As their most popular dishes revolve around the idea of a big hunk of meat, it may not come as a surprise that Texas Roadhouse doesn’t have much on their menu that’s suitable for vegans. In fact, they have no vegan options at all.
According to their website, as of 2021 Texas Roadhouse has 572 restaurants across the world. Despite their popularity, they still have no plans to add vegan options to their updated menu. However, if you find yourself at a Texas Roadhouse hungry and disappointed- we’re here to help.
Although there are no vegan-specific meals, there are some limited side options that you could combine to create a sort of vegan snack platter. It’s not ideal, and this is why Texas Roadhouse is often avoided by those on a limited or vegan diet.
When browsing their website to find vegan options, we noticed that they don’t have any public nutritional information for any of their dishes. This isn’t very reassuring and can lead to confusion for those on a vegan diet, especially in restaurants such as Texas Roadhouse where they fry a lot of their sides in meat fat.
This can mislead some vegans who may assume that sides such as vegetables and potatoes are plant-based- when the ones at Texas Roadhouse are not.
Be aware of...
Fries - You’d be forgiven for assuming that fries are always a safe bet for a vegan. Wrong. Texas Roadhouse fries are typically fried in animal fat, making them ‘contaminated.’
Sauteed vegetables - Even the vegetables at Texas Roadhouse cannot be reasonably deemed vegan due to the oils used during cooking and the preparation process of the food.
Corn - While a cob of sweetcorn may seem like a safe bet, the corn at Texas Roadhouse is not suitable for vegans. This is because it’s cooked with a lot of butter. While it’s not confirmed whether or not this butter is plant-based, due to the lack of information on their website, it’s best to avoid it just in case.
Are there any vegan options?
Technically no. If you’re vegan, we don’t recommend that you head to your nearest Texas Roadhouse. However, if you’ve found yourself at one of their restaurants- don’t panic, you can eat some things. Although it is very limited. Here’s what you could try out:
Peanuts - If you’ve ever been to a Texas Roadhouse restaurant, then you’ll know all about the peanut etiquette inside. Throughout the restaurant and on each table there will be huge buckets and barrels of monkey peanuts. It is Texas Roadhouse protocol to discard your monkey shells straight onto the restaurant floor, which feels wrong yet exhilarating. If you’re a vegan, you can join in on this peanut-related action. They’re completely vegan friendly!
Apple Sauce - The apple sauce at Texas Roadhouse is plant-based and suitable for vegans. While it’s not going to make a substantial meal, it can be used for dipping or as a side dish.
House Salad - Probably the most filling option on this list, the Texas Roadhouse house salad can be vegan. We say “can” as you’ll have to make a few adjustments to it first. Normally, the house salad comes with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and eggs along with some croutons on top. To make the house salad vegan, the cheese and eggs, and croutons will have to be removed. You’ll have to miss out on salad dressing too. However, you can always opt for oil and vinegar as a salad dressing.
Steamed Vegetables - Of course, veggies are vegan friendly. But the ones at Texas Roadhouse actually aren’t. They can still be an option though, just ask your server if you can have these unbuttered.
Corn (unbuttered) - The corn is at Texas Roadhouse is only vegan if you ask for it without the butter.
Sauteed Mushrooms (fried in oil) - The Texas Roadhouse mushrooms aren’t usually considered vegan. This is because they’re typically fried in animal fat. However, some people on online forums have claimed that they’ve managed to blag some vegan mushrooms by requesting that they’re cooked in oil instead. This shouldn’t be a problem, as all of the food is prepared fresh and made to order.
Margaritas - OK, we know that a margarita technically isn’t food, but they’re certainly a great vegan option. They’re famous across the USA for a reason.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the bread at Texas Roadhouse vegan?
It’s not easy to say whether the bread at Texas Roadhouse is vegan or not due to lack of information, but considering how non-vegan-friendly the restaurant is, it’s safe to assume that the bread isn’t vegan.
Whilst egg and dairy might not be included in the ingredients list, this doesn’t mean there isn’t a risk of cross-contamination. Of course, the butter will not be vegan, but as the restaurant is very meat and dairy heavy, the bread could easily be non-vegan. The distinctive glaze on the bread is from butter.
If you’re a vegan, Texas Roadhouse is one of the last restaurants you should consider going to. Almost all of their food contains animal products - even the baked potatoes and sweet potatoes are rolled in bacon fat for extra crispiness.
As there is limited information as to whether the bread is vegan or not, it’s best to ask a waiter at the restaurant for an ingredient list.
Does Texas Roadhouse have a veggie burger?
Unfortunately, Texas Roadhouse does not currently offer a veggie burger.
Texas Roadhouse is notorious for being vegetarian and vegan non-friendly as they heavily use animal products including meat and dairy. Despite the growing popularity of vegetarianism, Texas Roadhouse hasn’t made any official plans to expand its menus.
Vegetarians need to be aware of the lack of vegetarian-friendly options at this restaurant. Even the fries, sauteed vegetables, corn, and potatoes are all cooked in animal fat such as bacon. This is to provide a distinctive crispy texture and to match with their other meat products.
If you’re not a strict vegetarian, you might not feel guilty about ordering fries that are fried in animal fat. However, Texas Roadhouse does not have vegetarian burgers or other vegetarian-friendly meals.
Is the Cactus Blossom at Texas Roadhouse vegan?
It’s a common misconception that the Cactus Blossom starter is a vegan option because it is essentially a giant onion, however, this isn’t the case. Unfortunately, the Cactus Blossom starter at Texas Roadhouse is not vegan. This is because the batter uses buttermilk, and the food is likely fried in animal fat.
Texas Roadhouse isn’t a vegan-friendly restaurant in the slightest. Even foods that one would consider vegan-friendly such as fries, baked potatoes, and fried pickles aren’t vegan because they are fried in animal fat - usually bacon fat.
The only vegan options at Texas Roadhouse are mostly small starters. This includes peanuts, house salad, steamed vegetables, unbuttered corn, and drinks. The apple sauce is vegan, but there’s not much to dip into it.
Vegans should stay away from anything battered or fried in Texas Roadhouse. All of the fried food is fried in animal fat and oil, and all of the battered options contain buttermilk in the recipe.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, Texas Roadhouse doesn’t do a great job at catering for a vegan diet. There are very few options that you could try, but even these have to be modified and aren’t actual substantial meals.
We would recommend just going somewhere else to eat as it seems that Texas Roadhouse has little regard for those on a restricted diet.
Pretty much every other restaurant in the states of the same popularity has a vegan-friendly option, so it is hard to sympathize with Texas Roadhouse. As of 2021, there’s not much point in visiting one if you’re vegan. Hopefully, they’ll expand their menu in the future.
Cassie brings decades of experience to the Kitchen Community. She is a noted chef and avid gardener. Her new book "Healthy Eating Through the Garden" will be released shortly. When not writing or speaking about food and gardens Cassie can be found puttering around farmer's markets and greenhouses looking for the next great idea.
