Red Lobster is a beloved casual-dining seafood chain restaurant. For decades, it’s been a popular restaurant for seafood lovers because of its affordable seafood and surf-and-turf menu options.
The name ‘Red Lobster’ isn’t exactly synonymous with veganism, so are there actually any vegan items on Red Lobster’s menu?
While Red Lobster may not be the most vegan-friendly restaurant around, the good news is that there are still a few vegan-friendly options. Let’s take a closer look at what Red Lobster has to offer for vegans!
Red Lobster
Red Lobster’s mission is to make quality seafood affordable and accessible to everyone. The first Red Lobster opened in Florida in the United States in 1968, and the chain has since grown to have over 700 Restaurants, including several international locations.
Even if you’ve never been to a Red Lobster restaurant, chances are you’ve seen it in movies and TV shows, where the characters tuck into an enormous plate of surf-and-turf, wearing the classic white and red bibs.
In fact, Red Lobster is infamous for its plastic bibs (they have recently discontinued these), affordable lobster, and Cheddar Bay Biscuits.
Is Seafood Vegan or Vegetarian?
There’s often a misconception about vegans and vegetarians being able to eat seafood.
In the past, many people believed shellfish and fish were non-sentient, meaning they did not experience pain. This often meant that people viewed seafood as a more ‘conscious’ choice when it came to eating animal products.
This has since been disproved, and scientific evidence suggests that fish and shellfish are sentient, which means they are fully aware of their surroundings and feel pain.
Both vegans and vegetarians refrain from eating fish or shellfish and will not consume any products that have seafood byproducts in them. This unfortunately rules out a lot of Red Lobster’s menu. There are also certain religions like Judaism that abstain from eating crustaceans and other seafood.
The great news for vegans and vegetarians that previously enjoyed eating seafood dishes is that there are loads of new vegan seafood alternatives on the market! It depends on which country and city you live in, but nowadays vegans will be able to find everything from vegan fish made from tofu or banana blossom to vegan shrimp and vegan calamari!
With Red Lobster’s mission solely focused on serving seafood, it’s hard to imagine they would have many plant-based options. So, let’s dive into everything on Red Lobster’s menu that vegans can eat!
Red Lobster Vegan Options
Red Lobster does not have any main menu items that are suitable for vegans as the majority of their menu items contain animal products. But if there’s one thing vegans are good at it is making a meal by throwing together the sides and removing a few unsuitable ingredients!
Dragon Broccoli
Red Lobster’s Dragon Broccoli is by far their most popular vegan-friendly option! It even has the stamp of approval from non-other than PETA!
This starter dish consists of broccoli florets that have been deep-fried to crispy perfection and drizzled with a spicy soy-ginger sauce. As the name suggests, the soy and ginger sauce packs a punch and will have your taste buds sizzling. To pull it all together, the crispy, spicy broccoli is sprinkled with fresh green onion.
There are also a few vegan-friendly sauces that you could add if you wanted to reign in the spiciness.
One thing to keep in mind when ordering the Dragon Broccoli is that it is fried in a shared fryer, which is also used to fry seafood products and other ingredients that contain animal products. This means that there is a chance of cross-contamination, as there is with most restaurants that are not exclusively vegan.
Kung Pao Noodles
The Kung Pao Noodles are another favorite at Red Lobster, and they can be modified to be vegan.
You can make a vegan version of the Kung Pao Noodles by asking to remove the chicken or seafood.
The modified vegan-friendly Kung Pao Noodles come with edamame, which is a good source of protein, cashews, cabbage, crispy onions, and some green onions.
You could also pair the Kung Pao Noodles with the Dragon Broccoli for an extra kick!
All in all, the modified Kung Pao Noodles are an excellent vegan option.
Each Red Lobster kitchen varies, so to be safe before ordering this, triple-check that the sauce does not contain any animal ingredients.
Marinara Pasta
Red Lobster’s classic Marinara sauce is made from fresh ingredients and does not contain any animal products making it fully suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
You can either pair the Marinara sauce with another side option using it as a dipping sauce, or you can ask your local Red Lobster if they’d be happy to prepare a plain Marinara Pasta dish for you. Red Lobster has a few other pasta dishes available on their main menu, which unfortunately aren’t vegan-friendly, but it does mean they readily have plain pasta (which is vegan-friendly) in the kitchen.
Despite not being an official menu option, the Marinara Pasta is a safe bet for vegans visiting Red Lobster.
Sea-Salted French Fries
French fries are a vegan staple and honestly, you can’t go wrong with them.
Red Lobster’s Sea-Salted French Fries are vegan-friendly and you can enjoy them with some ketchup, which is also suitable for vegans.
The great thing about Red Lobster’s fries is that they are really versatile and can be paired up with another side menu option to make a more substantial vegan-friendly meal.
As with the Dragon Broccoli, it’s important to note that the Sea-Salted French Fries are also cooked in a shared fryer so there’s a risk of cross-contamination, which some vegans may not be comfortable with.
Baked Potato
Potatoes really are a vegan’s best friend! Red Lobster’s Plain Baked Potatoes are vegan-friendly.
These are not specifically on the menu, you’ll have to get a little bit creative and ask to remove the non-vegan-friendly toppings and specify that you would like it without butter or sour cream.
While a plain baked potato may not sound particularly appetizing, rest assured that there are a few other side options that you can add to spice this up!
Rice Pilaf
While Red Lobster’s Rice Pilaf may sound like a fancy dish, it’s just plain white rice with a bit of seasoning, which luckily makes it vegan-friendly.
Again, it’s not the most exciting menu item, but it does make a great side dish as you can pair it with other vegan items to make a meal. Next time you’re at Red Lobster, why not try the Dragon Broccoli with the Rice Pilaf?
House Salad
You can add a few greens to your other side menu options by ordering Red Lobster’s classic side salad, the House Salad.
The House Salad isn’t automatically vegan as it is usually served with cheese and croutons that contain dairy. To make it vegan friendly, simply ask to remove both the cheese and croutons.
The House Salad normally comes with greens, cherry tomatoes, and onions. You can dress it up slightly by adding the Champagne Vinaigrette or the French Dressing.
A great option to make a vegan meal is to add the Garden Salad to the Baked Potato as a topping.
Seasoned Fresh Broccoli
If spice isn’t your thing but you still love your greens, the Seasoned Fresh Broccoli is an excellent vegan menu option!
As with the Garden Salad, on its own, the broccoli isn’t a very satisfying meal, but you can pair this with other vegan entrees. The Plain Baked Potato or the Marinara Pasta both go well with a side of broccoli.
Crispy Brussels Sprouts
Red Lobster’s Crispy Brussels Sprouts are another vegan-friendly side option that will pair well with the other starter options.
The Crispy Brussels Sprouts are usually topped with crispy onions and drizzled with soy sauce and ginger.
At certain Red Lobster locations, you may be able to ask for the plain Steamed Brussels Sprouts if crispy isn’t your thing!
Pro-tip, be sure to request that no butter is used while preparing your Crispy Brussels Sprouts just to be safe.
Crispy Green Beans
Red Lobster’s Crispy Green Beans are a new addition to their menu and as luck has it, they’re semi-vegan friendly!
Unfortunately, the Jalapeño Ranch, which is usually served on the side is not suitable for vegans, but you could substitute this for another vegan sauce. The green beans, however, are fully suitable for people on a vegan diet.
Red Lobster Vegan Sauces
Now that you know what your options are at Red Lobster, let’s take a look at some of the vegan sauces you can use to add a bit of flavor to your meal.
Sauces often appear vegan but have hidden animal ingredients like whey or other dairy products in them. Fortunately, there are a few sauces that do not contain any animal ingredients on the menu including:
- Champagne Vinaigrette
- Ketchup
- French Dressing
- Marinara Sauce
- Pico de Gallo
Unfortunately, the cocktail sauce is not suitable for vegans as it contains Worcestershire sauce, which has anchovies.
At some Red Lobster restaurants, you may also be allowed to bring along your own vegan sauce options like vegan sour cream. This varies from place to place so it’s always best to check with the restaurant staff beforehand.
Vegan Drinks at Red Lobster
If there’s nothing on the menu that jumps out of you or you’re just looking to mix things up with a fun beverage, Red Lobster has vegans covered with a few alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic options:
- Peach or Raspberry Margherita
Red Lobster’s Margheritas are always a winner and luckily for vegans, both the Peach and Raspberry options are free of any animal products.
You can have both the Peach Margherita or Raspberry Margherita on the rocks or frozen. Frozen is a good option on hot days!
- Boston Iced Tea
There are a few different Boston Iced Tea flavor options available for vegans. You can choose from the Classic Cranberry, Peach, or Raspberry flavors.
- Hand-Crafted Lemonade
Vegans can also choose between two lemonade options, either the Hand-Crafted Classic Lemonade or the Hand-Crafted Lemonade Strawberry flavor.
Can the Baja Shrimp Bowl Be Made Vegan?
If you’re browsing through Red Lobster’s menu as a vegan, chances are the Baja Shrimp Bowl might catch your eye as it has a few ingredients that are quite commonly found in vegan meals.
Generally, this is served with shrimp, avocado, black beans, orzo rice, pickled red onion, crunchy slaw, Pico de Gallo, sour cream, and flour tortilla strips with the Jalapeño Ranch. A few of these ingredients have animal products in so they will need to be removed to make it vegan friendly.
By removing the shrimp, sour cream, and Jalapeño Ranch, you should be safe! However, some restaurants cook the orzo rice in chicken or beef broth, so your best bet would either be to confirm how the orzo rice is prepared or substitute the orzo rice for the Rice Pilaf dish.
Are Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay Biscuits Vegan-Friendly?
Sadly, the infamous Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits are not vegan-friendly as they contain dairy.
While Red Lobster may not be the first choice for vegans, there are a few options you can use to create a vegan meal.
Almost all vegans can relate to the struggle of going out to eat with non-vegan friends or family. The challenge of picking a restaurant that caters to everyone’s preferences can be exhausting. Next time you end up at Red Lobster with your seafood-loving meal companions, at least you’ll know there are a few things on the menu for you!
One thing vegans should bear in mind before dining at Red Lobster is that as it is traditionally a seafood restaurant, there is a strong seafood smell in most of their restaurants. Most locations also have live lobsters on display, which can be upsetting and unethical for vegans.
