Be honest: How many times did you turn on your oven this summer? I cranked mine fewer times than the fingers on one hand and, frankly, have assiduously ignored it since mid-July. But with the arrival of the first cool evenings of fall, I can finally consider again hitting the “preheat” button.

I don’t feel ready quite yet to jump into a multi-hour roasting situation, so a beautiful leg of lamb or a Korean bo ssam isn’t in the cards for me, yet. I also hate doing dishes, so I won’t head towards any dish requiring an extensive equipment list.

This recipe—which comes together in a half hour and only requires 20 minutes of oven time, with bonus points for requiring only one mixing bowl and one sheet pan—is the gateway meal to getting back to full-on oven mojo.

These meatballs are enhanced with warming shawarma spices and share the pan with wedges of sweet potato. Once cooked, everything gets piled in a pita, drizzled with a cool-yet-spicy yogurt harissa sauce and festooned with loads of fresh herbs.

I used chicken thighs in this iteration of the dish but any ground meat will work. I would avoid very lean choices, like turkey or chicken breast, as the meatballs will turn out dry and dense. Similarly, any other good roasting vegetable, like white potatoes, butternut squash, or Brussels sprouts, could stand in for the sweets. I’ve included a recipe for the shawarma spice, but a good bottled blend will work just fine.

This recipe makes extra spice blend. Keep the leftovers in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, store in a cool cupboard and use to season any meat or vegetable, or sprinkle on deviled eggs for a spicy snack. To save time, make it a day ahead or opt for a pre-made blend.