Tray set

A tray bake is a simple style of cooking where all the ingredients are arranged and baked together in one large tray in the oven.

It’s popular because it’s easy, low-effort, and usually requires minimal washing up. The ingredients—such as meat, fish, vegetables, potatoes, or sometimes fruit—are spread out evenly so they cook at the same time and often soak up each other’s flavours.

Tray bakes can be savoury or sweet:

Savoury examples: chicken and vegetables, sausages with potatoes, salmon with asparagus

Sweet examples: fruit tray bakes, sponge-style bakes, or flapjack-style slices

They’re often seasoned or coated in oil, herbs, spices, or sauces before baking, which helps everything roast and caramelise together for a rich, unified flavour.