evenly coated before roasting.

This pan outperformed much more expensive roasting pans (including one that was over $400), and it browns vegetables very well with no sticking or burning. It's also super easy to clean. While this pan happens to be the priciest option on our list, we think it performs quite well for the price.

Material: Stainless steel | Size: 17"L x 14"W x 3.5"H | Nonstick coating: No | Oven safe to: 500°F

Best Nonstick Alternative: Silpat Half Sheet Baking Mat

Silpat Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat

Amazon

What we like: This nonstick liner makes cleanup a snap.

What to know: Though it may be tempting to have this mat do double duty as a cutting board and pan liner, you should never cut food on your Silpat.

If you don’t have (or don’t want to invest in) a nonstick pan, but you want the easy cleanup that a nonstick pan offers, EatingWell's senior food features editor, Carolyn Malcoun, recommends investing in a Silpat. Made of flexible fiberglass mesh coated with silicone, this baking mat lines your sheet pan and keeps foods from sticking, so cleanup is a cinch. Plus, it's endlessly reusable.

The Silpat is also great for baking cookies and biscuits, making candy and more. You can even put a Silpat in the microwave and freezer. One thing you should not do with this baking mat, however, is use it as a cutting board. According to Silpat, using sharp objects on this baking mat can both damage the product and affect its food-safe qualities—and even potentially introduce fiberglass particles into your food.

Material: Silicone, fiberglass | Size: 16.5"L x 11.6"W | Nonstick coating: N/A | Oven safe to: 500°F

The Bottom Line: The Best Pan for Roasting Vegetables

When it comes to making the best roast vegetables, we can't recommend the Nordic Ware Naturals Big Sheet Baking Pan more highly (view at Amazon). It roasts vegetables beautifully, it holds up well over time, it's easy to clean and it comes at a great value. We also really like the Lodge Cast Iron Baking Pan (view at Amazon) for evenly browned vegetables with lots of delicious crispy bits.

Choosing a Pan for Roasting Vegetables 

Pick the Right Material

Baking sheets and roasting pans come in a variety of materials, including aluminum, stainless steel and cast iron. Aluminum heats well and tends to be the lightest and cheapest, but cheaply made aluminum pans can warp easily. Stainless steel retains heat well and tends to cook evenly, so it's another good choice for roasting vegetables, but it's usually heavier and more expensive than aluminum. Finally, cast iron tends to be inexpensive, and it browns foods beautifully, but it is heavy, so it's probably not the best choice for those with wrist problems or strength limitations.

Check the Coating

In the Test Kitchen, we generally prefer sheet pans and roasting pans without a nonstick coating. Pans with nonstick coatings typically can't be heated to as high temperatures as uncoated pans, and the coating can impede browning. "I never go nonstick with anything I use with high heat, and my sheet pans are workhorses, so I want to be able to broil without worrying about the coating," says Breana Killeen, M.P.H., RD, EatingWell's former test kitchen and editorial operations manager. None of our recommendations on this list have a nonstick coating, although foods shouldn't stick to a well-seasoned cast iron pan or any well-oiled baking sheet or roasting pan. 

Size Matters

When choosing a pan for roasting vegetables, it's essential to choose one that lets you spread your vegetables out. Overcrowding the pan causes the vegetables to steam instead of roast. A small pan or skillet is fine if you're roasting your veggies in small batches; just be sure they still have plenty of room in the pan. 

Our Best Pans for Roasting Vegetables Test 

To determine the best pans for roasting vegetables, we cooked our way through more than 30 baking sheets, skillets and roasting pans. We baked cookies and roasted potato wedges, among other items, and we also evaluated the durability, ease of cleaning and value of each pan.

For durability, we noted if the pans were sturdy and resistant to warping, and if they could withstand the heat of a broiler. We observed how our vegetables browned because that helped us assess how well each pan conducts heat. When we baked our potato wedges, we coated the pans with vegetable oil and cooking spray, and if any bits of potato were left behind on the pans, we rated how easy they were to scrub clean. Finally, we evaluated these products based on how well-made they seemed for the price.

We Also Considered

Caraway Large Baking Sheet ($55 at Amazon): This baking sheet, which has a ceramic nonstick coating, performed well in our tests. However, it's almost twice the price of our winner, and we feel there are better options for your money. 

Goodcook Baking Sheet ($9 at Amazon): This is a solid pan at a great price, but, as mentioned previously, pans with nonstick coatings aren’t ideal for higher roasting temps.

Chicago Metallic Commercial II Traditional Uncoated Large Jelly Roll Pan ($29 at Amazon): Chicago Metallic has been a trusted bakeware brand for over 100 years, and while this pan performed well in our tests, we felt that the other options on our list performed just a smidge better.

Vollrath Wear-Ever Half-Size Sheet Pan ($30 at Amazon): We were impressed with how well our cookies baked on this pan, and it cleaned up easily after all of our tests. However, we did notice some scratches after we used this pan, which brought it down a notch in our durability ratings.

Common Questions

What temperature is best for roasting vegetables, and how hot can the pan get? 

In developing recipes for roasting vegetables, we've found that temperatures between 425 and 450 degrees Fahrenheit are best. That's the sweet spot for cooking the vegetables through and getting them nice and brown without burning. Lower temperatures can make for vegetables that cook through before they start to brown, while higher temperatures can cause veggies to scorch on the outside before they're cooked.

All of our top picks are safe to at least 450 degrees Fahrenheit, and most can safely go to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Check the manufacturer's instructions on your pan before you stick it in the broiler.

What causes a pan to warp, and is it possible to fix it? 

There are many things that can cause a pan to warp. Rapid temperature changes are a big culprit, so never put a hot-from-the-oven pan straight into the sink for washing. The thinner the material, the more likely a pan is to warp, so look for sturdy pans—even lightweight aluminum can resist warping if it's well-made.

If your pan does warp, you can hammer it back into shape, but unless you spent a fortune on the pan, it's probably easier to just replace it. When buying aluminum pans, look for baking sheets with sides and rims. These tend to be made from thicker aluminum, which heats more evenly and resists warping. 

How do you make a baking sheet look new again? 

There's nothing wrong with a well-worn sheet pan. In fact, some cooks say a dirty-looking sheet pan is better than a sparkling one for roasting vegetables since the darker color helps the veggies brown. That said, if you prefer everything in your kitchen to be spotless, you can clean your dirty baking sheets by pretreating your pans with vinegar and baking soda or cream of tartar and then scrubbing with hot, soapy water and a scouring pad. 

Our Trusted Expertise

Megan O. Steintrager is a former food editor for EatingWell and is now a freelance writer with more than 20 years of experience in the food space. She's previously worked at Epicurious, the Kitchn, TODAY Food, AOL and Consumer Reports—and she cooks roasted vegetables at least once a week!

This article was edited by Katie Tuttle, a food editor and contributor to publications such as Food & Wine and The Spruce Eats, and updated by Kayleigh Drake, a former full-time baker and current EatingWell commerce editor. It was reviewed by Brierley Horton, M.S., RD, a senior commerce editor with over 15 years of experience writing about nutrition, health and food.

Was this page helpful?

Related Articles