Onion Appetizer Showdown: Texas Roadhouse Vs Outback Steakhouse

Texas Roadhouse's Cactus Blossom looks a whole lot like Outback Steakhouse's Bloomin' Onion. I mean, they are essentially the same thing, right? Well, kind of. Obviously they have a lot in common, including being tasty, but have you ever wondered what sets them apart? I know I sure have. Aside from Outback Steakhouse being the originator of this unique style of deep-fried onion dish, there are quite a few differences when you get into the nitty-gritty details of each establishment's popular starter. That being said, we really just want to know which onion appetizer comes out on top in a classic showdown. Is it the Cactus Blossom or the Bloomin' Onion? It's time to put the debate to rest.

I went to Texas Roadhouse and Outback Steakhouse and tried both of their signature onion appetizers to determine a winner once and for all. In the end, only one could take home the gold, so I ranked them based on flavor, texture, and more. You'll find a closer look at my methodology at the end, but for now, let's find out which onion appetizer earned bragging rights and which one simply didn't measure up to the competition.

While the flavor of both the Bloomin' Onion and the Cactus Blossom was on point, Texas Roadhouse's version of the dish had a slight edge. Each appetizer obviously has a nice tang and sweetness derived from the onion itself. However, I found that the flavors mixed into the batter were more potent in the Cactus Blossom.

With both dishes, I detected a hint of paprika, black pepper, and of course, salt — coming together beautifully to provide a drool-worthy flavor overall. Even so, with the Cactus Blossom I also picked up on a hint of smoke, and as noted, there was just more of the flavorful seasoning mixed in. Don't get me wrong. Each onion appetizer is undeniably a flavor powerhouse, but the complexity and depth of the Cactus Blossom beat the Bloomin' Onion fair and square.

The Bloomin' Onion certainly isn't considered one of the 10 Outback Steakhouse menu items you should avoid ordering, but it didn't have enough flavor to surpass the Cactus Blossom in this round. Let's see if it can make a comeback.

In addition to flavor, deep-fried onion appetizers are all about texture. The batter has to be applied and fried perfectly to get the dish right, and while neither Texas Roadhouse nor Outback Steakhouse fails, the Bloomin' Onion takes texture to new heights. Like, really. I didn't even know batter could be that crispy and airy at the same time.

Whether you're talking about the Bloomin' Onion or the Cactus Blossom, the texture of each carefully crafted appetizer is nothing to scoff at. I mean, they both feature deliciously thin onion petals coated in ultra-crispy fried batter — yum! However, the batter on the Cactus Blossom was thicker and denser than the Bloomin' Onion. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, it kind of steals the show from the onion inside. Outback knows better though. I'm not sure if it's the result of a double batter or some kind of magical deep-frying process, but the cooks behind the scenes have perfected the art of creating a crispy, light batter that complements the onion petals to perfection. The onions were a touch thicker too.

Admittedly, the Cactus Blossom did excel at consistency. From the exterior petals to the center, the texture was spot-on. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for the Bloomin' Onion. Once I reached the bottom petals in the center, the pieces became increasingly greasy and soft. Even so, I won't hold that against them. You shouldn't either.

Whether you are dining at Texas Roadhouse or Outback Steakhouse, the onion appetizer comes with a large ramekin of seasoned aioli (aka more flavorful mayo). While the onions are tasty enough to be enjoyed solo, the sauce takes the dish over the top. Plus, who doesn't like a good sauce? At first glance, it's hard to tell the two sauces apart. In fact, even after the first taste, the differences were not very pronounced. However, this is another area where Texas Roadhouse comes out on top, even if it's just barely.

The main reason I especially enjoyed Texas Roadhouse's onion appetizer dipping sauce was because it had more of a kick. Translation: I picked up on more horseradish and Cajun seasoning than I did when tasting Outback Steakhouse's. The flavor was bolder and spicier, two qualities I love. If spicy isn't your thing, you might prefer Outback's sauce more, but really the difference is marginal at best. When Texas Roadhouse decided to make a copycat recipe of the Bloomin' Onion, its research was thorough and it executed the sauce perfectly for my tastes.

One area where you see a world of difference between Texas Roadhouse's Cactus Blossom and Outback Steakhouse's Bloomin' Onion is portion size. If you were to place them side by side, the Cactus Blossom would look quite puny. Seriously, I'm not exaggerating. The Bloomin' Onion was at least twice as big as the Cactus Blossom. Texas Roadhouse used what felt like a regular medium to large-sized onion to make its appetizer, so it wasn't actually all that small. Still, Outback Steakhouse must use some kind of giant onions, because I sure don't buy them like that from the store. It was huge by comparison.

At the locations I visited the Cactus Blossom costs $8.49 plus tax and the Bloomin' Onion costs $12.49 plus tax, so Texas Roadhouse sells its onion appetizer for less. Even so, when you consider the massive difference in portion size, I'd say you still get more bang for your buck at Outback Steakhouse. Plus, thanks to the bigger serving size, it's perfect for sharing with a group.

On my taste-testing adventure to determine which steakhouse has the best onion appetizer, I went to Texas Roadhouse first. When my Cactus Blossom arrived at the table I thought it looked good. However, when I saw the Bloomin' Onion, I was really impressed — Outback Steakhouse really dialed it in regarding presentation.

The Cactus Blossom was plated on a white bowl with a large ramekin of dipping sauce in the center. So, pretty basic to say the least. The Bloomin' Onion, on the other hand, was served on an elevated wooden platform and it looked like a showstopper. It isn't your typical edible flower, but it sure does resemble a giant bloom the way Outback plates it.

To be fair, both renditions of the dish are impressive, but Outback went all out regarding plateware, and the larger size gives it instant visual appeal. It doesn't change the flavor or anything, but a great dish draws you in before you even get a taste, and that's exactly what the Bloomin' Onion does. If I were to base the onion appetizer showdown on visual presentation alone, this wouldn't even be a competition.

Outback Steakhouse and Texas Roadhouse both put up a good fight in my onion appetizer showdown, and honestly, they were neck and neck for most of the competition. When it came down to it though, there was no doubt in my mind that the winner would be none other than Outback Steakhouse's Bloomin' Onion.

Sometimes, the inventor of a recipe does it best. Other times, new cooks come in and upgrade it in ways that make it better than before. That is not the case here. Texas Roadhouse's Cactus Blossom is by no means a cheap knock-off — it's definitely tasty by any standards. Still, the original Bloomin' Onion had it beat. Thanks to the perfectly crispy batter and delicious cut of the onion, the texture is second to none. The presentation blows Texas Roadhouse's out of the water and you get way more of it to enjoy as well. The Cactus Blossom's batter and accompanying sauce may have slightly more flavor, but not by much. Plus, when it comes to a drool-worthy deep-fried onion appetizer, texture reigns supreme in my book.

Next time you go to Outback Steakhouse for one of the tasty steaks, make sure to order a Bloomin' Onion too. Not only is it the establishment that started the craze, but, as it turns out, it does it best!

As a seasoned food writer, I knew the best — and dare I say, only — real way to determine a winner in a Texas Roadhouse vs. Outback Steakhouse onion appetizer showdown was to try them both — so that's what I did.

Initially, I thought the Bloomin' Onion and Cactus Blossom would be quite similar, but man was I wrong. Everything from the taste to the texture to the portion size and beyond was different. After evaluating those characteristics plus price, portion size, and presentation, the winner of this old-school steakhouse showdown quickly became apparent.

Spoiler alert (in case you skipped ahead to read my methodology before reading the final verdict above): In the end, the Cactus Blossom wasn't able to surpass the famed Bloomin' Onion, but it's still one of Texas Roadhouse's best appetizers, so there's no need to write it off entirely. I probably wouldn't order one if I recently enjoyed a Bloomin' Onion though.