Shrimp And Cod Sweet Potato Sheet Pan
Tender cod fillets and plump shrimp roasted alongside caramelized cubes of sweet potato and broccoli florets, all tossed with garlic, olive oil, fresh thyme, and a bright squeeze of lemon.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This is a complete dinner that comes together on a single pan, which makes it ideal for a busy weeknight when you want something colorful and nourishing without a sink full of dishes. It pairs two mild, quick-cooking seafoods with a sweet roasted vegetable and a green one, so a whole plate of protein, vegetables, and a satisfying starch cooks at once. It suits anyone who wants an uncomplicated meal built around seafood and produce, and it is gentle enough in flavor to please cautious eaters while still tasting fresh and bright.
Three things, three different start times. Sweet potato needs the longest time in a hot oven to turn tender and caramelized, so it goes in first; the broccoli joins partway through so its florets crisp at the edges without overcooking; and the delicate cod and shrimp are added last because they need only minutes and turn rubbery if held too long. Roasting the garlic and olive oil right on the potatoes lets the garlic mellow and perfume the whole pan, while the finishing squeeze of lemon added off the heat keeps its acidity sharp and lively rather than dull.
Soft sweet potato against crisp-tender broccoli, flaky cod against springy shrimp, all lifted by garlic, thyme, and lemon. Cod and shrimp are both mild sources of protein that keep the meal filling without weighing you down, the sweet potato and broccoli bring fiber and natural sweetness, and the olive oil carries flavor while adding heart-friendly fats. It eats like comfort food but leaves you feeling light.
Ingredients
- 3 cod fillets (about 400 g total)
- About 2/3 lb shrimp, peeled
- 2 sweet potatoes, cubed
- 1 head broccoli, cut in florets
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 3/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into even 3/4-inch cubes so that they cook at the same rate. Mince the garlic, and strip the thyme leaves from their stems. Pat the cod fillets dry and peel the shrimp if they are not already peeled.
- Roast the sweet potato: On a large rimmed sheet pan, toss the sweet potato cubes with half of the olive oil, the minced garlic, and a little of the salt until evenly coated. Spread them in a single layer and roast for 15 minutes on their own, since sweet potato takes three times as long as seafood and everything would be either raw or ruined if it all went in together.
- Add the broccoli: Cut the broccoli into bite-sized florets. Remove the pan from the oven, add the florets, and toss everything together. Spread it back into a single layer, because crowded florets steam in their own water and stay drab, and roast for 8 more minutes, until the sweet potato is beginning to soften and the broccoli edges are turning green and tender-crisp.
- Add the seafood: Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan to clear space in the center, so that the fish sits on hot metal rather than on a bed of vegetables that would steam it. Lay the cod fillets and shrimp in the cleared space, drizzle them with the remaining olive oil, and sprinkle with the thyme and the rest of the salt. Roast for about 10 minutes, until the cod is opaque and flakes easily with a fork (145°F (63°C) internal temperature) and the shrimp are pink and curled.
- Finish with lemon: Remove the pan from the oven and squeeze the fresh lemon juice over everything, since lemon that goes into the oven with the fish turns dull and cooked-tasting. Serve right away while the seafood is hot and juicy.
Variations
- Salmon in place of cod: Swap the cod for salmon fillets for a richer, more buttery result; give thicker pieces a minute or two longer and roast until they flake.
- All shrimp: Skip the cod and use only shrimp for a faster cook, since shrimp need just a few minutes; add them for only the final stretch of roasting.
- Herb swap: Trade the fresh thyme for fresh rosemary or dill; rosemary leans woodsy and warm, while dill leans fresh and grassy against the seafood.
- Butternut squash base: Use cubed butternut squash instead of sweet potato for a slightly less sweet, more savory foundation that roasts in about the same time.
- Green bean finish: Replace the broccoli with trimmed green beans, added at the same point in cooking, for a snappier bite alongside the seafood.
Storage & Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. Seafood is best eaten soon after cooking, so plan to finish it within that window for the best texture and flavor.
Reheat gently to avoid overcooking the seafood. Warm the whole plate in a 300°F (150°C) oven just until heated through, about eight to ten minutes, or use short bursts in the microwave at reduced power. A fresh squeeze of lemon after reheating revives the brightness that fades in the fridge.
To get ahead, peel and cube the sweet potato and cut the broccoli into florets a day in advance, and store them in the refrigerator. You can also mince the garlic and strip the thyme ahead, so that on the night you cook it is simply a matter of tossing and roasting.
Notes & Tips
- Choose the right cod: Look for cod fillets of even thickness so they roast at the same rate; thin tail-end pieces cook faster, so tuck the thinner tip under to make the fillet more uniform.
- Dry the seafood: Pat the cod and shrimp thoroughly dry before they go on the pan so they roast and turn golden rather than steaming in their own moisture.
- Cut the potato small and even: Keeping the sweet potato in uniform 3/4-inch cubes is the difference between everything finishing together and having a few underdone centers; larger cubes will need more time before the broccoli goes in.
- Don't crowd the pan: Spread the vegetables in a single layer with a little space between pieces so they caramelize; if your pan looks packed, use two pans so nothing steams.
- Judge shrimp by shape: Shrimp are done the moment they turn pink and curl into a loose C; a tight O shape means they have gone a little far, so pull the pan as soon as they curl.
- Add lemon at the end: Wait to squeeze the lemon until the pan is out of the oven; adding it off the heat keeps the flavor bright, and you can offer extra wedges at the table for anyone who likes more.
Nutrition & Mindful Eating
- Cod and shrimp cook at close to the same speed, so they join the tray only after the sweet potato and broccoli have already begun to brown. Everything finishes in the same few minutes and comes out at its best.
- Cod is mild, snow-white and forgiving, breaking into thick flakes the moment a fork touches it. It picks up the thyme and garlic around it and carries protein along with the selenium and iodine that white fish is known for.
- Shrimp roast rather than fry here, which keeps them plump, and the pink they turn comes from astaxanthin, the pigment released as they cook. Their firm snap against the soft cod is half of why the tray works.
- Sweet potato roasts to caramelized corners and a yielding middle, while the broccoli florets go dark and crisp at the tips and keep their fiber and vitamin C.
- Fresh thyme, garlic and lemon are the whole seasoning. The thyme perfumes the oil, the garlic goes sweet in the heat rather than sharp, and lemon squeezed over a hot tray is what makes seafood taste like seafood.
- As you eat, build one forkful with both the flaking cod and a springy shrimp on it, and let the pace of the meal slow down enough that you notice the point where you are satisfied.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen cod and shrimp?
Yes. Thaw both fully in the refrigerator overnight or under cold running water, then pat them very dry before roasting so they cook properly instead of releasing water onto the pan.
How do I know when the cod is done?
Cod turns from translucent to opaque and flakes easily when you press it with a fork; it is fully cooked at an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). It should look just set through the center, not dry.
My sweet potato was still firm when the seafood was done. What happened?
The cubes were probably too large or crowded. Cut them into even 3/4-inch pieces, spread them in a single layer, and give them the full head start before the broccoli and seafood go in.
Can I make this on one pan if I'm cooking a big batch?
Crowding causes steaming instead of caramelizing, so if the vegetables and seafood won't fit in a single layer, divide everything between two pans and rotate them halfway through for even cooking.