This Sweet Potato Casserole is creamy and topped with a brown sugar pecan crust just like they are at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. One of our family favorites and the perfect side dish at Thanksgiving dinner almost as important as the turkey, these sweet potatoes will turn even non-sweet potato lovers into avid fans.

sweet potato casserole

I may earn commissions for purchases made through links on this post.


BEST SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE RECIPE

I used to despise sweet potatoes with all that marshmallow topping until last year when my sister-in-law Kim gave me a recipe that changed my mind.

The only other time I have enjoyed sweet potatoes is when we go to Ruth’s Chris steak house for special occasions and John orders them.

I always give him a little flack and say, “You ordered sweet potatoes (imagine a 13 year old girl’s voice with a lot of attitude)?!

It’s not Thanksgiving.” But guess who always ends up licking the plate…me. The flavor is insane.

RUTH CHRIS

So this year when I stumbled across THE Ruth’s Chris Sweet Potatoes, the original recipe, for the first time on the Ruth Chris website I was torn.

Why try something new when I knew how good Kim’s recipe was? A family favorite.

Then as I looked at the recipes closer I realized the ingredients were exactly the same.

The only difference was that Kim’s had a little milk in them which I left out last year anyway because my potatoes were already looking a little on the wet side.

This is such an easy recipe and is the only way to go as far as a sweet potato recipe.

PRO TIPS

  • They’re creamy with a brown sugar pecan crust great for a special occasion and holiday meal. No mini marshmallows on top here.
  • These could easily be dessert maybe even with a scoop of ice cream.
  • You can make these up to a couple of days in advance and then bake the crust for 10 minutes before serving.

PREPARING THE SWEET POTATOES

Just boil, bake, or even microwave your sweet potatoes until fork tender.  Mash them with a fork or a potato masher. There’s no need for peeling. Just scoop the flesh out.

yams

Using an electric mixer, make the sweet potato filling. Cream them together with some eggs, sugar, and melted butter. This has the best texture.

crumble crumble

Top with a brown sugar pecan crust layer. The pecan topping is the best part in my opinion. Pour on top of the casserole.

sweet potato casserole

HOW TO MAKE SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a medium-size casserole dish with nonstick spray.
  2. For the crust: Stir together the brown sugar, flour, nuts and butter in mixing bowl. Chill in the fridge until ready to use. This helps the crumble topping maintain its form and not melt into the sweet potatoes.
  3. Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs and butter in a large bowl in the order listed. Beat thoroughly with a hand mixer for about 3-4 minutes to increase the fluffiness of the sweet potato mixture.
  4. Pour mixture into the baking dish (I use around a 2 quart dish). Bake for 25 minutes. At this point, dish can be covered and be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days if making ahead of time. *If you refrigerated ahead of time make sure to reheat the potatoes again before adding the crust – around 10-20 minutes.
  5. Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with the pecan crumble return to oven for 10-20 minutes or until crumble is browned. Allow to sit for a minutes before serving. Makes 10 servings. Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container.

MAKE AHEAD SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

Can these sweet potatoes be made ahead of time?

Yes! Prepare the filling and bake then refrigerate until the day of baking. Bake for 10-20 minutes then sprinkle the streusel topping on top and bake according to the directions.

*Note- I’ve also made the entire recipe days ahead and it reheats great the next day! These award winning sweet potatoes will be a hit! Also good at room temperature.

CAN YOU FREEZE SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE?

Yes. This can be frozen after baked for up to three months. To reheat: Thaw in the fridge and bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.

YAMS VS SWEET POTATOES

What is the difference between yams and sweet potatoes? Actual yams are native to Africa and it is very rare that you will see an actual yam in the United States. Grocery stores label them both yams and sweet potatoes but they are most likely sweet potatoes.

CAN I USE CANNED SWEET POTATOES?

Yes. If you’re looking for the canned version at the grocery store sometimes they are called sweet potatoes and sometimes they are called yams.

Make sure you get the ones that are not stored in syrup (these are already sweet enough). You’ll need about 3 (15 ounce) cans to make 3 cups.

OTHER POTATO RECIPES:

SWEET POTATO RECIPES

OTHER THANKSGIVING SIDE DISHES:

Ruth's Chris Sweet Potato Casserole

4.54 from 727 votes
These Ruth's Chris Sweet Potato Casserole is creamy and topped with a brown sugar pecan crust just like they are at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

Crust:

Sweet Potato Mixture:

Equipment

Casserole Dish (these ones from Pryex work great)
Electric Mixer (I like this one from KitchenAid)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a medium-size casserole dish with nonstick spray.
  • For the crust: Combine brown sugar, flour, nuts and butter in mixing bowl. Chill in the fridge until ready to use. This helps the crumble maintain its form and not melt into the sweet potatoes.
  • Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs and butter in a large mixing bowl in the order listed. Beat thoroughly with a hand mixer for about 3-4 minutes to increase the fluffiness of the sweet potato mixture.
  • Pour mixture into the baking dish (I use around a 2 quart dish). Bake for 25 minutes. At this point, dish can be covered and refrigerated for a couple of days if making ahead of time.
  • *If you refrigerated ahead of time make sure to reheat the potatoes again before adding the crust - around 10-20 minutes.
  • Sprinkle the surface of the sweet potato mixture evenly with the crust mixture and return to oven for 10-20 minutes or until crumble is browned. Makes 10 servings. Allow to set for a few minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

Note: 3 cups sweet potatoes is about 3-4 large sweet potatoes. To cook sweet potatoes first wash and dry them carefully then you can either: 1) Bake them at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes 2) Boil them for 30 minutes or 3) Pierce them with a fork and microwave them for about 15-20 minutes (my preferred method).
Source: my SIL Kimi
The size of dish will depend on how thick you want your potatoes. I like to use around a 2 quart dish. A 9x13 pan is a 3 quart dish so if you're doubling it and put it in a 9x13 it might be on the thicker side.

CAN YOU FREEZE SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE?

Yes. This can be frozen after baked for up to three months. To reheat: Thaw in the fridge and bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
Serving: 1/8 of the recipe
Cuisine: American
Course: Side Dish
Author: Christy Denney
These Sweet Potatoes are creamy and topped with a brown sugar pecan crust just like they are at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. One of our family favorites, this will turn even non-sweet potato lovers into avid fans. #sweet #potato #casserole #ruthschris #thanksgiving #sidesweet potato casserole

Ruth's Chris Sweet Potato Casserole 

author avatar
Christy Denney
Christy is the voice behind The Girl Who Who Ate Everything! She is no stranger to making meals that kids and adults will love. She grew up in Mesa, Arizona as the youngest of ten kids. She can always be found in her kitchen with music playing and cooking with her kids. She published her first cookbook in 2014. She loves party food that gets the conversations going!
See Full Bio