If you eat vegetarian, it can be a challenge dining at most chain restaurants. Applebee’s is no exception. Although this restaurant may not be your first choice for vegetarian fare, there are some meatless choices available, although they’re somewhat limited. Here are some vegetarian selections to consider when you eat at Applebees:
Appetizers
The spinach and artichoke dip at Applebee’s is nice vegetarian starter although it wouldn’t be acceptable if you’re following a vegan diet since it contains parmesan and asiago cheeses. If you don’t mind eating a little less healthy, they offer deep fried onion rings and fried mozzarella sticks. Although Applebee’s reportedly uses vegetable oil for frying they do use the same surface for cooking both meat and vegetables. If this concerns you, it’s best to inquire about this before ordering.
Salads
Applebee Restaurant has several entrée salads if you eat vegetarian but, unfortunately, they all contain some form of meat ranging from chicken to shrimp with the exception of the house and Caesar salads. You may be able to have them prepare an entrée salad for you without the meat upon special request. Vegetarian salad dressings include fat free honey mustard and reduced calorie Italian, although this may vary by location. One positive aspect of the salad selection offered here is you can choose a half size or a full size salad portion based on your appetite. Unfortunately, they don’t have a salad bar like Ruby Tuesday.
Entrees
Entrees designed for those who eat vegetarian are nonexistent here. Even their pasta dishes all have some form of meat. If you’re not vegan and don’t mind eating cheese, you may be able to have the cook prepare one of their pasta dishes without meat. Otherwise, your best choice will be side items.
Side items
Even though it’s not listed on the menu, most Applebee’s Restaurants can prepare a bowl of steamed vegetables or steamed broccoli for you. They also offer baked and mashed potatoes although they generally come topped with bacon. Simply ask them to hold the bacon. Unfortunately, this isn’t a suitable option for a vegan because of the sour cream and cheeses. You may want to inquire about the soup of the day which varies. Most of their soups contain meat stock with the possible exception of their vegetable soup.
As you can see, eating vegetarian at Applebee’s Restaurant can be a challenge. Your best option if you eat vegetarian may be to order a house salad and a side of steamed vegetables and mashed potatoes. A veggie burger or salad bar would be a nice addition to the menu and would certainly make life easier for the vegetarians of the world.
