Texas Roadhouse Actually Makes These Salad Ingredients From Scratch

Eating at a chain restaurant usually comes with the expectation of a consistent menu at every location. At Texas Roadhouse, a Louisville, Kentucky-based chain, you get the consistency of a franchise at the nearly 600 different locations worldwide, but you also get the homemade touch of having several items that are guaranteed made from scratch. The chain, which is known for several great menu items like bone-in ribeye steaks and fresh-baked rolls with honey cinnamon butter, prides itself on providing fresh, quality food. And one of the ways it does this is by making its own salad toppings like its croutons, bacon bits, and salad dressing.

It would be easy (and possibly more time- and cost-effective) for restaurants like Texas Roadhouse to simply use pre-made ingredients to finish things off — after all, you'd still get plenty of freshness from the veggies. But when you add in made-from-scratch salad toppers, your healthy salad adds a new level of excellence to an already good meal. When you pair the freshly made salad ingredients at Texas Roadhouse with the chain's fresh-baked rolls and hand-trimmed steaks, you've got the quality food the restaurant was founded on.

Going out to eat is always a treat — you don't have to do the cooking or the dishes. And when restaurants do the cooking and the cleaning, and serve made-from-scratch food, dinner is nothing short of a score. But going out every night just for the sake of fresh food is far from practical. Luckily, the extra touch of homemade salad toppings is easy to do for yourself at home. Simply buy some thick-cut bacon of your choice, chop it up, and fry away. Once cooked, it will keep in the fridge for five to seven days, so make enough to have fresh salad with several days' worth of meals.

Croutons are equally easy to make yourself, and you can use any bread you want from traditional white or wheat bread to something more flavorful like a tangy sourdough. Simply cut your bread into cubes, season with olive oil and salt and pepper (and more, like parmesan or red pepper flakes, whatever suits your taste buds). Spread them out on a baking sheet and toss them in the oven for about 10 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. This works best with stale bread, so making your own croutons not only gives your salad more personality but also helps you avoid food waste.

Making your own salad dressing lets you do salads like a pro, especially if you use sneaky hacks like adding ice to keep your herbs from browning and give your dressing a smoother texture. Homemade salad dressings let you get creative with your ingredients and flavors, too, and it's easy to create classic dressings like blue cheese, Italian, and balsamic vinaigrette.