Ordering at a steakhouse does not automatically mean choosing the biggest steak, fries and a heavy side. LongHorn Steakhouse has several menu items that can fit a lighter meal, including sirloin, filet, salmon, grilled shrimp, chicken, salads and vegetable sides.

The easiest way to make a more informed order is to look at the entree and side separately. A 320-calorie steak can turn into a much larger meal once fries, bread, sauce, salad dressing and a sweetened drink are added.

LongHorn publishes nutrition information for its menu and links its Nutrition & Allergen Guide from its official nutrition page. The downloadable guide currently linked by the restaurant says its information is valid as of June 10, 2024. LongHorn also notes that recipes, ingredients, preparation and restaurant availability can change, so the figures below are best used as a planning guide rather than as a guarantee of exactly what will be served.

Quick look at some lower-calorie LongHorn choices

Some of the most useful options are surprisingly straightforward. According to LongHorn’s published nutrition guide, an 8-count Redrock Grilled Shrimp order is listed at 160 calories before rice and garlic butter. A 7-ounce LongHorn Salmon is 300 calories before rice. The 6-ounce Renegade Sirloin is 320 calories, while the 6-ounce Flo’s Filet is 330 calories. Lemon Garlic Chicken is listed at 330 calories for the 9-ounce portion.

That gives diners more flexibility than simply searching for the lowest-calorie salad.

These figures describe the listed item itself. Side dishes, sauces and other additions need to be counted separately.

A 6-ounce sirloin is one of the easiest meals to build around

The 6-ounce Renegade Sirloin is listed at 320 calories with 36 grams of protein. Pair it with Fresh Steamed Broccoli, which the guide lists at 90 calories, and the two items total about 410 calories before bread, drinks, additional toppings or sauces.

The 8-ounce sirloin is another practical choice. It has 390 calories and 51 grams of protein. With broccoli, that comes to roughly 480 calories.

This is a good example of why looking at the entire plate matters. The same steak paired with Seasoned French Fries adds another 500 calories instead of 90. The steak has not changed, but the meal has.

Flo’s Filet can also fit a lighter order

Flo’s Filet may sound like a richer choice, but portion size changes the picture. The 6-ounce Flo’s Filet is listed at 330 calories with 37 grams of protein. Pairing it with Fresh Steamed Asparagus adds 130 calories, producing a steak-and-vegetable combination of about 460 calories.

The 9-ounce filet is listed at 450 calories and 56 grams of protein. With steamed broccoli, the total is approximately 540 calories before extras.

LongHorn describes Flo’s Filet as a center-cut filet and says its steaks are fresh rather than frozen. For diners who want steak but do not need a very large portion, a smaller filet or sirloin can make more sense than trying to compensate for a 20-ounce steak by cutting food elsewhere in the meal.

Salmon gives you another option besides beef

The 7-ounce LongHorn Salmon is listed at 300 calories and 33 grams of protein before its separately listed rice accompaniment. Pair the salmon itself with the 90-calorie steamed broccoli and the two items add up to roughly 390 calories.

The 10-ounce salmon is listed at 430 calories with 47 grams of protein. That gives people who want a larger serving another option without moving into the calorie range of some of the restaurant’s biggest steaks.

The important detail is that rice is listed separately in LongHorn’s guide. Seasoned Rice Pilaf adds 230 calories. If you order salmon with rice, count the rice rather than treating the salmon’s listed number as the whole plate.

Chicken can be light or heavy depending on the preparation

Lemon Garlic Chicken is listed at 330 calories for the 9-ounce portion and 420 calories for the 12-ounce portion. Blackened Chicken is listed at 420 calories for 9 ounces.

By comparison, the 9-ounce Parmesan Crusted Chicken is listed at 650 calories, while the 12-ounce version rises to 1,120 calories. Preparation and toppings therefore matter almost as much as the underlying protein.

A 9-ounce Lemon Garlic Chicken with steamed broccoli works out to roughly 420 calories using LongHorn’s published figures. Blackened Chicken with broccoli comes to roughly 510. That still leaves room for diners to decide whether they want bread, another side or dessert instead of spending most of the meal’s calories on the entree.

Do not overlook the salads

A restaurant salad is not automatically the lowest-calorie item on the menu, but LongHorn has several that compare well with larger steakhouse entrees.

The 7-Pepper Sirloin Salad is listed at 490 calories with 45 grams of protein. The Grilled Chicken & Strawberry Salad with vinaigrette is 530 calories with 43 grams of protein. Farm Fresh Field Greens with Salmon is also listed at 530 calories and 43 grams of protein.

At lunch, the numbers can be considerably lower. LongHorn’s guide lists the Grilled Chicken & Strawberry Lunch Salad with vinaigrette at 280 calories and the 7-Pepper Sirloin Lunch Salad at 250 calories. Availability can vary, so check the menu for the restaurant you plan to visit.

The side dish can change the meal more than you expect

LongHorn’s side menu ranges from steamed vegetables to mac and cheese and loaded potatoes. Fresh Steamed Broccoli is listed at 90 calories. Fresh Steamed Asparagus is 130, Fire-Grilled Corn on the Cob is 200, Seasoned Rice Pilaf is 230 and a plain sweet potato is 240.

At the other end, Seasoned French Fries are listed at 500 calories and Steakhouse Mac & Cheese at 610.

This does not mean one side is “good” and another is “bad.” It means the side should be counted as part of the meal rather than as an afterthought. A 6-ounce sirloin with broccoli is about 410 calories using the published numbers. Switching the broccoli to mac and cheese raises the combination to about 930 calories.

Pay attention to sauces, butter and toppings

Small additions can be surprisingly significant. LongHorn lists garlic butter for its grilled shrimp at 230 calories. A 1.5-ounce serving of ranch dressing is also listed at 230 calories. A 1.5-ounce raspberry vinaigrette, on the other hand, is listed at 60 calories.

The Parmesan Cheese Crust steak addition is listed at 390 calories. Grilled mushrooms are 150, while the grilled shrimp steak addition itself is listed at 80 calories before rice and garlic butter. If you are counting calories, asking for sauce or dressing on the side makes the serving easier to control.

Bread and drinks count too

LongHorn’s Honey Wheat Bread is listed at 480 calories for a full loaf, with another 120 calories for the listed butter addition.

For drinks, unsweetened tea, coffee, bottled water and the listed zero-sugar sodas contain little or no energy in the nutrition guide, while sweet tea, lemonade, cocktails and other sweetened drinks add more. This is why a 400 to 500 calorie entree-and-side combination should not automatically be described as a 400 to 500 calorie restaurant visit.

What about protein?

If protein is the main thing you are comparing, steak is not the only option. Lemon Garlic Chicken has 53 grams of protein in the listed 9-ounce serving. Flo’s Filet has 37 grams in the 6-ounce portion and 56 grams in the 9-ounce portion. The 8-ounce Renegade Sirloin has 51 grams, while Redrock Grilled Shrimp provides 30 grams in the listed 8-count serving.

Some of the restaurant’s much larger steaks contain far more protein, but they also come with far more calories, saturated fat or sodium. Protein is most useful when considered alongside portion size and the rest of the meal.

What to check if you have food allergies

Calories are only one part of menu planning. LongHorn maintains a separate allergen guide and says restaurant food is made to order, which means cross-contact can occur during preparation and cooking. The company advises guests with food allergies to tell their server.

Anyone with a significant food allergy should use the restaurant’s current official nutrition and allergen information rather than relying on a third-party menu website as the final safety source.

A simple way to order

If you want to keep the meal lighter without turning dinner into a spreadsheet, start with the protein and then choose the side.

A sirloin, filet, salmon, grilled shrimp or grilled chicken entree paired with broccoli or asparagus gives you an easy baseline. From there, decide which extras are actually worth adding.

That is usually more practical than choosing a meal because it sounds healthy and discovering later that the dressing, fries, butter and drink added more calories than the entree.

LongHorn’s website also says menu prices can vary by location, so check your nearest restaurant when comparing both nutrition and cost.

Frequently asked questions

What is one of the lowest-calorie steaks at LongHorn Steakhouse?

Among the steaks listed in LongHorn’s nutrition guide, the 6-ounce Renegade Sirloin is 320 calories. The 6-ounce Flo’s Filet is close at 330 calories.

How many calories are in LongHorn Steakhouse broccoli?

Fresh Steamed Broccoli is listed at 90 calories.

How many calories are in a 6-ounce Flo’s Filet?

LongHorn lists the 6-ounce Flo’s Filet at 330 calories with 37 grams of protein.

Is LongHorn Salmon a lower-calorie choice?

The 7-ounce salmon itself is listed at 300 calories. Rice and any other sides or additions need to be counted separately.

Does LongHorn provide allergen information?

Yes. LongHorn links a Nutrition & Allergen Guide from its official nutrition page and advises guests with food allergies to notify their server because cross-contact can occur.