Our best tray bakes for busy nights

There are so many things to love about dinners that bake on a tray or two.

There's hardly any prep, very little washing up, and best of all: time to do anything else while dinner's in the oven. 

Here are some of our most popular tray bakes, including vegetarian options.

Tray bakes with meat

Chicken, chorizo and chickpea

This hearty dinner can be assembled in 10 minutes. It's a complete meal with tinned chickpeas and cherry tomatoes baking beneath the chicken Marylands, with chorizo adding a hint of smokiness.

Sausages with tomatoes and potatoes

Pork sausages bake on top of thinly sliced potato and tinned tomatoes in this tray bake that's finished with fresh herbs. The potatoes are parboiled for 15 minutes before everything's combined on a tray and baked.

Easy spiced chicken and lentils

Chicken thighs, tinned lentils and spices combine in this recipe that requites only 10 minutes of prep time. The lentils bake in cream, adding some decadence to this weeknight meal that's served with lemon wedges, herbs and bread. 

Vegetarian tray bakes

Gnocchi with broccoli and cheese

A few packets of gnocchi go straight onto a baking tray with broccoli, fennel seeds and lemon slices in this easy weeknight dinner. Add a generous amount of cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice and dinner is ready.

Tofu and eggplant with a hot honey sauce

This tray bake takes inspiration from a stir-fry, but everything is baked, except for the rice. You'll need two trays for the recipe, one to bake the tofu and eggplant and a second to gently steam some veggies before everything's combined in a hot honey sauce with soy.

Salt and vinegar potatoes with haloumi and greens

Turn potatoes into a meal in this one-tray recipe, in which thick slices of haloumi are added part-way through the bake. Stir through some leafy greens and chopped mint and enjoy this warm, cheesy salad.