Side dishes often reveal as much about a restaurant’s kitchen standards as its headline proteins do. Texas Roadhouse Mac and Cheese is a case in point — a creamy, made-from-scratch preparation that consistently earns praise from guests who expect a forgettable side and instead receive something genuinely satisfying. Whether you order it as one of your two included sides alongside a steak entree or as a standalone item, this mac and cheese delivers the warmth and comfort that defines the best versions of this American classic.
Furthermore, understanding the ingredients, calorie count, best pairing opportunities, and how it compares to the rest of the sides lineup helps you make smart choices on every Texas Roadhouse visit.
What Is Texas Roadhouse Mac and Cheese
Texas Roadhouse Mac and Cheese is a made-from-scratch creamy pasta dish featuring elbow macaroni cooked in a rich, house-made cheese sauce. The kitchen prepares the sauce fresh from real cheese rather than a processed powder or pre-packaged mix, which produces a noticeably richer, more cohesive result than what most chain restaurant mac and cheese programs deliver.
The cheese blend provides a mild, creamy base flavor with enough depth to feel genuinely satisfying rather than one-dimensionally bland. The pasta is cooked to a soft but not mushy texture that absorbs the sauce without losing its structural integrity. As a result, every forkful delivers macaroni and cheese together in the balanced ratio that makes this dish work at its best.
Texas Roadhouse Mac and Cheese is available as a side dish selection across all entree categories and is also a staple of the Texas Roadhouse kids menu, where it appears as a standalone bowl option for younger guests.
Texas Roadhouse Mac and Cheese Price in 2026
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Mac and Cheese (as included side) | Included with entree |
| Mac and Cheese (as standalone side order) | $2.99 |
| Kids Mac and Cheese Bowl | $5.99 (includes drink) |
As one of the two included sides with every entree, the Mac and Cheese adds genuine value to the overall meal at no additional charge. As a standalone side addition beyond the included two, it costs $2.99 — consistent with every other side on the Texas Roadhouse sides menu. Full current menu pricing is available at the Texas Roadhouse menu.
Ingredients and Preparation
Texas Roadhouse prepares its Mac and Cheese using elbow macaroni, a house-made cheese sauce, and a blend of cheeses that the restaurant has not publicly disclosed in full detail. However, the flavor profile and texture of the finished product are consistent with a cheddar-forward sauce base supplemented with one or more additional cheeses for depth and meltability.
The sauce is prepared using a roux-based technique — butter and flour cooked together before milk or cream is added to create a bechamel base into which the cheese is melted. This classical approach produces a sauce with body and cohesion that stays creamy throughout the entire serving rather than separating into greasy and watery components as lower-quality preparations sometimes do.
The pasta is cooked separately to the correct texture before being combined with the sauce and finished in the kitchen. The combination is served hot, with the sauce coating every piece of pasta evenly.
Nutrition Facts
| Nutrition Detail | Amount (Approx. Per Side Serving) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 310 |
| Protein | 12g |
| Total Fat | 14g |
| Saturated Fat | 8g |
| Carbohydrates | 36g |
| Sodium | 680mg |
| Fiber | 1g |
At 310 calories per side serving, Mac and Cheese is one of the more calorie-dense side options on the Texas Roadhouse menu. Guests managing their overall meal calorie count should factor this into their total when choosing between the two included sides. The Texas Roadhouse calories guide provides complete calorie detail across every side and entree to help guests build balanced meals across any budget or dietary approach.
Best Main Course Pairings
Mac and Cheese works as a complementary side for a wide range of Texas Roadhouse entrees. Its creamy, mild flavor profile pairs naturally with both bold, richly seasoned proteins and lighter preparations alike.
| Main Course | Why Mac and Cheese Works |
|---|---|
| Country Fried Chicken | Southern comfort theme — cohesive thematic pairing |
| Country Fried Steak | Cream-on-cream comfort pairing — indulgent and satisfying |
| Grilled Pork Chops | Clean grilled protein — creamy side provides rich contrast |
| Chicken Critters | Classic fried chicken and mac pairing |
| Kids Meals | Most popular kids side across all age groups |
| Ribs | BBQ and mac — one of the strongest classic pairings in American dining |
| Beef Tips | Mushroom gravy on beef tips and creamy mac — deeply satisfying combo |
Mac and Cheese pairs most powerfully alongside items from the Country Dinners category. The comfort food character of those preparations is extended and amplified by this side in a way that creates a cohesive, fully Southern-inspired plate. The full Country Dinners lineup is covered in detail on the Texas Roadhouse country dinners page.
Mac and Cheese for Kids
Texas Roadhouse Mac and Cheese holds a special status on the kids menu as the most popular side choice among younger guests across virtually every location. Children who are unfamiliar with or uninterested in most Texas Roadhouse menu items almost universally accept mac and cheese as a reliable, familiar option.
The kids bowl format serves a full portion of mac and cheese as the main course accompanied by a side and a drink at $5.99 — making it one of the most affordable complete meal options available for younger guests at any full-service restaurant in this dining category. Parents visiting with picky eaters consistently cite mac and cheese as the fallback option that makes Texas Roadhouse a reliable family dining destination even when children resist other menu items.
Mac and Cheese vs Other Side Options
Understanding how Mac and Cheese compares to nearby side choices helps guests allocate their two included sides most effectively based on their meal and nutritional priorities.
| Side Option | Calories | Carbohydrates | Best Pairing Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mac and Cheese | 310 | 36g | Comfort food entrees |
| Mashed Potatoes | 220 | 28g | Steaks and country dinners |
| Green Beans | 80 | 10g | Any protein — lighter balance |
| Steamed Vegetables | 60 | 8g | Seafood and lighter chicken |
| Seasoned Rice | 190 | 38g | Beef tips and grilled chicken |
| Steak Fries | 340 | 46g | Burgers and casual entrees |
| Baked Potato | 250 | 32g | Steaks and pork chops |
Mac and Cheese and Steak Fries are the two highest-calorie standard side options. Guests building health-conscious plates should consider pairing one indulgent side with one lighter option — for example, Mac and Cheese alongside steamed vegetables or green beans — to balance the overall meal calorie total without sacrificing satisfaction.
Tips for Getting the Most From Texas Roadhouse Mac and Cheese
Request the mac and cheese fresh from the kitchen if you arrive during a slow period when dishes may have been prepared slightly in advance. Fresh mac and cheese is notably creamier and more cohesive than a version that has been sitting under a heat lamp for an extended period.
Consider ordering mac and cheese as a side addition beyond the included two if you are ordering from the Country Dinners section, which already includes three sides. The contrast between a fried or grilled protein, a vegetable side, a starchy side, and mac and cheese creates a genuinely satisfying spread that covers every major comfort food component simultaneously.
For takeout orders placed through Texas Roadhouse To-Go, mac and cheese travels reasonably well when kept sealed and consumed within 30 minutes. It can be reheated with a small splash of milk added to the container before microwaving, which restores the creamy consistency lost during cooling without making the sauce watery.
FAQs
Yes. Texas Roadhouse prepares its mac and cheese from scratch using a house-made cheese sauce and freshly cooked elbow macaroni. The preparation uses real cheese and a classical roux-based sauce technique rather than processed powder mixes or pre-packaged components.
As one of the two included sides with every entree, mac and cheese is included at no additional charge. As a standalone additional side order, it costs $2.99. The kids bowl format — which includes a drink — costs $5.99.
Yes. Mac and Cheese is available as a side selection on all takeout and To-Go orders through the Texas Roadhouse online ordering system. It travels reasonably well when consumed within 30 minutes of pickup and reheats effectively with a small addition of milk.
Texas Roadhouse Mac and Cheese contains approximately 310 calories per standard side serving. This makes it one of the more calorie-dense side options, which is worth factoring into total meal planning particularly when paired with heavier fried or slow-cooked entrees.
The kids bowl is technically designated for younger guests, but Texas Roadhouse servers generally accommodate reasonable requests from adult guests who prefer the bowl format. Asking your server directly about bowl availability for adults is the most reliable approach.
Conclusion
Texas Roadhouse Mac and Cheese is a made-from-scratch comfort food side that consistently delivers more quality and satisfaction than its side dish status might suggest. A creamy, house-made cheese sauce over properly cooked elbow macaroni at no extra charge with your entree is genuinely one of the best value inclusions in casual dining. Visit the Texas Roadhouse menu to plan your next visit and decide which two sides complete your plate most perfectly.