Brian Nagele
Eating gluten-free can be challenging. Gluten-free options are hard to come by at some of the most popular restaurants. Do your research beforehand and greatly increase where and what you get while out.
I should know. Having friends and family members that are gluten-free makes dining out hard on all of us.
We want everyone to enjoy their meals without being skimped on great choices. So often, it feels as though gluten-free options are simply salads or overly expensive.
One of the best restaurants we’ve come to know and love is IHOP, as it offers a great variety of gluten-free options while still making the food delicious, nutritious, and flavorful.
The price for the items isn’t overly expensive, either, making it a great place to hang out while we dine.
Here are the IHOP gluten-friendly options for you, your friends, and your family!
*Disclaimer: Always confirm food allergen information with your local restaurant before consuming.
Gluten-Friendly Pancakes
IHOP’s gluten-friendly pancakes are the same delicious, world-famous pancakes but for those who are gluten-sensitive.
The pancakes are one of the most popular items at IHOP for good reason, so it’s great that they have a gluten free option!
The ingredients are rice flour, sugar, milk, eggs, and some other gluten-free seasonings such as vanilla. A full-stack (3 pancakes) is 540 calories. Meanwhile, a short stack (2 pancakes) is 300 calories.
Each pancake tastes similar to regular pancakes. It’s an unbeatable match that my friends and I have come to love. On some occasions, I even prefer the gluten-friendly pancakes over the other ones!
Like all of IHOP’s pancakes, the gluten-friendly pancakes are fluffy and packed full of sweet flavor.
Paired with any syrup, they make for a great main course or a side for one of the breakfast combos.
Bacon Strips
Like most bacon, IHOP bacon strips are a great side to any meal.
They’re gluten-free and filling, with a choice between hickory-smoked bacon or turkey bacon. All of these flavors pair nicely with eggs, hash browns, and pancakes or waffles.
Bacon strips contain pork or turkey (depending on the type you decide to order) and are high in protein.
Both types come with either two or four strips. Hickory-smoked bacon is 90 calories for two pieces or 190 calories for four pieces. Turkey bacon is 60 calories for two and 120 for four.
Hash Browns
IHOP hash browns are warm, crispy, and a perfect side to any breakfast combo.
Better than that, they’re gluten-free! They’re a great addition to any meal where you’d love something salty and filling.
Most hash browns are made from potatoes, salt, pepper, oil, and butter—IHOP is no different.
This delicious side item is made from potatoes and is naturally gluten-free—no need to worry about substitutions.
In total, IHOP hash browns are 210 calories. There are two options when ordering them as well: regular or crispy. Regular is softer and cooked less. Crispy, as described, is extra crunchy compared to the regular.
Pork Sausage Links
One of my favorite items at IHOP is their pork sausage link.
It’s an amazing side to any meal, making it hearty for those days when you need a filling dish. And best of all, they’re gluten-free!
IHOP pork sausage links are made from pork, seasonings such as salt and pepper, dry milk, and citric acid.
These ingredients are all gluten-free and are not needed to be asked to be changed.
The pork sausage links come in two different servings: two links or four links. Two links are 210 calories, while four pork sausage links are 420 calories.
Gluten-Friendly Classic Burger
The IHOP classic burger can be made gluten-free with a substitution for the bun.
With the changing of the bun, the meal is almost identical to the original.
The burger comes with a bun, steak burger, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, and IHOP sauce. The IHOP sauce is a secret recipe, but the gluten contents are low enough to be considered gluten-friendly.
You’ll be coming in at 780 calories for the whole sandwich for this burger.
Removing the different ingredients will lower this calorie intake by 50 to 70 calories, mostly depending on what you are removing. You can add avocado for 80 calories.
Gluten-Friendly Mega Monster Burger
IHOP’s gluten-friendly mega monster burger is a big meal full of flavor and layers.
For this option, you’ll need to request gluten-free buns. Once you’ve changed the buns, it tastes identical to the original burger!
The mega monster burger is two Angus steakburgers with American cheese layered with lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles, and IHOP sauce.
As with the classic burger, you can add avocado for additional flavor and texture.
This massive meal will come in at 1140 calories for the burger alone. By removing certain items, you can remove 50 to 70 calories. By adding avocado, you can add 80 calories.
Gluten-Friendly Belgian Waffle
Similar to the IHOP gluten-friendly pancakes, the gluten-free Belgian waffle is fluffy, just like the pancakes.
However, this option is separate from normal Belgian waffles, as it’s made with rice flour instead of plain flour.
For the whole list of ingredients, gluten-friendly Belgian waffles have rice flour, milk, eggs, sugar, and flavorings such as vanilla.
It’s a delicious option with a different texture than gluten-friendly pancakes while still being delicious.
This meal is a total of 410 calories per Belgian waffle. The meal only comes with one Belgian waffle, but other meals that include this item will have additional calories.
Eggs
Eggs are a world-famous breakfast item. They’ll be healthy and, best of all, gluten-free! This item doesn’t need any specifications to be made gluten-free.
Eggs are a great breakfast food—they’re full of protein and can be made in several ways. Some popular ways IHOP prepares eggs are egg whites, over easy, over hard, over medium, scrambled, or sunny-side up.
Most servings of eggs come with two eggs or three eggs, depending on the meal.
It’ll be 60 calories for two egg whites, while three egg whites will be 100. For two over easy, medium, hard, or sunny side up, it’ll be 120 calories, while three will be 180.
Lastly, two scrambled eggs will be 220 calories, while three scrambled eggs will be 320.
Baked Potato
The IHOP baked potato is a great gluten-free item for any meal.
Since baked potatoes are naturally gluten-free before any additional ingredients are added, you can customize your baked potato to your liking without worry.
A plain baked potato will come in at around 300 calories, without sour cream, cheese, or bacon, which you can add for additional flavor.
These items will add more calories to your meal but can make this dish stand out as a great gluten-free option.
One of the major bonuses of a baked potato is that it can be a stand-alone dish or a side, depending on your mood. When making it the main meal, remember to add ingredients to make it more filling!
Grits
Coming from the South, grits are a gluten-free carb option for any lover of syrup or cheese.
This option is usually land-locked in Southern areas where grits are at their highest popularity. However, if you get to try this delicious item, you’re in for a treat!
Traditionally, grits are made from corn, making them naturally gluten-free. They pair well with most breakfast food but will occasionally be used for main courses at lunch or dinner.
One of the best ways, in my opinion, is to order grits with shrimp.
A serving of grits is marked at 143 calories per serving, with additional calories added for the fixings. Popular fixings for this dish include shrimp, bacon, cheese, butter and sugar, and syrup.
Ham
What would breakfast be without ham? Ham is an ever-popular gluten-free option that IHOP serves with breakfast.
Since ham only contains pork and seasonings, it’s the perfect option for those looking for meat without wanting bacon or sausage.
Ham is a great choice while out and unsure if you are ready to make a leap of faith. Since it’s only meat, it’s a great way to eat while out without worry.
A ham slice at IHOP will be 120 calories and could be more if you add additional slices.
Turkey Bacon
IHOP’s turkey bacon is a lower-calorie option than normal bacon.
It has the delicate flavor of turkey without being too far from bacon that you would be able to tell the difference. Best of all? It’s gluten-free!
Turkey bacon consists of turkey that’s mixed with water and salt with preserving agents similar to sausage.
It’s meaty without being overly greasy like bacon. Meanwhile, it’s just a filling and the perfect side to any breakfast dish.
This item comes in two different servings. Two slices of turkey bacon are 60 calories. Four slices are 120 calories. Both of these options are fewer calories in total than normal bacon.
Gluten-Friendly Cali Garlic Butter Burger
One of my personal favorites on the IHOP menu is the Cali garlic butter burger.
With a gluten-free bun, you can still enjoy this buttery, garlic goodness that has become one of my favorite items on the menu.
This burger consists of garlic butter, hickory-smoked bacon, white cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and mayonnaise.
All together, it makes for a flavorful experience, bite after bite. If you can’t tell already, this burger is high on my personal favorites.
This burger comes to 880 calories with a gluten-free bun, which can be changed, however, by adding avocado (which I highly recommend) for 80 calories. You can also remove some of the layers for fewer calories.
Crispy Breakfast Potatoes
IHOP’s crispy breakfast potatos are the perfect side to eggs and meat.
This option is also fully gluten-free, so that anyone can enjoy it!
The potatoes are perfectly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and you can enjoy them with hot sauce, ketchup, or your preferred condiment.
This side dish will be around 280 calories, which may change depending on your condiments!
Seasoned Fries
Who doesn’t love a good French fry? They’re salty and filling and can be used with any dipping sauce.
For all the gluten-free diners out there, IHOP’s seasoned fries are gluten-free, allowing you to enjoy them, too!
Seasoned fries are one of the items on the IHOP menu that don’t have a ton of ingredients. Seasoned fries are made of potatoes, oil, and salt—that’s it!
There’s no need to worry about ordering gluten-free fries since they are naturally made this way.
In total, a side of seasoned fries will be 320 calories, excluding all of the sauces you’ll dip them in. Additional calories may come from the sauces, but it will only be a max of 80 calories.
Gluten-Friendly Loaded Philly Burger
Hailing from the Philly area, I know a good Philly-style meal when I see one.
IHOP’s gluten-friendly loaded Philly burger is as close as it gets to the real deal—it’s like comfort food to me. Switch out a normal bun for a gluten-free version, and you’re all set for this meal!
The loaded Philly burger comes with the classic Philly toppings, such as mushrooms, cheese, onions, and peppers with a burger patty, lettuce, tomato, and mayo.
It’s a great homage to the Philly cheesesteak.
This meal will set you back around 850 calories, which also depends on whether you decide to keep or remove items on the burger.
Seasonal Mixed Fruit
Fruit is a great side to any meal. It’s naturally gluten-free, and it helps balance meals without breaking the bank.
IHOP’s seasonal mixed fruit is no different, offering great options all year round.
Since the seasonal mixed fruit changes depending on when you’re getting it, it can be hard to know what will be in it.
Usually, this item will have honeydew, watermelon, grapes, and pineapple. However, sometimes there may be berries depending on the season.
Seasonal mixed fruit is also one of the least calorie-intensive foods on the menu. And for what you get, 60 calories is a good size for this choice.
