15 Outback Steakhouse Dishes With The Highest Protein

For a high-protein restaurant meal, there's no place better than a steakhouse. In particular, Outback Steakhouse's extensive menu full of beef, fish, chicken, and more delivers several dishes that are surprisingly high in this essential macronutrient. We've compiled a list of the Australian-themed eatery's high-protein menu items, starting relatively small and working our way up to the highest value.

Figuring out how much protein you should eat per day, as well as the best time of day to eat high-protein foods, mainly depends on your weight and specific health goals — but generally speaking, adults should consume around 15 to 30 grams per meal. As shown on Outback Steakhouse's official nutrition facts sheet, the items we've chosen for our list of high-protein dishes contain far more than 30 grams. As you might expect, you'll find plenty of steaks and other meaty entrées here, but there are also a few appetizers (and even a tasty pasta dish) that deliver major helpings.

Before you go ahead and order, keep in mind that you can actually consume too much protein. Negative side effects include digestive issues and even strain on your kidneys and liver. And, as is typical for chain restaurant food, many of Outback's meals are high in calories, saturated fats, and sodium. So long as you don't consistently eat meals that go beyond your daily limits for these nutrients, you should be fine, but don't overdo it. Now, let's get into Outback's most protein-packed offerings.

It may not be as prized as filet mignon or decadent as prime rib, but the 9-ounce center cut sirloin is for sure an underrated Outback Steakhouse menu item to try. Not only does it deliver 53 grams of protein per serving, but it's a few bucks cheaper than the chain's other steaks while still packing a big beefy flavor and juicy texture. Outback's flavorful steak seasoning also ensures that the lean meat doesn't taste underwhelming.

Outback may be known for steak, but it also serves surprisingly delicious seafood, and its Steamed Lobster Tails entrée is one steakhouse chain lobster dish worth ordering. The two meaty tails add up to 60 grams of protein in total. Since they're steamed, they don't contain as much fat and calories as many other entrées at the restaurant, though they are still quite high in sodium. Still, the gentle steaming allows the taste of the lobster to shine.

Outback's 12-ounce New York strip is a thick, hearty slab of beef that packs 61 grams of protein per cut. This is a good middle-of-the-road option, being neither as lean as a filet nor as fatty and rich as a ribeye or other well-marbled cuts. It's also on the more affordable side of Outback's selection, so if you want to save cash, but you're hungry for more than a 9-ounce sirloin, try the strip.

If you adore Outback's famous Bloomin' Onion, the Bloomin' Burger is the entrée for you — and it happens to be high in protein at 61 grams total. The half-pound burger is topped with pieces of crunchy Bloomin' Onion, plus American cheese, pickles, lettuce, onion, tomato, and the same "bloom sauce" that comes with the beloved appetizer. It's a more creative sandwich than the Outbacker Burger, which offers slightly less protein at 58 grams.

Despite being one of the most prized and expensive cuts, filet mignon sometimes gets a bad rap for being tasteless, mainly due to its lack of flavorful fat. Fortunately, that's not the case with Victoria's Filet Mignon, the hands-down best steak you can order from Outback Steakhouse. Despite being smaller in size, this piece of beef packs in 62 grams of protein; it's also exceedingly tender, and the ample seasoning makes it far from flavorless.

Our first poultry entry on this list, Outback's Grilled Chicken on the Barbie makes a strong showing with 62 grams of protein per 8-ounce piece. It's a simple seasoned and grilled chicken breast served with a cup of barbecue sauce on the side. However, this dish is significantly lower in saturated fat than most other meats at the chain, containing only 8 grams (the same as the 5-ounce center cut sirloin).

Outback's Toowoomba Salmon gives you two seafood deals in one, featuring a grilled salmon filet topped with sautéed shrimp, mushrooms, and the chain's creamy Creole sauce. The salmon plus shrimp equals 63 grams of protein in total, and the mushrooms and rich sauce add extra satiation (though also a lot of fat). Still, we ranked this dish highly in our review of popular Outback Steakhouse menu items, so the extra decadence could be totally worth it.

Pasta may not be the first thing you think of when you hear "Outback," but the Kingsland Steak & Shrimp Pasta fits right in with the other entrées, sporting the same meaty decadence. Despite being a carb-based dish, this pasta contains 71 grams of protein thanks to the generous pieces of grilled beef and shrimp on top. The base of the meal is a simple fettuccine Alfredo, allowing the surf n' turf to shine.

Chopped steak is pretty different from other steaks, as it's made of ground beef. Really, it better resembles a Salisbury steak or hamburger patty — but doesn't necessarily make it inferior in taste. Outback's 10-ounce Canberra Chopped Steak with a creamy mushroom sauce, which boasts 74 grams of protein, is an excellent rendition. The dish gets great reviews from customers, who claim it's the best version of chopped steak they've had.

Outback's 16-ounce prime rib not only delivers a whopping 76 grams of protein, it also delivers on flavor. Served with creamy horseradish sauce, a common pairing with prime rib, this dish can cost you over $30 to around $40 per plate, but it's worth it. We know Outback Steakhouse cooks prime rib just right because it roasts the beef instead of grilling it, which prevents overcooking and keeps the whole roast juicy and flavorful.

Surprisingly, the Alice Springs Chicken entrée at Outback packs in more protein than many of its steaks, with 79 grams overall. This may be due to the bacon on top of the grilled chicken breast, alongside sautéed mushrooms, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses, and honey mustard sauce. Suffice to say, this dish is not for diners seeking poultry as a lighter option, but it has tons of flavor and protein going for it.

Perhaps to no surprise, Outback's massive 20-ounce bone-in ribeye is the steak on the menu with the most protein, boasting 87 grams total. This rich cut is also extra fatty, packing a whopping 102 grams of fat — it's by no means a lean source of protein, but you do get tons of beefy flavor and unparalleled juiciness from that marbling. Consider ordering the broccoli or asparagus as a side to balance out this whopper of a steak.

Outback's Kookaburra Wings are an iconic appetizer that also packs a protein punch, as a 10-count serving of the fried chicken wings contains 89 grams when paired with mild or hot sauces and 86 grams with a medium sauce. Of course, they can also be ordered unsauced, though Outback hasn't specified how that may change the protein content. When split four ways, these wings provide over 20 grams of protein per person, which is still significant for an appetizer.

The only Outback appetizer with more protein than the Kookaburra Wings are the Aussie Cheese Fries, with an impressive 93 grams per plate. The potatoes are topped with bacon bits and melted Monterey Jack and cheddar, which kicks up the protein quite a bit. Incidentally, you can use an Outback Steakhouse menu hack to turn the Aussie Cheese Fries into chili cheese fries but consider sharing them with the whole table to avoid protein overload.

The king of protein-packed meats at Outback Steakhouse is a full rack of Outback Ribs, ringing in at 96 grams. These smoked, grilled, and barbecue sauce-covered baby back pork ribs won second place in our ranking of chain restaurant ribs. While certainly delicious, a full rack usually contains around 10 to 13 pieces — if that sounds a bit much, Outback's half rack still offers 48 grams of protein total.