I Tried Parmesan Crust On Many LongHorn Steakhouse Menu Items — All Were Fantastic, Except 1

Are you a regular at LongHorn Steakhouse? If so, then you're probably already aware about something of a secret: You can add Parmesan crust to nearly everything at LongHorn Steakhouse. Over at your local LongHorn location, guests are dining on feasts positively covered in ooey, gooey, savory cheese. Sure, the menu features a few Parmesan Crusted Favorites, but this topping can be enjoyed far beyond those items. If it's on the menu, the crew at LongHorn will gladly smother it in Parmesan crust. 

Of course, one could choose to get extreme with this concept, and order Parmesan-crusted margaritas and desserts ... but I wanted to try options that people would be willing to order on more than just a dare. To sample this delicious topping on numerous dishes, I met with LongHorn Steakhouse Executive Chef Michael Senich at my neighborhood location, where he guided me through a cheesy tasting. 

During the meal, I sampled items from the Parmesan Crusted Favorites menu section, as well as other Parmesan-crusted items that provide a more unique pairing. Throughout the tasting, Senich offered insight and his experiences with LongHorn to provide a very thorough overview of the potential applications for this delicious Parmesan crust. 

Recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by LongHorn Steakhouse.

Before my encounter with the Parmesan crust at LongHorn Steakhouse, I was largely unfamiliar with Parmesan-crusted dishes, aside from having sampled the chicken Parmesan found among the Noodles & Company pasta entrees. Although that was tasty, it's got nothing on the Parmesan Crusted Chicken at LongHorn. As a mainstay of the chain's Parmesan Crusted Favorites, it remains a recurring order for cheese-loving guests. Since this is a long-established dish, if you're feeling shy about adding Parmesan crust to a more experimental menu item, start by ordering this.

Your order will come with grilled chicken breasts that have the Parmesan crust slathered over the top. This is less of a thorough coating and more like a weighted blanket of cheese for your chicken. Each bite is ultra moist, and with the cheese, it's gooey. Depending on your appetite, you'll have two choices for the size of your meal: a 9-ounce serving or a 12-ounce serving. 

For a Parmesan-crusted appetizer that you'll be dreaming about after the last piece is gone, check out the White Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms. Chef Michael Senich explains that this starter begins with huge white button mushrooms, about three inches in size. They get a tossing of seasoning, and are then roasted, grilled, and stuffed with a mix of cheeses. Finally, they get that Parm topping. Is that still not enough cheese for your liking? Worry not — there's a four-cheese sauce spread out beneath the mushrooms, as well.

While LongHorn restaurants were operating on a limited basis during the COVID-19 pandemic, LongHorn management decided to take this mushroom appetizer off the menu, because preparing it is very labor-intensive, according to Senich. However, once the LongHorn dining rooms reopened, customers demanded that the chain bring back these shrooms. "We couldn't reprint the menus fast enough," Senich said. "It was like anarchy." As soon as the ink dried on the new menus, the mushroom appetizer was back — bigger and better than ever, with six mushrooms instead of the five that the dish offered previously. 

The last official item of the Parmesan Crusted Favorites lineup is a tasty spin on spinach dip, which was added to the menu in 2022, according to Michael Senich. While spinach dip is often enhanced with artichokes, LongHorn Steakhouse takes a different approach, instead topping this version of it with Parmesan crust. 

Within the dip, there's a generous amount of spinach and a nice umami flavor, which Senich attributes to the ranch seasoning added to it. For scooping up the dip, an abundance of crispy flatbread pieces are provided on the side. While the dip is enjoyable on its own, it's the Parmesan crust topping that makes it extra special. LongHorn management actually considered offering this dip without Parmesan crust. "We tested two different versions conceptually with our guests," Senich recalls, noting that one version had the Parmesan crust, while the other was bare. "The one with no Parm, nobody wanted it." Honestly, I see why. The cheese simply belongs on this spinach dip. 

Macaroni and cheese is one of those absolutely necessary sides, especially at a steakhouse. The macaroni and cheese at LongHorn Steakhouse comes with smoked bacon mixed in with the pasta and four-cheese sauce. On top, it's coated with Parmesan breadcrumbs. This creates a different kind of Parmesan crust than what you can optionally order to top other dishes.

The Steakhouse Mac & Cheese can be ordered on its own, and it is one of the sides available to accompany a main course. It is considered as a premium side, costing $2.99 more than standard sides like fries, broccoli, mashed potatoes, or a mixed green salad.

Though I recognize that many will enjoy the bacon within this macaroni and cheese, I believe this side dish would be better without it. In all likelihood, this preference has everything to do with the fact that I'm something of a macaroni and cheese purist — but that Parmesan breadcrumb crust is still delicious here. 

Arguably, the dish that landed me in a LongHorn Steakhouse to try a slew of Parmesan-crusted dishes was the Grilled Lamb Chops. According to Michael Senich, a video of a woman eating Parmesan-topped lamb chops at a LongHorn Steakhouse went viral — and this was a factor behind some 30% of LongHorn's lamb chops being ordered with Parmesan crust in 2024. 

The lamb's flavor shines through the Parmesan topping. For those who may be new to the taste of lamb, the Parmesan crust adds a familiar and comforting taste to the meat. Admittedly, these lamb chops are great without the extra cheesy goodness, but the Parmesan crust imparts a decadent taste and feel. Whether you order them with or without cheese, the chops are served with a sauce made with roasted tomatoes, garlic, and herbs.

It was a challenge for Senich to add lamb chops on the menu, as LongHorn's corporate management doubted that this dish would sell well. Through the chef's insistence, it landed on the menu about a decade ago, and remains popular to this day — with or without Parm crust. 

When I think of chicken wings, one word always comes to mind: messy. If you add Parmesan crust to those wings, the whole situation gets a whole lot messier. Is it worth it? Absolutely. Just ask for extra napkins when you order it.

LongHorn's Parmesan crusted wings come baked, then fried, and topped with seasoning. They are accompanied by a blue cheese dressing that is made in-house, and is nearly as fabulous as the wings themselves. Chef Michael Senich told me that this dressing is whipped up with seasoning, buttermilk, mayonnaise, and blue cheese chunks. I must admit that this is one of the funkier and more delicious blue cheese condiments I've tried, certainly not shying away from its signature bite. Though you'll find the Seasoned Smokehouse Wings on the appetizer menu, they would make an excellent main course along with an order of White Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms. That's one crave-worthy meal. 

I'll admit that one of the last things that I imagined enjoying Parmesan crust on was salmon. At LongHorn, you can order your salmon in servings of 7 or 10 ounces. I was served the 10 ounce portion, and I can tell you, that is much more salmon than I've ever seen served at a restaurant. It was truly huge.

After taking one bite, I was completely astounded by just how well that cheese works on top of the fish. According to Michael Senich, it's a nice pairing due to the mixture of the marinade's sweetness and the Parmesan's saltiness. That marinade includes soy sauce, bourbon, garlic powder, and black pepper. These flavors come together to create a sweet (but not too sweet) marinade. It adds some stickiness to the salmon that is enjoyable as well. In much the same way as the Parmesan crust offers some training wheels for those unfamiliar with lamb, the crust also brings familiarity to anyone who has not tried salmon. 

Many people fall in love with chicken tenders and chicken nuggets very early in life, and though it's something of a childhood favorite, my affinity for these breaded delights has continued well into adulthood. I appreciate many of the varied versions offered by different chain restaurants, and the Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders at LongHorn Steakhouse are no exception. These are some of the juiciest chicken tenders I've ever had, and the Parmesan crust takes them to the next level.

I would describe these as something of a mix between a boneless chicken wing and a classic chicken tender. If you're willing to get your fingers a little messy, you can pick them up and eat them, but I resolved to use a fork and knife due to all of that Parmesan topping. Although there was a honey-mustard sauce that came alongside these tenders, I found out that the flavor and moisture from the Parmesan crust was more than enough to satiate my need for something to dip them in. 

When preparing to write this article and pulling together all of the different foods I wanted to try, I was unsure exactly how a cheeseburger would be topped with Parmesan crust. In my mind's eye, I envisioned a whole burger with Parmesan crust coating the bun. I knew this would be messy, and it certainly was, but I'm thrilled to say that LongHorn Steakhouse covers the beef patty in Parmesan crust goodness, rather than the bun itself.

The rest of the burger is pretty basic, if exceptionally juicy. LongHorn's Half-Pound Steakhouse Cheeseburger comes with lettuce, onion, tomato, burger sauce, pickles, and, of course, cheese. With the extra Parmesan crust topping across the patty, you might even say that I tried a double cheeseburger ... with the "double" referring to the cheese, rather than the number of patties. This is one burger you'll definitely need a fork and a knife to get through, so don't wear your best shirt if you're planning to order this. 

One thing is for sure: Steaks at LongHorn Steakhouse are delicious. Among the selection, Flo's Filet — a menu staple since the chain's debut in 1981 — is notably tender and juicy. Add Parmesan cheese and some additional texture to that, and the deliciousness is taken to another level. 

Honestly, this steak surprised me, and part of that might be because of how the meat is prepared. Chef Michael Senich notes that it's a point of pride for LongHorn operations to have the chain's steaks cut by professional butchers, rather than having restaurant employees cut the steaks in-house. This way, LongHorn can ensure that its steaks are cut according to very specific requirements.

You may wonder where the name Flo comes from. I was curious, too. Apparently, Flo is a long-running icon for the LongHorn brand — and quite simply, the steak is named after a LongHorn server who went by Flo. 

Fries make a delicious side for a huge variety of meals. Add cheese to those fries, and they get even better. One of the benefits of enjoying this Parmesan-crusted feast at LongHorn Steakhouse is that I could take a fair amount of food home to my family to enjoy as leftovers. One of my favorite reheated items ended up being the Parmesan-crusted Seasoned French Fries.

These were enjoyable both fresh out of the restaurant's kitchen and reheated in my oven. The richness of the Parmesan crust perfectly accented the restaurant's Prairie Dust seasoning sprinkled on the fries. With all of that Parmesan-crusted goodness on top, this was definitely a side dish requiring a fork. If you want a slightly upscale version of your typical side of fries, I heartily recommend getting Parmesan crust all over LongHorn's Seasoned French Fries. After that, you'll feel deprived when ordering them without this topping. 

I, like so many other carb-craving diners, love to enjoy bread before a meal. In fact, on more than one occasion, I have been known to choose a restaurant specifically because of its complimentary bread offering. Instead of rolls, LongHorn provides diners with entire loaves at each table. The brand behind that delicious LongHorn Steakhouse bread is Epi Breads. 

The bread at LongHorn Steakhouse is perfectly sweet and soft, providing a delightful start for your meal. How could we possibly make it better? With cheese. An ingenious way to enjoy the chain's Parmesan-crust topping is by asking your server to bring it out with the bread. When it comes, the cheese will remind you of thick queso, like what you might get at your favorite Mexican restaurant to enjoy with tortilla chips. But here, the saltiness of the cheese, perfectly paired with molasses in the bread, will forever change this scrumptious appetizer. 

If you are one of those people who loves to eat veggies, but only when they are served with cheese or other toppings, the Parmesan crust topping option at LongHorn Steakhouse is simply a dream come true. While I personally enjoy vegetables in a variety of different forms, and sometimes create whole meals entirely out of veggie sides, even I must say that LongHorn's Fresh Steamed Asparagus side dish is made all the better when it's laden with Parmesan crust.

Without the Parmesan crust, this asparagus dish is still presented with a seasoned lemon sauce on top, which gives these tender spears a pleasantly acidic enhancement. However, when the Parmesan crust is added, you may forget that you're eating a veggie dish entirely. It's a wonderful way to disguise a portion of vegetables if you happen to have a cheese-loving kid who is adamantly opposed to green foods. 

Chef Michael Senich told me how LongHorn Steakhouse makes its popular Loaded Baked Potato side dish. First the kitchen team roasts an oversized potato for around an hour, before finishing it with a light coating of sea salt. The Loaded Baked Potato comes with sour cream, butter, green onions, aged cheddar, and applewood-smoked bacon. Of course, to top all of that off, you can also add Parmesan crust for an extremely loaded spud.

The thing I was impressed with more than anything else about this baked potato is just how large it was. In fact, when enjoying leftovers from this meal following my LongHorn visit, the remainder of this baked potato alone sufficed for a nice lunch. As a side to a major protein, the potato might be a little too much — but as long as you're willing to take leftovers home, order this Loaded Baked Potato with Parmesan crust. 

I absolutely love mashed potatoes — so when I report that my very first bite of the whole LongHorn Steakhouse tasting session was from the Mashed Potatoes side dish with Parmesan crust on top, that's coverage you can count on. The Parmesan crust added a nice textural diversion from the creaminess of the potatoes, and I really liked how the cheese was layered all across the surface of this comforting side.

Chef Michael Senich said that LongHorn Steakhouse uses russets for its mashed potatoes, and that black pepper is added throughout the mash to add extra flavor. Next time I visit LongHorn Steakhouse, this will definitely be one of my orders, regardless of what I choose for my main course. These are the mashed potatoes that spud lovers swoon over. While the macaroni and cheese at LongHorn Steakhouse has a lot of extras, the mashed potatoes offer delicious simplicity that layers well with the Parm topping. 

Once upon a time, before I learned that I love broccoli, my parents would serve cheese on top of broccoli and cauliflower side dishes. I absolutely loved these veggies served this way, and eventually, I could leave the cheesy training wheels behind. However, it's always nice to revisit fond memories, and that's exactly what LongHorn's Fresh Steamed Broccoli with Parmesan topping tasted like: returning to something I loved as a kid.

I still enjoy broccoli with only salt and pepper, of course, but when there's a Parmesan crust available, why resist? I love this as a side to a heavier course, and I can even imagine this replacing fries beside a burger. I also like the idea of having Parmesan-crusted broccoli as a side for a meat course without Parmesan, just to enjoy a little extra flavor on your side dish without needing to drench the whole plate in Parmesan-crust topping ... if you insist on exercising restraint. 

While LongHorn does have steamed veggies for side dishes, it also offers the Crispy Brussels Sprouts. Instead of being simply seasoned with a little salt and pepper, they are flavored with smoky honey butter. When I requested that we give these a try with Parmesan crust, thinking that this would be another simple trick for better Brussels sprouts, Michael Senich flatly stated that the flavors wouldn't work well together. I still insisted that we give this a try ... and he was absolutely right.

All on their own, these Crispy Brussels Sprouts need absolutely no help. They are delicious, with a sweet and savory flavor that doesn't need cheese. With the Parmesan crust on top, they still taste fine, but they just don't need the addition to be great. Simply put: You can add Parmesan crust to these if you want, but I wouldn't recommend it, because they are better without it. Trust me — I was surprised, too.