How to Eat Keto at Longhorn Steakhouse: Best Low Carb Options
/Have you ever wondered how to eat keto at a LongHorn Steakhouse? In this post I’ll share the best (and worst) foods to order at Longhorn, where to look for hidden carbs, and what foods to avoid if you’re on a keto diet.
A perfect keto-eating plan at LongHorn Steakhouse is to order a steak (Filet, ribeye, sirloin, T-Bone, New York Strip, etc.) or salmon (hold the rice), a side salad (hold the croutons) with a low carb dressing like ranch, blue cheese or balsamic vinaigrette, and a veggie side, like steamed broccoli, asparagus, or mixed veggies, and don’t forget to add butter and/or cheese!
Use caution with sauces such as BBQ sauce, cocktail sauce, and gravy, and skip the honey mustard and raspberry vinaigrette salad dressings that are packed with carbs. Definitely stay away from traditional steakhouse high-carb fare like baked potato, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, French fries, rice pilaf, sugary mixed drinks and margaritas, and desserts.
In this post you will find:
What is LongHorn Steakhouse and how to find a location near you.
Do THIS before you go to LongHorn.
Best low carb menu items at LongHorn SteakHouse.
Five “just tell me what to eat” keto menus with under 15 net grams of carbs.
Use caution - where to find hidden carbs at LongHorn Steakhouse.
What not to eat at LongHorn when you’re on a keto diet.
What is LongHorn Steakhouse?
LongHorn Steakhouse is a casual steakhouse restaurant chain founded in Atlanta, Georgia in 1981.
They serve USDA Choice beef, with local specials like the Kansas City Strip. They offer never-frozen steaks (including grilled ribeye, T-bone, filet, and prime rib), and non-steak options like burgers, pork chops, ribs, chicken, and salmon.
Most locations offer online ordering which is great when you’re eating keto, because you can add or subtract ingredients.
You can learn more about the company on their About Us page.
Find a LongHorn steakhouse near you.
There are 514 restaurants in North America. Click to find the closest location to you: Find a LongHorn Steakhouse
This steak, lobster tail, and broccoli meal from LongHorn Steakhouse is perfectly keto at only 8 net carbs! Photo credit: LongHorn Steakhouse
Do THIS before you go to LongHorn.
I will share the best things to order at Longhorn on a keto diet, but it’s always smart to do these two things BEFORE you dine out.
1. Look at the menu online and have an idea of what you want to eat. Once you have a tentative menu in mind (here’s LongHorn’s online menu, you can then double check to be sure the items you pick are truly low in carbs and suitable for your keto diet. Often you will guess correctly, like the Fire Grilled T-Bone has 0 carbs, but the Parmesan Creamed Spinach which sounds low in carbs, actually has 12 net grams.
2. Check the carb count for your menu using the restaurant’s nutritional information. You can find LongHorn’s nutritional information HERE.
Or choose one of the five “just tell me what to eat” keto menus you’ll find below!
Best keto-friendly foods to eat at LongHorn Steakhouse restaurant.
It’s really easy to create delicious keto meals at LongHorn. I’ve listed some menu items lowest in carbs. The carb counts (in parentheses) are net grams and are for the item listed ONLY. For example, the 7 oz salmon has only 2 grams net carbs, but if you add the rice it is normally served with, that’s another 41 grams!
So be proactive and order EXACTLY what you want.
Steaks and most entrees come with salad and a side.
Your keto LongHorn Steakhouse meal is very simple to create.
Choose your favorite steak (or pork, chicken, or seafood).
Pick a low carb side dish, like broccoli or asparagus.
Order a side salad minus the croutons and with a low carb dressing, or Caesar salad without croutons. (Or substitute a second side for the salad.)
Eat a small portion of a keto-friendly appetizer if you want!
Enjoy a low carb beverage, like water or unsweetened iced tea.
Modify your order to add fat and/or flavor!
Don’t be afraid to create an order that will make you happy AND keep you in ketosis! You can ask for seasonings and finishing sauces to be removed from your steak, or add sautéed mushrooms to your steak, or cheese and butter to your steamed broccoli.
Now let’s look at the BEST foods to order at LongHorn Steakhouse on a keto diet…
Keto-friendly LongHorn appetizers with 5 grams net carbs or fewer per serving (the net carb count is in parentheses):
Most appetizers serve four people, so I’ve divided the lowest carb appetizers by four and made a few modifications. You can definitely order a keto appetizer at LongHorn if you make smart choices and eat a small portion.
The carb counts listed are for 1/4 of the total appetizer:
Surf & Surf Dip (without flatbread) (3)
Roasted White Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms (4)
Seasoned Steakhouse Wings (0) (without blue cheese dressing at 3 net carbs or Buffalo sauce at 3 net carbs)
Texas Brisket Queso (without chips) (5)
Keto-friendly steaks with 4 grams net carbs or fewer (the net carb count is in parentheses):
LongHorn is know for its flame-grilled steaks. You have lots of keto choices at 4 net grams of carbs or fewer.
Hint: If you ask for no seasoning or finishing sauce your steak will have zero carbs.
Renegade Sirloin, 6 or 8 oz (2)
Flat Iron Steak, 8 oz (0)
Ribeye, 12 oz (4)
Flo’s Filet, 8 or 10 oz (3)
Kansas City Strip/New York Strip, 12 oz (0)
Fire-Grilled T-Bone, 18 oz (0)
Outlaw Ribeye, 18 oz (1)
The Longhorn, 22 oz (1)
USDA Prime Delmonico, 16 oz (1)
Keto-friendly Grill Master Combos with 4 grams net carbs or fewer (the net carb count is in parentheses):
The Grill Master Combos (think surf and turf!) are a great way to try two different entrees and you can definitely make good keto choices. Just be sure to skip the rice that is served with salmon and make wise side dish choices.
Renegade Sirloin (6 oz or 8 oz) with Redrock Grilled Shrimp (4)
Flo’s Filet 6 oz with Redrock Grilled Shrimp (4)
Flo’s Filet 6 oz with Lobster Tail (2)
Flo’s Filet 6 oz with LongHorn Salmon (4)
Keto-friendly great steak additions with 6 grams net carbs or fewer (the net carb count is in parentheses):
Want a little something extra for your steak? You can choose one of these low carb options…
Sauteed mushrooms (6)
Grilled shrimp (1)
Garlic butter (2)
Lobster tail (2)
Keto-friendly meats and seafood with 4 grams net carbs or fewer (the net carb count is in parentheses):
If you don’t like steak, you can still get low carb meat and seafood options at LongHorn.
Farmer’s Market Chicken, 6 oz (4)
Cowboy Pork Chops (0)
LongHorn Salmon, 7 oz (without rice) (2)
LongHorn Salmon, 10 oz (without rice) (3)
Blackened Salmon, 7 oz or 10 oz (without rice) (2)
add butter sauce (2)
Redrock Grilled Shrimp, 8 or 12 count (2)
add the garlic butter (2)
Keto-friendly sides and salads (the net carb count is in parentheses):
Obviously avoid traditional steakhouse side dishes like baked potatoes, Fries, and sweet potatoes on a keto diet. But you still have several low carb (and healthy) sides to choose from.
Fresh Steamed Asparagus (3)
LongHorn Mixed Vegetables (5)
Fresh Steamed Broccoli (3)
add butter to any of these (0)
add cheese (0)
add bacon (0)
Keto-friendly beverages at LongHorn Steakhouse:
Unsweetened tea (1)
Diet Coke or Coke Zero (0)
Coffee (0)
Water (0)
White wine (4)
Red wine (5)
IPA Draft 16 oz (1) or 20 oz (2)
The salmon has only 2 net carbs, just hold the rice, and add a salad and/or veggies. Photo credit: LongHorn Steakhouse
5 “just tell me what to eat” keto menus with under 15 net grams of carbs.
Want to make things super simple? Here are five sample menus (and the first one is my go-to order)!
Where to find hidden carbs at LongHorn Steakhouse.
Obvious high carb culprits are French fries, rice, loaded baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, the complimentary honey wheat bread, desserts (unfortunately!), and sugary drinks.
But there are a few sources of hidden carbs at LongHorn (and other) steakhouse restaurants:
Sauces
Dressings
Salads
Beware of carbs in some sauces.
Many sauces at LongHorn are relatively high in carbs for a small portion. This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy sauces, but be mindful and use them sparingly.
Here are some examples (and net grams of carbs are in parentheses):
Cocktail sauce (10)
Barbecue sauce (26)
Honey mustard (8)
Gravy (18)
Some salad dressings at LongHorn are low carb, and some aren’t.
These salad dressing are relatively low in carbs (for 1.5 ounce portions):
Ranch dressing (2)
Balsamic Vinaigrette (2)
Blue cheese (my favorite!) (3)
While other salad dressings are not wise keto choices:
Raspberry Vinaigrette (14)
Honey Mustard (8)
LongHorn Salads have more carbs than you think.
Sometimes we think of a salad with protein, a fatty dressing, cheese - hold the croutons - as a wise keto choice. And it can be. Just be mindful that some Longhorn salads are higher in carbs. Though there is detailed nutrition information on their website, you can’t readily tell how many carbs will be subtracted from a salad if you leave off the croutons or other toppings. So use your discretion.
Some salad examples (net carbs in parentheses):
Crispy Buttermilk Chicken Tenders Salad (34)
Grilled Chicken and Strawberry Salad with Vinaigrette (45)
Grilled Salmon Caesar Salad (26)
The good thing is LongHorn is very transparent about their nutrition facts. If in doubt, check it out, lol: LongHorn Steakhouse Nutrition Facts
Most steaks at LongHorn have 0-4 net carbs, so enjoy!! Photo credit: LongHorn Steakhouse
What NOT to eat at LongHorn Steakhouset when you’re on a ketogenic diet.
These foods should be avoided at LongHorn restaurant unless you have just a bite or two, or it is part of a planned carb up.
Don’t eat these LongHorn Steakhouse appetizers if you want to eat keto.
Texas Tonion (117, not counting the dip at another 9 net carbs)
Firecracker Chicken Wraps (56)
Wild West Shrimp (59)
Chili Cheese Fries (130)
Spicy Chicken Bites (66)
Stay away from these LongHorn Steakhouse main dishes.
LongHorn Churrasco Steak with Plaintains (47)
Nolan Ryan Beef Chicken Fried Steak (48)
Buttermilk Fried Shrimp (31)
Full Slab Babyback Ribs with BBQ Sauce (56)
Chicken Fried Chicken and Gravy (56)
Any burger or cheesesteak with bun (40+)
These LongHorn Steakhouse sides are definitely not keto at 23-54 grams net carbs:
Seasoned French fries (56)
Mashed potatoes with-or-without gravy (37 or 56)
Baked potato (53) or loaded baked potato (54)
Baked sweet potato (with or without cinnamon sugar) (45 or 53)
Honey wheat bread (22 for 1/4 loaf)
Crispy Texas okra (23)
Black beans & rice (41)
Sweet mashed potatoes (53)
Steakhouse mac & cheese (38)
Smoky sausage & shrimp rice (37)
Seasoned rice pilaf (41)
Unfortunately there are no keto dessert options at LongHorn.
The Surf and Surf dip is one of my favorite appetizers! Just hold the flat bread or ask it to be served with raw broccoli instead. Photo credit: LongHorn Steakhouse
A trick to eat higher carb foods and still stay within your macros.
While it’s fairly easy to eat a delicious keto meal at LongHorn Steakhouse, what about the times you’re just craving the Key Lime Pie Jar (87 net grams carbs) or the Chili Cheese Fries (130 grams)?? You can still indulge on occasion if you’re smart. Here are some strategies to add high carb foods to your keto diet:
Eat just a few bites of the high carb food.
Three or four Chili Cheese Fries would have negligible carbs and likely wouldn’t throw you out of ketosis. Same for a few bites of a sugary dessert.
Use the IIFYM (if it fits your macros) approach and eat very low carb the rest of the day to budget in a high carb food.
What if you really, really want the Buttermilk Fried Shrimp at 31 net grams carbs? Just eat very low carb the rest of the day so you can hit your macros. If you eat fewer carbs per day, cut back on the portion size.
Have a planned carb up (otherwise known as a treat meal).
If you want to occasionally enjoy a meal that is not keto whatsoever, like the Baby Back Ribs with BBQ sauce, a salad with raspberry vinaigrette, loaded baked potato, and a margarita, you might consider a carb up.
Carb ups are a good strategy to enjoy carbs on occasion, once you are fat adapted. Carb ups keep your body guessing, and help balance hormones. and can help with muscle growth.
PS, carb up is another way to say “treat meal.” It will likely kick you out of ketosis, but only for a day or so.
I learned about carb ups in the online video course I took to learn all about keto. It’s called Happy Keto Body and I love that it helped me become the keto minimalist I am today, lol. I learned how to customize an eating plan that suits my tastes and my health goals. No crazy ass "must do this" rules. No restricting carbs to 20g a day. It's all about healing your body and eating for good health.
You can check out the The Happy Keto Body program here: Happy Keto Body
I hope you found this guide helpful in your quest to eat keto at LongHorn Steakhouse. You can find my other keto restaurant guides right here: Keto Restaurant Guides
Happy keto eating!
—The Keto Minimalist
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