Ruth's Chris Sweet Potato Casserole! This steakhouse copycat has "special occasion" written all over it. Sweet potato mash is topped with an irresistible pecan & brown sugar crumble topping that will have everyone coming back for seconds.
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Good steakhouses know how to do side dishes. From perfect baked potatoes to creamed spinach, they need accompaniments that will stand up to meaty mains and stand out to patrons.
This Ruth's Chris (or Ruth Chris, as it is often incorrectly spelled) Sweet Potato Casserole copycat is undoubtedly worthy of all its acclaim, and it makes a fantastic addition to a Thanksgiving menu or holiday meal.
Mashed sweet potatoes (infused with butter, sugar and vanilla) are topped with a show-stopping brown sugar & pecan crumble crust that essentially promotes this sweet potato side dish to the "dessert" category. It is unbelievably delicious and you'll find yourself sneaking spoonful after spoonful long after the dishes have been cleared! (Warning: You may want to double the recipe, even for a small party!)
Looking for other holiday side dishes? Try my Boursin Mashed Potatoes, Butternut Squash Stuffing, Provençal Potato Gratin, or Sour Cream & Chive Corn Casserole!
This recipe is naturally vegetarian & can be made gluten-free and dairy free/vegan. (See the Variations & Substitutions section below.)
Ingredients
Despite this mouthwatering dish tasting like the ingredients might cost a premium (and probably setting you back quite a bit if you do order it at Ruth's Chris!), it is actually made with very simple ingredients, many of which you probably already have on hand! You'll need:
- Sweet potatoes. You can't have sweet potato casserole without sweet potatoes, but no one said you have to cook them yourself! I'm happy to share that you can 100% "cheat" and use frozen sweet potato mash (although the consistency is a little wetter and looser). Otherwise, use your favorite method to cook your sweet potatoes for mashing.
- Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar. Let me put it this way... this is NOT a diet recipe. (Nor should it be if you're serving it for a special occasion!) This recipe is very sweet; feel free to reduce the amount of sugar if you prefer a sweet potato casserole that doesn't border on candy.
- Flour. Flour is used in the topping to make that mouthwatering "crumble" topping, similar to the kind you'd put on a crumb cake or coffee cake. Using a one-to-one gluten free replacement should work just fine.
- Pecans. I love the way that the pecans and brown sugar pair with the sweet potato, but you can really use any type of nut such as walnuts or chopped almonds.
- Butter. You'll need one stick of butter (½ cup) total for this entire recipe. It will be used both in the mash and in the crumble topping.
- Egg. Egg almost always acts as a binder and thickener, and that is precisely the case here. It lightens the sweet potato and gives it a little lift, puffing up a tiny bit as it bakes.
Directions
One of the reasons Ruth's Chris Sweet Potato Casserole makes a great holiday dish is because it is very easy to make and the prep time is short, especially if you use my sweet potato shortcut! (See below.) Here's how to do it:
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter or spray a medium baking dish and set aside.
Next, make the crumble topping mixture: Combine brown sugar, flour & chopped pecans in a medium bowl. Pour in melted butter and toss (I like to use a fork) until everything is moistened and crumbly -- you'll want a sweet sand/pebbly mixture. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, sea salt, vanilla extract, butter and a beaten egg until smooth. You can combine by hand or use a hand mixer.
Tip: You can shave time off prepping this dish by buying pre-cooked, mashed sweet potatoes. Trader Joe's sells frozen sweet potato mash seasonally, which is what I use. If you can't find mashed sweet potato, you can buy frozen, cubed sweet potato and boil or steam until tender. If you're going the old-fashioned route, check out this post for different methods for cooking sweet potatoes.
Pour the sweet potato mixture into the prepared baking dish, using a spatula to smooth it out.
Sprinkle the crumble topping mixture evenly over the top of the sweet potatoes.
Bake the casserole for 30 minutes, or until the edges are bubbly and the top is browned and fragrant. Allow the casserole to cool for about 20-30 minutes before serving for the best texture.
This recipe makes 4-6 servings, but is very easy to double for a larger crowd!
FAQ's
Ruth's Chris Steak House is a chain of over 100 steakhouses across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The name comes from the original founder, Ruth Fertel, who opened her original restaurant, Chris Steak House, in New Orleans in 1965.
Yes! This can be made up to 2 days in advance. Make the base as directed and pour it into the prepared casserole dish, and cover with plastic wrap. Make the topping, and place it in and airtight container or zip top plastic bag. Refrigerate both the base and the topping. When you're ready to bake the casserole, sprinkle the topping over the sweet potato mixture and bake as directed.
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, sweet potato casserole should stay good for 3-4 days.
No, but the texture will be a bit different. Egg helps lighten and lift the sweet potato mixture as it bakes, so omitting it will result in a denser casserole. I think it would still taste good, though!
Variations & Substitutions
Try these variations on Ruth's Chris Sweet Potato Casserole:
- Use your favorite nut in place of pecans; chopped almonds or walnuts would work well.
- Add autumn spices to the mixture or crumble topping, such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
- Top your sweet potato casserole with marshmallows instead of crumble topping for another classic approach.
Dietary Specific Substitutions
- Gluten-Free: Use your favorite gluten-free one-to-one flour blend in place of all-purpose flour.
- Vegan or Dairy-Free: Use plant-based butter and egg substitute in place of regular.
- Nut-free: Omit nuts. Try a few tablespoons of rolled oats in their place!
Ruth's Chris Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
For Crumble Topping
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup flour
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- pinch of sea salt
For Sweet Potato Mash
- 2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter or spray a medium casserole or baking dish. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, pecans and sea salt. Add melted butter and toss until a crumbly mixture combined. Set aside.
- In another medium bowl, beat together mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, butter and egg until smooth with a hand mixer (or by hand).
- Pour the sweet potato mixture into the prepared dish. Sprinkle evenly with crumble topping.
- Bake until the edges are bubbly and slightly puffed and the topping is browned and fragrant.
- Remove from oven and cool for 20-30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use chopped almonds or walnuts in place of pecans.
- Add autumn spices to the mixture or crumble topping, such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
- Top your sweet potato casserole with marshmallows instead of crumble topping.
- Gluten-Free: Use your favorite gluten-free one-to-one flour blend in place of all-purpose flour.
- Vegan or Dairy-Free: Use plant-based butter and egg substitute in place of regular.
- Nut-free: Omit nuts. A few tablespoons of rolled oats might make a good substitute!
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