IHOP may receive a lot of heat on their social media, but it is still the place for late-night meet-ups.
Therefore, it’s only wise to know what plant-based options do the restaurant offers, so you don’t just watch people eat while sipping on black coffee or soda. Or spend all your time mulling over their extensive menu.
Save yourself time and frustration and learn all about IHOP vegan options, so the next time you go there with family or friends, you know what to order.
I am here to help you with just that. Read on to find out what’s vegan at IHOP.
What Can Vegans Eat at IHOP?
Before we dive into the list of vegan options at IHOP, let me break the bad news to you that if you came here hoping to find IHOP vegan pancake options, you’ll be truly disappointed to know that IHOP doesn’t serve plant-based pancakes.
Yes, you read it right. The International House of Pancake doesn’t have vegan pancakes on the menu, even when the numbers of vegans in the US have risen to a whopping 9.6 (or 9.7) million.
It is utterly disappointing, I know, but take heart. There are still quite a few vegan options at IHOP that you can enjoy during your late-night get-togethers or breakfast meetups (hear y’all early risers).
Let’s take a look at what does IHOP have for vegans without further ado. Your options include:
- Hash Browns
- Crispy Potato Pancakes
- Baked Potato
- Grits
- Sourdough Bread
- English Muffin – without butter
- Avocado Toast
- French Fries
- House Salad
- Minestrone Soup
- Tortillas
- Sautéed Veggies
- Broccoli
- Fresh Fruit Cup
- Vegan Toppings, Syrups, and Dressings
- Beverages
IHOP Vegan Options – A Detailed Breakdown
As a vegan living in a predominantly non-vegan society, you would know that you can’t just rely on any list of vegan foods without knowing what each item actually contains. So, let’s do just that and take a look at what these IHOP vegan choices contain and what modifications some of them require in order to be completely vegan.
▪ Hash Browns
Who needs eggs and bacon when you can start your day with a carbs boost from freshly cooked hash browns? IHOP hash browns are vegan-friendly, as per popular opinion. However, just tell the server to make sure they don’t add any butter to your hash browns.
IHOP’s hash browns may not come in the form of a perfect patty like McDonald’s, but they are super delicious.
Bonus Tip
Get some veggies, and perhaps salsa, on the side to take your hash browns up a notch and make your breakfast more flavorful and filling. Broccoli, avocado, and salsa are some of my favorite choices.
▪ Crispy Potato Pancakes
These are quite similar to hash browns but packed into pancakes shape and are much crispier on the outside. If you’re looking for a fried potato item but not in the mood for good ol’ hash browns, give these Crispy Potato Pancakes a try.
As suggested with hash browns, you can also get some veggies on the side with these pancakes or get them as a side with soup or salad for good, filling vegan meal at IHOP.
▪ Baked Potato
Love potatoes, but probably not in the mood for a fried potato item or watching your calories? Try baked potato!
IHOP’s baked potato is vegan. But, it’s better to emphasize at the time of ordering that you don’t want butter, cheese, sour cream, or any other non-vegan topping added to your baked potato. It doesn’t come standard with any of these toppings, but since things may vary across various locations, it’s good to specify. You can, however, get some sautéed veggies with the baked potato.
▪ Grits
Not many people would want to eat porridge when eating out. But, if you really want some or looking for something healthy to start your day with, IHOP offers the cornmeal porridge, called grits, for you. IHOP grits are completely vegan.
You can get the fresh fruit cup with your IHOP vegan porridge for some more flavor and natural sweetness.
Note
IHOP also offers Banana and Brown Sugar Oatmeal, but according to the restaurant’s allergen menu, it is made with milk and is non-vegan. IHOP doesn’t offer any vegan milk option. However, you may try requesting if they can make it with water for you.
▪ Sourdough Bread
IHOP offers many different types of breads. But, sadly, all of them are non-vegan, except the sourdough bread. Make sure to get it without butter!
Order sourdough bread with your IHOP vegan soup or salad to enjoy a filling meal.
▪ English Muffin
Not in the mood for bread? Get yourself an English muffin. Hold the butter and enjoy it with the jam on your table; that’s 100% vegan (did you know that? I didn’t!)
Don’t have a sweet tooth? Get a side of sautéed veggies and make use of the ketchup on the table to make your own veggie sandwich.
▪ Avocado Toast
Avocado toast isn’t something new, but it is one of the biggest food trends lately. Everyone on social media seems to be eating avocado toast. If you’re also a fan of this simple yet delicious toast, you can get it at IHOP with a tiny modification.
IHOP’s avocado toast comes with buttered sourdough bread. Just ask them to hold the butter, and you’re good.
In case you’ve never tried IHOP’s avocado toast, it features avocadoes (of course) and tomatoes on sourdough bread, topped with seasoning and a lemon wedge on the side.
I am personally not a fan of IHOP’s avocado toast (I have had way better avocado toasts), but you can make do with it.
▪ French Fries
Ah! The good ol’ French fries that almost always come to vegans’ rescue at non-vegan-friendly places. It’s not something you expect to see on IHOP’s menu. But they are pretty good and vegan. We all can do with some freshly cooked French fries for an extra dose of happiness (aren’t they the best comfort food ever?)
Oh, and did you know that IHOP’s French fries are seasoned? So, be ready for some extra flavor too.
▪ House Salad
Whether you’re a health freak or looking to add some natural freshness to your otherwise unhealthy vegan meal, IHOP’s house salad is your best option. Not a very fancy or exciting option, but it’s fresh, healthy, and 100% vegan. It comes with croutons, though, which aren’t vegan, so make sure to hold them.
Note
You may also get Chicken Fajita Salad without chicken, cheese, and sour cream. You will get a combination of mixed greens, green peppers, onions, and tomatoes, tossed with a zesty dressing and topped with avocado and tortilla chips. Do confirm the vegan status of the dressing and tortilla chips.
▪ Minestrone Soup
If you find yourself at IHOP on a chilly day, warm yourself up with a steaming hot bowl of the hearty Italian vegetable soup called Minestrone. Made with vegetable broth spiced up with slightly tangy and richly seasoned tomato sauce, the soup is packed with flavors and a variety of fresh vegetables. What’s a better way to get your daily dose of vegetables than a bowl of healthy vegan Minestrone soup?
You don’t get a vegan soup that easily at restaurants (even Minestrone soup is not vegan everywhere), so take full advantage of it when you find one.
If you love some bread with your soup, get yourself some sourdough bread.
▪ Tortillas
IHOP offers corn and flour tortillas, and both are vegan. While this isn’t something that you get excited to see on a menu, you can get all creative with making your own vegan wrap using your favorite kind of tortilla. Get salsa, vegetable toppings, and hash browns to make yourself a vegan breakfast taco/burrito.
▪ Sautéed Veggies
You won’t find sautéed veggies; listen on IHOP’s menu. You have to place a special order for them.
It may feel weird, but you have to ask for a vegetarian omelet without eggs and cheese.
Depending on which vegetarian omelet you choose, you will get a mix of sautéed spinach, mushrooms, and onions topped with fresh diced tomatoes (Spinach and Mushroom Omelet), fresh green peppers, tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms (Garden Omelet), or onions, green peppers, mushrooms, and oven-roasted tomatoes (Veggie Omelet).
▪ Steamed Broccoli
If you’re one from that tiny group of people who look for the healthiest items on the menu or looking to add some healthy greens to your meal, IHOP has steamed broccoli for you. It doesn’t come standard with butter added, but it’s always good to specify that you don’t want any butter just to be on the safe side.
▪ Fresh Fruit Cup
As evident from the name, IHOP’s fresh fruit cup has a mix of seasonal fruits. Nothing fancy. But, you can drizzle some maple syrup or any other sweet toppings on them to make your own little fresh and healthy vegan dessert (kind of).
▪ Vegan Toppings, Dressings and Syrups
Enhance the flavor profile of your vegan foods with any of the following IHOP vegan toppings, syrups, and salad dressings:
- Tomatoes
- Avocado
- Sautéed Spinach
- Sautéed Mushrooms
- Sautéed Green Peppers & Onion
- Salsa
- Peanut Butter
- Jam
- Glazed Strawberries
- Banana Slices
- Peach Topping
- Raspberry Topping
- Blueberry Compote
IHOP Vegan Syrups
- Sugar-Free Syrup
- Old Fashioned Maple Syrup
- Blueberry Syrup
- Strawberry Syrup
- Boysenberry Syrup
Vegan Salad Dressings at IHOP
- Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Raspberry Vinaigrette
- Fat-Free Raspberry Vinaigrette
- French Dressing
- Catalina Dressing
- Creamy Italian Dressing (It sounds non-vegan, but according to IHOP’s allergen guide, it doesn’t contain milk or eggs. But, do confirm with your server before ordering.)
▪ Vegan Beverages at IHOP
A meal isn’t considered complete without a drink. And IHOP offers plenty of vegan-friendly options. Though the majority of them are packaged drinks, it’s always good to know your options.
When eating at IHOP, you can get yourself a drink from the following IHOP vegan drinks options:
- Coca Cola
- Cherry Coke
- Diet Coke
- Coke Zero
- Pepsi
- Pepsi – Wild Cherry
- Fanta Orange
- Mountain Dew
- Sprite
- Dr. Pepper
- Barq’s Root Beer
- Mug Root Beer
- Fruit Punch
- Iced Tea
- Brisk Raspberry Iced Tea
- Minute Mint Lemonade
- Iced Tea & Lemonade
- Manzanita Sol
- Sierra Mist
- Pibb Extra
- Sobe Yumberry Pomegranate Life Water
- Orange Juice
- Apple Juice
- Grapefruit Juice
- Cranberry Juice
- Tomato Juice
- IHOP Splasher – Splashberry
- IHOP Splasher – Tropical Island Twist
- English Breakfast Tea
- Decaf Hot Tea
- Golden Chamomile Tea
- Organic Green Tea
- International House Roast Coffee
- International House Roast Decaf Coffee
IHOP Menu Items That May Look Vegan But Are Not
Some people may mistake the following IHOP menu items as vegan-friendly, but they actually contain non-vegan ingredients; milk and/or eggs. So, be careful and make sure you don’t mistakenly end up ordering any of them.
- Onion Rings – contain milk.
- Garlic Bread – contains milk
- Red Skin Mashed Potatoes – contain milk
- Oatmeal – contains milk (as mentioned earlier, you may request to get it made vegan by swapping milk with water)
- Marinara Sauce – contains milk
- IHOP Signature Sauce – contains egg
- Reduced-Fat Italian Dressing – contains milk
- Vanilla Sauce – contains both milk and egg
- Chocolate Chips – made of milk chocolate
IHOP Vegan Menu FAQs
Let’s answer some of the most frequently asked questions about IHOP vegan menu items to clear any confusions that some of you may still have.
▪ Are IHOP pancakes vegan?
Since IHOP is known for its pancakes (after all, it’s House of Pancakes), the most common question plant-eaters ask is – can vegans eat IHOP pancakes?
Sadly, the answer is not what you expected (or hoped for). IHOP pancakes are not vegan. They contain eggs and milk.
▪ Are IHOP waffles vegan?
Just like their pancakes, IHOP waffles also contain eggs and milk and hence, are non-vegan. The same goes for their crepes and French toast. All these classic breakfast items are non-vegan at IHOP.
▪ Does IHOP have a plant-based burger?
IHOP doesn’t have a vegan or even vegetarian burger on its menu. I really hope they do so in the near future, seeing the widely increasing number of plant-eaters.
Badly craving for a burger? Make your own vegan burger! Check out the following video for a great vegan burger recipe…
Conclusion – Is IHOP Vegan-Friendly?
IHOP isn’t among the best dine out places for vegans in the US. But, it does have quite a few vegan-friendly items on its menu, so you won’t have to stay hungry or rely on just coffee, coke, or French fries while your friends enjoy hearty meals. Although IHOP doesn’t have any vegan entrée, you can still out together a decent vegan meal for yourself.
Need some inspiration? Here are a couple of ideas:
Get yourself a bowl of Minestrone soup with sourdough bread, hash browns or crispy potato pancakes, a drink, and a fresh fruit cup to end your meal on a sweet note. If you’re too hungry or have a big appetite, you can get a salad as well.
Another way to put together a vegan meal at IHOP is to order a tortilla with hash browns, salsa, avocado, and sautéed veggies. Make a wrap with all these ingredients. Pair up your vegan wrap with French fries and a drink.
If you find yourself eating out quite often, you will likely be interested in learning about the vegan options at other popular restaurants as well. Check out my article Burger King Vegan Options to find out if the fast-food giant offers what’s lacking in IHOP’s menu – a vegan burger!
