14 Vegetarian Menu Items At Texas Roadhouse, Ranked Worst To Best

Texas Roadhouse is an American steakhouse chain that's been steadily growing in popularity and footprint. Recently, that success even includes launching two additional brands under the Texas Roadhouse umbrella: Bubba's 33 and Jaggers. I'm not currently a vegetarian, but I have been for years in the past. So I know the anxiety that comes with being invited to a dinner with friends or family at a big chain and thinking: "What will I eat?" That anxiety is only multiplied when the restaurant in question is something as seemingly un-vegetarian as a steakhouse. While your companions debate the best steak at Texas Roadhouse, you don't want to be left to decide between two measly salads.

Luckily, the Texas Roadhouse menu actually has a variety of vegetarian options and items that can be easily modified to be so. They even have a Country Vegetable Plate option for non-meat eaters, which allows you to select four side items for a build-your-own veggie platter at a reasonable price. To help you navigate the Texas Roadhouse menu as a vegetarian, here's my review of 14 veggie-friendly items at the steakhouse, ranked from worst to the very best.

For many vegetarians, mac and cheese is a tried-and-true menu item at the restaurants. When I was vegetarian, this meal was a staple of my diet. It's simple, comforting, and offers decent protein, which would seem to make it foolproof. But from the minute this dish hit our table at Texas Roadhouse, I was skeptical. 

Although the classic elbow pasta was there, the sauce appeared thin and pale. I actually couldn't tell if this was meant to be a classic yellow cheddar mac or a white cheddar mac. The color was somewhere in between, and the flavor was too mild to give me any hints. The sauce was watery, like a boxed Kraft made by an amateur cook who added too much liquid. There certainly weren't any flavors you'd find in a barbeque joint mac and cheese (like garlic, onion, or paprika), and there was hardly even any salt or pepper to speak of. Overall, trying to force myself to eat this mac and cheese felt like a punishment. I can't recommend ordering this dish at Texas Roadhouse if you're a vegetarian or otherwise.

Mozzarella sticks are another menu item that feels pretty foolproof, especially for vegetarians. After all, it's just fried cheese ... and who doesn't like cheese? At a place famed for its fried apps like Texas Roadhouse, I thought its variation of this classic dish (which they call the Twisted Mozzarella) was sure to be a slam dunk.

Unfortunately, these sticks fell flat almost immediately. The breading was thin, which meant I didn't get that satisfying fried crunch that I wanted from each bite. The cheese-heavy chew might not have been bad if the cheese was ooey-gooey and enjoyable, but no such luck. Even hot and fresh, the mozzarella hadn't seemed to reach the full melting point and remained a warm, solid block. That meant no perfect, stringy cheese pull — just a slightly rubbery texture.

The mozzarella and the breading still had a good flavor, though, especially when dipped with the accompanying marinara. The sauce was flavorful and tangy, bringing this closer to the classic mozzarella stick experience I was hoping for. In the end, the Texas Roadhouse mozzarella sticks weren't offensive, but they weren't enjoyable either. With better vegetarian options on the menu, I wouldn't recommend these.

I'm a huge fan of Caesar salad. There's just something about the fresh crunch of romaine lettuce, creamy dressing, and a heavy sprinkling of parmesan that makes you feel like you're indulging while still making a healthy choice. Texas Roadhouse's Caesar dressing contains anchovy paste, but you can request to swap it out with ranch. Although this is a departure from your typical Caesar, it's a vegetarian way to eat one of my favorite salads, and the Texas Roadhouse ranch is plenty flavorful.

However, I was left feeling a bit disappointed by this Caesar. Fresh parmesan is one of the best parts of this salad, but these parmesan shreds were hard and stale. My main gripe is that the hard white ends of lettuce made up about 50% of my Caesar. I know that many use the bottoms of the romaine to get that nice crunchy texture, but this was just overkill. Overall, there are better vegetarian options on the Texas Roadhouse menu than the Caesar salad. I'm dropping it in 12th place and moving on to bigger and better eats.

Rattlesnake Bites are widely considered a crowd favorite at Texas Roadhouse, often recommended as a must-order starter. Fried cheese, chopped jalapeños, and a creamy dipping sauce are all elements that make sense together and fit the chain's theme. That said, I can't say I agree. While the exterior had a decent crunch and the jalapeños added some heat, these bites were underwhelming. The cheese inside had a strange paste-like texture that wasn't appealing, and the flavor was reminiscent of sports stadium nachos.

The dipping sauce helped somewhat by adding tang and acidity, but it couldn't make up for the slightly off texture and flavor inside. I didn't hate them, but I wasn't reaching for more. I can see the appeal of Rattlesnake Bites for Texas Roadhouse fans, but for me, they didn't live up to the hype. With more satisfying vegetarian options on the menu, I would skip this one next time.

The vegetarian baked potato from Texas Roadhouse is pretty much exactly what you'd expect. It looks quite appealing: The skin is crusted in a thick layer of salt, and the inside looks white and fluffy. You can order it with your choice of toppings, including butter, sour cream, and cheddar cheese (you'll want to avoid the non-vegetarian toppings like bacon bits and Texas red chili).

I ordered mine "loaded," vegetarian-style: butter, sour cream, and cheese, hold the bacon bits. This combo was okay, but the potato itself inside the shell was quite bland and dry. I suppose the cooks don't salt the inside since the outside is already so salty. That means you either have to add more salt yourself or try to get a bit of that salt-crusted skin in every bite. Unfortunately, I found myself trying to craft the perfect bite rather than just enjoying it as it was.

All in all, this is a classic steakhouse side that's prepared well and looks the part. It's only ranking lower for me because it wasn't a standout. There are vegetarian items yet to come that give you that perfect bite every time.

Fried pickles are a classic appetizer for a reason, and Texas Roadhouse delivers on everything that makes this dish great. The pickles are sliced into thin coins, which ensures there's not enough moisture to collapse the breading as soon as you dig in. No one likes a soggy fried pickle, and these are anything but.

The breading itself is a cornmeal-based batter, giving each pickle the perfect thickness and crunch. The pickles are accompanied by Texas Roadhouse's signature Cactus Blossom sauce, a creamy Southwestern dip that reminds me of a tangy ranch relative. It makes the perfect pairing with the salty richness of these fried pickles. You also get a classic ranch dipping sauce that pairs well, so you have options.

There are no hidden surprises with the Texas Roadhouse fried pickles, but they're a dependable, shareable item for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. I recommend eating them fresh, though — when they start to cool down, the pickles lose their crunch and start to soften, which really reduces their appeal. For that reason, I've kept them toward the middle of the list.

Steamed vegetables might sound like a boring order at Texas Roadhouse, but I was excited to try them. A good hearty veggie can be a great contrast to fried food on the table. This dish comes with a mixture of broccoli and sliced carrots, which appeared a bit dry on top. I braced myself for shriveled veggies, but it turned out that there was plenty of moisture underneath the top layer. In fact, the carrots at the very bottom were practically swimming in melted butter.

So, maybe this dish is not the healthy choice that I thought it was, but it had a few things going for it. The butter added a nice amount of saltiness, so I didn't feel that the veggies needed additional seasoning. The carrots and broccoli were also a nice texture — they sat in the perfect middle ground between being overcooked and mushy or so undercooked that they're crunchy.

I'm pretty sure that these vegetables were microwaved, leading to the overly dry top and liquidy bottom. Yet overall, they were a good complement to my meal, and they fulfilled my hankering for some good old classic vegetables. I would recommend ordering these with managed expectations.

As a former vegetarian, I know that vegetarians everywhere are tired of being recommended a basic salad. Yet, I can't deny it — the House Salad is the perfect item to order if you're looking to get a good dose of healthy greens and some vegetarian-friendly protein at Texas Roadhouse. It starts with a bed of fresh, crisp spring mix. That's topped with tomatoes, shredded cheddar, shredded carrots, and cabbage for a bit of crunch. What really makes this salad feel satisfying is the crumbled hard-boiled egg, which adds protein and gives it a hearty feel.

As a born and raised Southerner, this is a Southern salad through and through, which means it just feels incomplete without ranch. The dressing brings everything together by adding a touch of indulgence to the healthy greens, and Texas Roadhouse has a great house-made ranch that's salty and tangy. You can order a full portion as a meal, but I think this House Salad shines best as a side so you can save room for some of the more exciting vegetarian options on the menu. I would consider this highly ranked for my Country Vegetable Plate order.

French fries are one of those sides that feel instantly comforting. That's particularly true at a steakhouse, where you know you can expect a thick-cut, hearty version of a fried potato. Texas Roadhouse's steak fries definitely lived up to that expectation.

The fries arrived cut into generous pieces with a golden exterior. The outsides were crispy on the skin and right on the corners, but they tended to be a bit softer toward the middle. Regardless, there was still a satisfying contrast between a lightly crisp exterior and a soft mashed-potato center.

The seasoning was solid too. The fries had a light dusting of seasoning salt that brought a gentle kick of the flavor without being overly salty or spicy. These fries also really lend themselves to dipping in Texas Roadhouse's variety of sauces, from classic ketchup to house-made ranch or Cactus Blossom sauce. The thick slices make them sturdy enough to hold up well. All things considered, I liked the steak fries a lot as a vegetarian item at Texas Roadhouse. They're not mind-blowing or particularly unique, but they are reliable, comforting, and something I would happily include in my order as part of a Country Vegetable Plate.

Mashed potatoes are a classic steakhouse side. They go well with any meal, and they're pretty hard to mess up. As long as they've got plenty of butter and seasoning, they're a foolproof comfort food.

Similarly to the baked potato, the Texas Roadhouse mashed potatoes come with a variety of options for toppings, including cheddar cheese, bacon bits, brown gravy, cream gravy, butter, and sour cream. Obviously, the gravies were a no-go for vegetarian options, and I already got a loaded baked potato. Because of that, I just ordered my mashed potatoes with butter, figuring I'd let them shine.

It turns out this was a good choice, because I found the mashed potatoes to be significantly more well-seasoned than the baked potato. They were just salty enough with a little dollop of butter in the middle. The texture was also creamy, almost like a puree, which was a relief after my dried-out baked potato. If I did it all over again, I'd probably be more adventurous and order some more of the toppings. Yet these mashed potatoes are still a strong vegetarian item without any of the added fluff, and that stands as a testament to their quality.

Sweet potatoes can be polarizing as a dinner side. Some people like theirs savory with butter and salt, while others want them to taste like dessert. Texas Roadhouse definitely leans more toward the sweet side with its topping options for the baked sweet potato, which include honey cinnamon butter, mini marshmallows, honey-cinnamon caramel, and brown sugar.

I'm more of a savory girl, so I ordered mine with just the honey cinnamon butter. If it's so good with the rolls, it must be a solid choice with the sweet potato, right? The tuber veggie arrived beautifully sliced open with steam pouring out, and the skin was tender and not too dried out, which I really appreciated. The inside was fluffy and cooked to perfection, with honey cinnamon butter pooling into all of its cracks and crevices.

I was very pleased with my topping choice: The honey butter offered the perfect balance of salt and just a little sweetness. If you're looking for a more savory route, this is the dish I would recommend, but I'll be trying the fully loaded option next time. Either way, this is a cozy, filling vegetarian choice that I would make a must-have on my Country Vegetable plate.

The rolls with cinnamon butter topped our ranking of the best dishes at Texas Roadhouse, so you had to know they were going to make the vegetarian list, too. These are an instant classic loved by all. The Texas Roadhouse rolls are always hot and fresh, and they've got that classic yeasty white dinner roll taste that reminds you of special occasion dinners at the holidays with family. Their tops are shiny and buttered, with a slight crust on the outside that makes the fluffy insides even more sensational. The accompanying cinnamon butter is the perfect mix of salty and sweet, which always makes me want to go back for seconds ... and thirds.

The best part of these buttery, pillowy rolls? They're completely free! You'd have a hard time finding someone, vegetarian or not, who doesn't love free food. And the Texas Roadhouse rolls are vegetarian-friendly, so go ahead — dig in and order seconds.

The Cactus Blossom is another iconic Texas Roadhouse item (though the concept was invented in New Orleans and popularized by Outback Steakhouse). It's as vegetarian-friendly as it is indulgent, consisting of just a whole, large Vidalia onion deep-fried in the restaurant's signature cornmeal batter. There's a reason why the Cactus Blossom is our favorite appetizer at Texas Roadhouse, and if you're an onion lover like me, you can't go wrong with this dish. It's perfectly fried to a golden crisp, each delicate and sweet onion tendril cast in a crunchy, salty sleeve of greasy goodness. The tangy, creamy pink Cactus Blossom sauce offsets the salt perfectly.

It's definitely not a health food, but the Cactus Blossom embodies the experience of Texas Roadhouse and is, in my opinion, the perfect way to get that full experience as a vegetarian. You'll still get that rowdy Southwest flavor, you'll get to indulge, and you'll get to gather around the table with friends to share. This is a can't-miss veggie option from Texas Roadhouse, but it still feels like a side dish to your main meal, so it didn't quite reach No. 1.

Sautéed mushrooms are a unique item at Texas Roadhouse. I would honestly never think to just order them as a side, and I'm pretty sure these were originally added to the menu as a topping for steaks. Yet I was pleasantly surprised and honestly blown away by these mushrooms. I think we can all agree that the texture of these fungi can easily become a bit off-putting if they're not cooked well, turning them into a slimy, rubbery mess. However, these Texas Roadhouse sautéed mushrooms were cooked perfectly and didn't appear to be microwaved.

The flavor of the mushrooms was rich in garlic and umami, giving them an almost smoky taste. A light dusting of shredded parmesan on top added the perfect amount of salt and cheesy richness to the butter they were cooked in, which wasn't overly greasy or puddled at the bottom like the steamed veggies. Parsley sprinkled on top further added to the earthy taste.

These mushrooms were a standout dish to me, something that I didn't feel I could get at just any chain restaurant. They're a welcome addition to a vegetarian meal at Texas Roadhouse, allowing you to get that steakhouse flair without the steak. They offer the perfect balance between a health-conscious veggie and an indulgent item that feels rich in flavor and depth. For that reason, they snuck into first place. I definitely recommend ordering these with your next Country Vegetable Plate.

This taste test was executed at the Texas Roadhouse location in Bozeman, Montana. In ranking items, we considered presentation, flavor, texture, and quality. To keep the experience as comparable as possible to other locations, all items were ordered in their standard form with limited modifications except to remove meat products where applicable. All reviews were based upon the preparation on one specific visit and may not reflect the preparation of items at other locations and times.