The Popular Steakhouse Chain With A Reliable Gluten-Free Menu

An estimated one in 141 Americans has celiac disease, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. However, researchers believe that number is even higher — potentially more than 80% of people who suffer from the condition have not been properly diagnosed. Growing awareness about this chronic issue has made dining out something of a digestive war zone; sure, there are plenty of hazards that are easy to spot (avoid the fettuccine Alfredo, for instance), but menu landmines abound. Fortunately, a popular U.S. chain has developed a sizable lineup of gluten-free (GF) offerings: Outback Steakhouse, and thanks to its ubiquity, there's probably one near you.

If you haven't been rooting around the company's website, it would be easy to miss the page devoted entirely to information about its gluten-free program, which was developed more than 10 years ago. Outback apparently keeps registered dietitians on payroll, who not only doles out obvious advice on how to eat healthier at the chain ("go for lower sodium" and "choose a light dressing") but are antithetical to most diners' delicious mission to inhale a 1,900-calorie deep-fried onion. The brand's health professionals has the additional, more helpful task of assisting chefs with creating gluten-free dishes. The company also says it works closely with the Gluten Intolerance Group, a nonprofit that educates the food industry about the latest medical research.

Diners with celiac should heed Outback's online warning that its kitchens are not gluten-free, meaning cross-contamination is a small risk due to shared prep spaces. However, the company adds that all of its staff are trained to take extra precautions when fulfilling gluten-free orders. For instance, equipment and utensils used to prepare those dishes have all been thoroughly cleaned and employees wear fresh gloves to handle the food.

So what awaits a gluten-free Bloke, Sheila, or otherwise-identifying customer at Outback? Plenty of steak — from a barrel-cut filet mignon to a ribeye to a New York strip — typically safe options for anyone with gluten sensitivity. The company cooks its slabs of meat with real butter and proprietary seasoning, not beef tallow as some have speculated, making for particularly flavorful cuts.

There are also a handful of seafood options like a flaky salmon filet, steamed lobster tails, and Outback's signature Grilled Shrimp on the Barbie. Plenty of sides are gluten-free as well, including two of our favorite underrated menu items: the baked sweet potato and the all-meat, no-beans Tasmanian Chili. Outback's registered dietician even went and made a GF dessert recipe so that everyone could end their meal with something sweet: the Chocolate Thunder From Down Under. Sadly, the business has yet to bake a gluten-free version of those complimentary brown, oat-speckled loaves, but if you're eating with gluten-consuming friends, feel free to share this delicious raspberry bread hack.