Make it Quicker & Easier

• Mushrooms & Onions – Roadhouse actually makes them separately but they’re prepared much the same way – so adding them together saves a lot of time!
• Steak – they grill their steak tips because – duh – but at home – it’s work to get the grill ready when they cook so quickly!!! You can use a grill pan or air fryer separately – or just use the skillet like I did. They cook in 2 minutes – LITERALLY TWO MINUTES!!!
• Gravy – ok – if you’re really in a pinch – use a jarred gravy – but really it takes less than five minutes and has such a rich flavor when you make it yourself!

How to make Texas Roadhouse Beef Tips

1. Mushrooms & Onions – mix together your seasonings first. Then we’ll add butter and olive oil to a large deep dish skillet (or Dutch Oven). Once melted, add the mushrooms & onions and seasoning. Saute then remove from pan and set aside.
2. Steak – season your steak bites and make sure all sides are coated well. Add butter to the same skillet and then the steak. These only need to cook for a couple of minutes and they’re medium rare! Remove steak and set aside.
   • TIP: I really recommend Medium Rare for sirloin – any more and it will be too tough to eat!
3. Gravy – now we’ve got all that good stuff in the bottom of the pan which makes it perfect for the gravy! Add butter to the pan and – once it melts – whisk in a little flour to make a roux. Then add water, Worcestershire and Bouillon (or use beef broth instead of water & bouillon) and let it simmer and thicken into a delicious gravy!
4. Serve – to do it like Texas Roadhouse, plate your mushrooms & onions, top with the steak and drizzle the gravy over the top of everything. You can add a dollop of sour cream and serve with a side of mashed potatoes or Texas Roadhouse Seasoned Rice!

Tips Tricks & FAQs

More Texas Roadhouse Recipes

• Texas Roadhouse Baked Potatoes
• Texas Roadhouse Green Beans
• Texas Roadhouse Honey Butter

More Steak Recipes

• Reverse Sear Cowboy Steak
• Air Fryer Ribeye
• Traeger Flank Steak

Cincinnati Chili Ingredients

Cincinnati Chili is very runny and not chunky – it’s like the OPPOSITE of Wendy’s Chili. This chili is all about the spices – it’s a Greek recipe – with it’s own secret ingredient – that our city loves with all it’s heart. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Ground Beef
• Water
• Seasonings: (get ready!!) – Cinnamon, Cocoa Powder, Cumin, Minced Onion, Onion Powder, Minced Garlic, Chili Powder, Black Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes, Salt, Allspice, Bay Leaf
• Sauces: Worcestershire Sauce, Tomato Paste, Apple Cider Vinegar, Liquid Smoke

How do you eat Cincinnati Chili? 

If you’ve ever met someone from Cincinnati or even eaten the chili for the first time – I DARE you to twirl those noodles! There’s a specific way to eat it and certain things you need – let’s get you up to speed:

• Spaghetti – yup – we put it on spaghetti! So it’s spaghetti topped with chili – like you would a meat sauce – and then top it with 2-3 inches of finely shredded mild cheddar cheese. This is called a THREE WAY. And when you eat it – you CUT it with a fork – don’t twirl. I don’t know why – but it tastes different!
  • 4-Way or 5-Way – you can add drained kidney beans or diced white onion
• Coney – get yourself a cheap hot dog, put mustard on the bun, then hot dog, chili, white onion and loads of the same cheddar cheese
• Burrito – Spoon that chili into a burrito and add onions, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomato
• Dip – Skyline Dip is a big thing here – layer cream cheese, chili and cheese – then bake it!
• Sliders – Chili Cheese Coney Sliders are my creation – take everything you love on a cheese coney and put it on slider buns – then bake them! This is a perfect Bengals party food!
• Baked Potato – Spoon it over a baked potato with cheese and onions
• Toppings: Kidney Beans, Diced White Onion, Hot Sauce, Oyster Crackers

How do you make Cincinnati Chili recipe from scratch? 

There are lots of ways to make Cincinnati Chili. You can buy a Cincinnati Chili Mix in the store, you can buy Skyline Chili or Gold Star Chili at Walmart online – or use my recipe for Cincinnati Chili from scratch!

• Crumble the ground beef into your water – yeah – I swear.
• Add your seasonings.
• Mash and break up the hamburger and stir it all together.
• Simmer it for a couple of hours and keep the mashing up every 30 minutes or so.
• The chili will turn from red to brown and is done!

Cincinnati Recipes

If you’ve moved from Cincinnati, you probably miss these delicious Cincinnati favorites!

• Cincinnati Chili Cheese Coney Sliders
• Vegetarian Cincinnati Chili
• Frisch’s Tartar Sauce
• Frisch’s Chili (not Cincinnati style – this is a traditional chili)
• Frisch’s Big Boy Pizza
• Gold Star Chili Garlic Parmesan Fries

Tips & Tricks for Chili Cheese Sliders

These are super simple to make but here’s a few ways to make them a little easier and better!

• Messy – anything involving chili can get a little messy because Cincinnati chili is fairly runny – I recommend not putting on too much chili. A 10 oz can (1.25 cups) is good – more isn’t better in this case – they just get sloppier.
  • The same goes for if you’re using your own chili – you want it as “dry” as possible so it all doesn’t get soggy.
• Mustard – Woeber’s Mustard has so many options – have fun with this. Yellow mustard is fine but the Sweet & Spicy (available at Kroger and Amazon) really added a lot of flavor but didn’t overpower the chili.
• Reheating – I highly recommend reheating leftovers in the oven or air fryer. Slider buns are so soft – they’ll get too hot and lose their fluffy texture in the microwave.
• Extra Toppings – you could add kidney beans or jalapenos to the sliders as well!

How to make Chili Cheese Coney Sliders

These are so simple to make and the kids can even help get ready for game day! It’s just simple layers and there’s usually a hot dog leftover for the kids (or the dog)! Here’s how to make the sliders:

1. SLICE your Hawaiian rolls in half and set the top aside. Place bottom buns in a sprayed baking dish.
   • I used a sheet pan just because its easier to take pics – I would recommend a pan with sides that holds it together a little better.
2. SPREAD mustard over buns
3. SLICE hot dogs in half vertically & horizontally and lay out over the slider buns. You’ll need 6-7 hot dogs.
4. POUR chili over top of hot dogs
5. SPRINKLE onions over top of chili
6. COVER onions with cheese and tops of slider buns
7. MELT butter and stir in mustard. Brush tops of the rolls with melted butter mixture.
8. COVER with foil and bake for 25 minutes at 350º. Remove foil and bake 3 more minutes until tops are golden brown.

More Cincinnati Recipes

• Cincinnati Chili
• Skyline Chili Cheese Dip
• Frisch’s Tartar Sauce

More Game Day Recipes

• Pulled Pork Dip
• Maid Rite Sliders
• Hawaiian Pulled Pork Sliders

How to make Road Kill from Texas Roadhouse

This copycat recipe for “Road Kill” is really simple – make up some burgers and top with sauteed mushrooms and onions. Here are the details to a delicious hamburger steak dinner with basic ingredients.

1. MIX together your chopped steak ingredients and make two patties. These are 1/2 lb patties so you could serve 4 or just double the recipe.
   • I used milk & bread for a binder to help the chopped steak stay together. You could also use an egg.
   • I used ground sirloin, but ground chuck works as well. I like using 85/15.
2. SEAR beef patties in cast iron skillet and then transfer to oven for 15 min
3. SAUTE onions & mushrooms
4. TOP burgers with onions, mushrooms and shredded cheese
5. BAKE a few minutes until cheese melts and serve!

What to serve with Texas Roadhouse RoadKill recipe?

There’s already vegetables but we can always use more – and I’ve got lots of delicious options straight from the Texas Roadhouse menu to go with this recipe!

• Veggies – yes – there are mushrooms & onions but why not add some Texas Roadhouse Green Beans to the plate?
• Carbs – you choose how you eat them but I like the Texas Roadhouse Rice or the Baked Potato
• Salad – the side salad is a staple of a Texas Roadhouse meal
• Rolls – don’t forget to make rolls and some of the Texas Roadhouse Butter

More Steakhouse Side Dish Recipes

• Red Robin Garlic Parmesan Fries
• Longhorn Steakhouse Broccoli
• Outback Steakhouse Baked Potato Soup

More Texas Roadhouse Recipes

• Texas Roadhouse Portabello Chicken
• Texas Roadhouse Salmon
• Texas Roadhouse Steak

Tips & Tricks for Spicy 3 Meat Sauce

What I like about making this sauce is that you can customize the sauce to your liking! Here are some ideas:

• Mild Spice Level – just like a little spice? Add red pepper flakes
• Super Spicy – add more red pepper flakes and use a spicy Italian sausage
• Semi-Homemade – use a jarred marinara sauce like Rao’s and then add the meats to it
• Veggies – if you like more veggies – add bell pepper, carrots and mushrooms when you’re sautéing the onion.

How to make Olive Garden Spicy 3 Meat Sauce

This sauce is easy to make and goes together quickly. You can have it on the table in just 30 minutes! Saute the meats & veggies and then add tomatoes and seasonings – that’s it!

1. SAUTE – Heat oil in large skillet or Dutch oven and saute onions, pepper & garlic.
2. MEAT – Add ground beef and sausage and cook 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add in pepperoni and stir to combine.
3. DEGLAZE – Deglaze pan with wine and reduce until liquid is nearly gone.
4. TOMATOES – Add tomatoes and herbs and stir.
5. SIMMER – Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add red pepper flakes
6. SERVE – over bucatini (or your favorite pasta)

More Olive Garden Sauce Recipes

• Olive Garden 5 Cheese Marinara
• Olive Garden Fettuccini Alfredo
• Olive Garden Garlic Herb Sauce

Side Dish Recipes for Pasta

• Little Caesars Italian Cheese Bread
• Olive Garden House Salad
• Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli

How to make Olive Garden Meatballs

Meatballs aren’t difficult to make but you do need to be delicate with them. Overmixing will make them tough like a meat rock! Here’s how to make them perfectly:

1. In a small bowl, stir together breadcrumbs and milk.
2. In a large bowl, add ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumb mixture, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic and egg. Gently mix with your hands just until combined. Be sure to break up the breadcrumb mixture. Do not over mix.
3. Cover and refrigerate meatball mixture for at least 30 minutes. This helps the flavors meld together.
4. Remove meat mixture from refrigerator. Lightly oil or dampen your hands with water and delicately form 2” meatballs and set on parchment paper lined baking sheet. 
5. Place baking sheet with meatballs in the refrigerator for another 10 minutes. This gives the fat in the meat time to solidify so they hold their shape.
6. Preheat the oven to 425°F
7. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until the meatballs are 165º internal temperature. Serve over pasta with Olive Garden marinara and breadsticks (of course).

Ways to Use Leftover Meatballs

I’m a big fan of meatballs – but you’re short-changing yourself if you just have them on spaghetti! Here are more ideas for meatballs!

• Wraps – make yourself an Italian wrap and add spinach, mozzarella and your meatballs!
• Sandwich – make a Greek meatball sandwich by adding feta, cucumber, dill and Greek yogurt
• Lasagna Roll Ups – for a quick air fryer meal – make lasagna roll ups and add slices of meatball
• Side Dish – they’re delicious on their own! Top with a little sauce and cheese and broil for a few minutes for a delicious appetizer.

More Olive Garden Recipes

• Olive Garden Salad
• Olive Garden Meat Sauce
• Best Recipes from Olive Garden

Quick Tips for Making Texas Roadhouse Chili

• Ground Chuck – Don’t go lean on this one and the 80/20 beef is what you need.
• Smoked Paprika – Be sure to get the SMOKED paprika! Richer flavor!
• Next Day – Great for leftovers once the flavors have a chance to meld!

Recipe Variations

Chili can mean different things to different people – just ask Texas and Cincinnati! This Texas Roadhouse Copycat Chili Recipe is as close as you’ll get to the restaurant dish in your home – but you can take some liberties based on your family’s tastes!

• Beans – this Texas chili recipe does NOT have beans! But if you like them – add them! – red kidney beans are the most common but you could also use pinto beans.
• Spicier – I went mild using regular chili powder but add stronger chili powders, hotter peppers or red pepper flakes if you like it spicier
• Instant Pot or Slow Cooker – you could also make in the IP or the crock pot.
• Protein – Swap chuck for lean ground beef, ground turkey or beef stew meat.
• Juicier – this is a fairly thick chili – if you want to loosen it up – add a little beef broth

How to make Copycat Texas Roadhouse Chili Recipe

This is such an easy recipe – and it’s all in one pot! Let’s get started:

1. Pour olive oil into a dutch oven or large pot on medium high heat.
2. Add ground chuck, onion, jalapeños and garlic into the pot and brown until pink is nearly gone – about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess oil from the pan.
3. Lower temp and add chili powder, cumin, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, brown sugar, vinegar and tomatoes. Mix well and crush tomatoes and meat to a fine texture. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. In a small mason jar, whisk corn starch into 1/4 cup water. Pour corn starch mixture into the pot and stir. Cook for 10 more minutes so the chili will thicken.
5. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese, diced red onion, avocado slices and crackers.

Tips, Tricks & FAQs

More Chili Recipes

• Healthy White Chicken Chili
• Steak ‘n Shake Chili
• Traeger Over The Top Chili
• Panera Turkey Chili
• Copycat Cincinnati Chili

Best Side Dishes to serve with Chili

• Easy Egg-Free Cornbread
• TikTok Cinnamon Rolls
• Smoked Cornbread
• Mary Mac Cinnamon Rolls

More Texas Roadhouse Recipes

• Texas Roadhouse Butter
• Smothered Chicken
• Roadhouse Grilled Shrimp
• Texas Roadhouse Green Beans
• Portobello Mushroom Chicken
• Texas Roadhouse Steak Seasoning

Olive Garden Meat Sauce Ingredients

The meat sauce is comparable to an Italian ragu or bolognese – which I found out – are the same thing. They just call it different things in different regions. In contrast to their marinara sauce, which is lighter and slightly sweet, the meat sauce has red wine, beef and pork.

All the usual suspects with a couple of add-ons that make it Olive Garden perfection:

• Onion, Celery & Carrot – the trifecta of yum when it comes to veggies!
• Garlic, Rosemary, Sage – the touch of sage adds so much! These aren’t the usual “Italian seasonings” but trust me – they’re perfect!
• Salt and Olive Oil – every recipe’s ingredients – right?!
• Ground Beef & Italian Sausage – gotta have the combo – it’s what they use!
• Crushed tomatoes – a big can and get a good brand – they’re the star!
• Red wine – I’m not a wine drinker – so I buy the little individual bottles and use one of those!

How do you make meat sauce?

This Olive Garden Meat Sauce is perfect over spaghetti or even linguine. Cook and drain your pasta while the sauce simmers for an easy dinner! (Don’t miss out on the Marinara sauce either!)

• Get out your Dutch oven! Start with olive oil and add your celery, onion, carrot and garlic. Saute until tender for 5 minutes.
• Add meats – brown ground beef and sausage until pink is gone
• Deglaze the pan by adding the red wine and cook until the liquid is reduced and mostly gone
• Add tomatoes, rosemary, sage and salt and stir the sauce mixture
• Simmer for an hour on the stovetop and serve over spaghetti noodles!

Tips, Tricks & FAQs

What to serve with Olive Garden Spaghetti & Meat Sauce

I had dinner all laid out and man I’m not sure who was drooling more – me or
the dogs!!?!! Salad, fresh Romano cheese to grate on top – a little sprig of
fresh basil and a big bowl of spaghetti – I was ready! 

• Olive Garden Salad
• Air Fryer Garlic Bread
• Air Fryer Oreo Cheesecake

Other Olive Garden Recipe Favorites

• Giant Stuffed Shells
• Fettuccini Alfredo
• 5 Cheese Marinara
• Stuffed Ziti Fritta
• Pasta Fagioli
• Spicy 3-Meat Sauce
• 5 Cheese Ziti Al Forno

How to make Shredded Beef

You can use pre-made shredded beef or even make this ahead of time and use the leftovers for sliders. I made a 3 lb roast and had about double what I would need for the sliders.

If you prefer – you can make the shredded beef in the slow cooker. After searing (step 5) remove and place beef roast in slow cooker. Make rest of recipe in crock pot and cook for 4-6 hours on low.

1. Remove roast from refrigerator for 45 minutes to come to room temperature. 
2. Coat all sides of chuck roast with salt & pepper
3. Preheat oven to 400º
4. Heat Dutch Oven on stove top on medium high heat and add olive oil
5. When Dutch Oven is HOT, add chuck roast and sear for approx 2-3 minutes on each side
6. Remove from heat
7. Add onion soup mix, water and stick of butter on top of the roast. 
   Place tight-fitting lid on dutch oven and place in 400º F oven for 1 hour, then reduce oven temperature to 300 for 1.5-2 hours
8. Remove from oven and remove lid. Using two forks – check to see if roast shreds easily. If not put back in oven for another 25 minutes. You can also check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer – it should be around 200º.
9. When ready, shred beef and remove from liquid. You’ll need 3 cups of shredded beef for this recipe. You may have some leftover. Feel free to make this the day ahead.

How to make Barbecue Beef Sliders

These BBQ Beef Sliders are so easy to make and only need 5 ingredients! Let’s get started:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Slice slider rolls in half
• Spray rectangular baking dish with non stick cooking spray
• Place bottom buns in pan
• Reheat shredded beef in microwave for 2 minutes. Stirring half way through to break up beef.
• In a large bowl, toss shredded beef with 3/4 cup barbecue sauce.  
• Spread shredded bbq beef mixture across rolls. Pour additional bbq sauce over the top of the beef. (you could also add pickles or pickled red onions here for a crunch!)
• Lay cheddar cheese slices across buns
• Add tops of buns onto sandwiches
• In a microwave safe small bowl or glass, microwave butter for 20 seconds until melted. Stir in garlic salt. 
• Baste tops of Hawaiian sweet rolls with garlic butter. 
• Loosely cover sliders with aluminum foil and place in oven and bake for 25 minutes
• Remove from oven and slice into individual sandwiches and serve with a side of coleslaw.

Tips, Tricks & FAQs

Get Heather’s NEW cookbook – Air Fryer Cooking for One today! 

More Slider Recipes

• Maid Rite Sliders
• Beef & Cheddar Sliders
• Hawaiian Pulled Pork Sliders

More Shredded Beef Recipes

• Dutch Oven Mississippi Pot Roast
• Italian Shredded Beef
• Dutch Oven Barbacoa Beef

Recipe Variations

Longhorn Steakhouse menu is known for their great steaks, seafood & salads – but this is a delicious alternative to the traditional steak and just as delicious. You can even make some tweaks to make it your own. Here are a few ideas:

• Ground Pork – Ground Pork is lean and is very tasty – you can swap it for ground beef in any recipe! (It’s also affordable!!!)
• Bell Peppers – nothing goes better with onions than bell peppers and you could add these vegetables to the pan when you’re sauteeing the onions.
• Mashed Potatoes – you might as well make some at the same time for all that gravy!
• Steak Tips – you could also use steak tips and make them the same way – sear and bake to bring up to temp!
• Lobster Tail – go all out surf & turf and pair it with an Air Fryer Lobster Tail like you can at the steakhouse!

How to make Chopped Steak with Mushroom Gravy

OK – Don’t be intimidated by the # of steps here – it’s easy – I promise! Get your chopped steak going and make your gravy while it bakes! The homemade gravy is WORTH IT!!

1. Preheat oven to 400º. Add a wire baking rack to a baking sheet and set aside. 
2. In a large bowl, add ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and onion powder.
3. With hands, mix all contents together. Form four large patties about 1.5” thick. Sprinkle both sides of burgers with salt and pepper and set aside.  
4. In a cast-iron pan or heavy-bottom skillet, over medium high heat, add 1 tbsp butter and 1 clove minced garlic. Once butter melts and skillet is hot, add hamburger steak patties. 
5. Turn heat down to medium low and sear for 2 minutes on each side and then set on wire rack on baking sheet. If using a cast iron skillet, you will likely need to cook these in batches – which is fine since they’ll finish in the oven. This gives the meat that crispy sear and golden brown coloring.
6. Place cookie sheet into the preheated oven and bake for 12 minutes until hamburger steaks are cooked through. 
7. While steak patties are baking, in same cast iron skillet with any drippings, add 2 tbsp butter. 
8. When melted, add in garlic, sliced onions, mushrooms and fresh herbs.  Sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
9. Open oven and test internal temperature of patties with an instant read meat thermometer. Steak patties should read 150º for medium doneness. When steak patties are 150º, remove from oven and keep warm. For me – this was the point in the gravy recipe when they were ready.
10. Remove herbs from cast iron skillet. Add beef stock, bouillon, onion powder, garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
11. In a small bowl, whisk together cold water and cornstarch.
12. Add cornstarch mixture to skillet and stir. Allow gravy to thicken, then decrease to medium-low.
13. Let it gently simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until your desired thickness and concentration is obtained. 
14. Spoon mushrooms, onions and gravy over the chopped steak and serve!

Tips, Tricks & FAQs

More Longhorn Steakhouse Recipes

• Longhorn Stuffed Mushrooms with White Cheddar
• Longhorn Salmon
• Longhorn Steakhouse Parmesan Crusted Chicken
• Longhorn Spicy Chicken Bites
• Longhorn Grilled Shrimp
• Longhorn Strawberry Salad

Longhorn Steakhouse Side Dishes

• Longhorn Crispy Brussels Sprouts
• Longhorn Broccoli
• Longhorn Rice Pilaf

More Ground Beef Recipes

• Hamburger Hashbrown Casserole
• Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes
• Cheesecake Factory Meatloaf