If You're Not DIY-Ing Your Own Dips At Texas Roadhouse, Now Is The Time To Start

At any restaurant, what you see isn't always what you get. While the menu might offer a set number of options, if you have a little creativity, you can hack your way into a whole new meal. At Texas Roadhouse, there are plenty of appetizer hacks to build out new dishes, but one you probably haven't tried yet is making your own dips from the restaurant's other ingredients and menu items. And Texas Roadhouse dishes are best when they're smothered in some sauce.

The restaurant doesn't have any actual dips on the menu, unless you prefer to use a side of chili as a dipping sauce (this is a hack in itself, really). However, you can mix a few things to create your own dip — one Reddit user in the subreddit r/steak suggests combining an order of peppercorn gravy with some whipped butter. The result is a dipping sauce texture that's loaded with salty, savory flavor. You can use it as a dip for the rolls, Chicken Critters, or even as an addition to a baked potato or fries.

As long as your server is alright with you mixing and matching sauces, you can build a delicious mushroom dip that's perfect for anything: steak, the iconic rolls, or even an order of fries. Order a side of creamy gravy, which is normally served with the country fried chicken. Pair that with a side of portobello mushroom sauce — a thinner, darker gravy that comes with the portobello mushroom chicken. For texture, add a side of sautéed mushrooms, and mix it all together.

The end result? A savory, earthy dipping sauce that can go with just about anything else on the menu — it can even be a Chicken Critters dipping sauce. For bolder flavor, request a side of the mushroom seasoning and mix a bit in, too. If you're looking for a more basic dipping sauce that doesn't require as much mixing, don't sleep on the salad dressings. Texas Roadhouse offers nine dressing options, and sometimes a thousand island or honey French is all you need for dipping.

When you order a Texas Roadhouse starter, it often comes with a sauce of some kind. The Cactus Blossom comes with either a Cajun horseradish sauce or classic ranch, while the potato skins come with sour cream and the boneless wings can come with blue cheese. But what if there was an even better way to enjoy these sauces? There is: together.

Order a hearty appetizer, such as the cheese fries, which are topped with cheddar and bacon. Then, ask your server for a side of wing sauce and ranch dressing. Combine the two to create a Buffalo ranch dipping sauce, and dip those cheesy fries — you've just built a whole new flavor profile. You can do this with barbecue sauce and ranch dressing, too; Texas Roadhouse's tender ribs mean barbecue sauce is always on hand. Or, keep things simple, and ask for a regular order of French fries, plus a side of garlic butter that normally comes with the shrimp appetizer; use the garlic butter as a dipping sauce. You can also ask for a side of sour cream and pair it with the Cajun horseradish to tame its bite a little bit.