The Unexpected Salad Ingredients Texas Roadhouse Makes From Scratch

Among the many steakhouse chain restaurants in the US, Texas Roadhouse is one of the most popular for its delicious food including hand-cut steaks, signature salads, seafood, sandwiches, and so much more. The chain, which was founded in 1993, boasts "authentic food made by hand" and a menu filled with rural roadhouse-inspired fare. Knowing the expectation of chain restaurants to maintain consistency between locations, you might be wondering what menu items are actually, authentically handmade. If there's one thing you should know about Texas Roadhouse, it's that several of its salad ingredients are, in fact, scratch-made including the bacon bits, croutons, and salad dressings.

According to the Texas Roadhouse fact sheet, those three salad ingredients are among a variety of foods the restaurant prides itself on making from scratch. Having freshly made ingredients elevates Texas Roadhouse's salad offerings, as well as any other dishes that incorporate the toppings. The bacon bits are particularly noteworthy as they are used on several other popular Texas Roadhouse menu items including the loaded baked potato and tater skins. It truly makes all the difference that this popular chain puts thought and care into these ingredients.

The salad selection of the Texas Roadhouse menu is modest yet diverse, offering diners a variety of protein options between salmon, chicken, and steak to top their fresh salads. The scratch-made bacon bits, croutons, and dressings really do make the difference in bringing up the quality of these dishes to the next level. Often salads are overlooked in a steakhouse setting, yet Texas Roadhouse puts the extra effort into a solid salad that can either accompany a steak dinner or, in the case of diners who are looking for a lighter dish, replace it altogether.

Although the steaks constitute 44 percent of its menu, Texas Roadhouse is clearly much more than just its great steak selection. It says a lot about a restaurant –- especially one as ubiquitous as Texas Roadhouse –- that it makes a concerted effort towards scratch-made ingredients beyond its primary entree offerings. Those who aren't as keen on a large slab of beef for their dinner will be pleased to know that their salad is prepared just as fresh and thoughtfully as a steak.