When you go to LongHorn Steakhouse, it's easy to get tunnel vision on the protein. A perfectly charred ribeye or a buttery Flo's Filet tends to steal the spotlight, so honestly, who can blame you? But maybe the sides at LongHorn deserve just as much attention, and the Fresh Steamed Broccoli might just be the most underrated of the bunch. Tender, vibrantly green, and finished with a luscious sauce, this isn't the sad, soggy broccoli of your school cafeteria nightmares. This is something worth ordering on purpose.

The trick to this broccoli is a simple steam finished with a garlic herb butter sauce and a whisper of lemon. And the Internet has spoken — TikToker @sellingwa describes it as "the best broccoli in the entire world" and begged restaurant workers to spill the secret recipe. Reddit threads have seen fans gushing "I'm obsessed with your broccoli!" and giving major credit to that signature garlic herb butter drizzle. It's the kind of side dish that makes you pause mid-bite and wonder why you don't order broccoli more often.

The broccoli earns a high spot on customer rankings of LongHorn Steakhouse sides precisely because of that irresistible finishing sauce — light enough not to weigh things down but flavorful enough to give it a solid place on anyone's list of favorites. No matter which of LongHorn's best menu items you choose to pair with it, this bright and buttery side is one you'll want to make a habit of ordering every single time. And it's not that hard to make at home.

How to make steamed broccoli like LongHorn Steakhouse

Fresh, green broccoli in a bowl over a wooden table.

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To make your LongHorn-inspired side, start with fresh broccoli — not frozen. Although there are certainly a lot of ways to make broccoli, we're going to keep it simple. Cut a large head into uniform florets so everything cooks evenly. Size matters here: If they're too big, the centers stay raw; too small, and you'll end up with mush. Aim for pieces roughly the size of a golf ball.

For the microwave method, place the florets in a microwave-safe dish with a couple tablespoons of water and cover tightly with a lid or plate. Microwave on high for three to four minutes, checking at the three-minute mark — you're looking for bright green and just tender, not army green and falling apart. For the stovetop method, fill a pot with 2 inches of water, and bring it to a boil. Set a steamer basket over the water, add your florets, cover, and steam for five to six minutes. Same result, your call on the method.

The garlic herb butter is where the magic happens. Melt two tablespoons of unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add two cloves of minced garlic, and let it simmer for about a minute until the kitchen smells incredible. Then, take it off the heat, and stir in some chopped fresh parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over your drained florets, toss gently to coat, and serve immediately — broccoli waits for no one.