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This copycat recipe for Ruth’s Chris sweet potato casserole just can’t be beat! A simple, slightly sweetened sweet potato mash is topped with an absolutely delicious praline pecan topping that adds a wonderful layer of nutty crunch. Your family will trash the marshmallow-topped classic the moment you bring out this crisp and crunchy version, I promise!
Why This Will Be Your New Go-to Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
- The first time I had Ruth’s Chris sweet potato casserole, I fell in LOVE. The sweet potato mash is perfectly creamy and tender, but the real star of the show is the praline pecan topping. With chopped pecans, caramelized in brown sugar and warm spices this copycat version is so much better than our usual marshmallow-topped recipe at Thanksgiving.
- Even though we’re adding a fair bit of sugar to both the sweet potatoes and the topping, the contrast between smooth and crunchy makes everything taste balance with the perfect amount of sweetness.
- Both the sweet potato mixture and praline crumble come together super quickly, and you can also make both halves of the casserole ahead to be assembled and baked later, helping juggle dishes for the big meal!
What I Learned Testing This Recipe
- You don’t have to prep the sweet potatoes any specific way. All that matters here is that they’re fully cooked and then mashed well. You can also whip them if you like that texture better! Every way I have tried works with this casserole.
- Make sure you drain the sweet potatoes really well (if you’re cooking them using a method like boiling or the Instant Pot) and don’t be tempted to add any additional liquid to aid with the mashing as this is what usually makes a casserole soggy.
- If the topping starts browning too quickly before the casserole is hot, loosely cover it with foil and continue baking. Ovens vary, so keep an eye on the casserole until you know how this recipe bakes in yours.
- Resting the casserole after baking is a step you can’t skip. The sweet potato layer will stay warm if that is what you’re worried about, but the crunchy topping won’t crisp up without a good 10 minutes out of the oven before serving.
Ingredients
Unsalted butter – We’re using butter both to bind the ingredients for the topping together, and to add richness to the sweet potato layer.
Brown sugar – This adds a wonderful warming sweetness to the crunchy topping.
All-purpose flour – A touch of flour helps hold the topping together.
Chopped pecans – For the crumble topping, you can also use coarsely chopped walnuts.
Egg – This is essential to bind the sweet potato based so it spoons nicely when it is time to serve.
Granulated sugar – This adds a little sweetness to the sweet potato, but without adding the caramel flavors you’d get from using more brown sugar like in the topping.
Salt – I usually don’t mention salt outside of the recipe card, but it is so essential here for balancing the sweetness in the casserole. I tend to use kosher salt as standard.
Pure vanilla extract – This adds a different kind of natural sweetness to the casserole and a hint of the holidays!
Mashed sweet potatoes – I’ve found that any cooking method works for making a sweet potato casserole, from boiling to roasting in the skins and scraping out the flesh, to using your Instant Pot. You can also whip them for a lighter texture, it’s up to you and your family preference.
Make-ahead & Storage Notes
To get ahead, make both the sweet potato base and the topping, and let them both cool completely, then refrigerate in two separate containers. On baking day, let them both sit at room temperature 30 minutes so they’re easier to work with. Assemble the casserole as directed below, then bake ’til hot and crisp! Keeping the two layers separate until baking time will guarantee the best texture.
Both single layers, or leftovers from the finished baked casserole will keep for up to 3 days and should be heated through completely in the microwave (for ease) or in the oven (to keep that nice crispy top!) before serving.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but choose a much wider baking dish rather than a deeper one, which will throw all the proportions of topping to sweet potato, and the cooking times off. Or, bake two casseroles at the same time, rotating the baking dishes in the oven halfway through baking.
Yes! I’ve tested this to be a classic-tasting Thanksgiving-style sweet potato casserole, but if you do want things less sweet reduce the amount of sugar in the sweet potato layer, not in the topping, as the right amount of sugar is needed in the praline to make sure it turns nice and crisp.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Ruth’s Chris Sweet Potato Casserole
Equipment
- 2-quart ceramic casserole dish 8×8 or 11×7
- neutral cooking spray or butter
- Small microwave-safe bowl
- 2 Silicone spatulas or 1 silicone spatula and 1 hand mixer, see Notes
- medium mixing bowl
- large mixing bowl
- whisk
Ingredients
For the Praline Crumble
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ packed cup brown sugar light or dark
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans or coarsely chopped walnuts
For the Sweet Potato Layer
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt more or less to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes fully cooked, see Notes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Position oven racks so that casserole dish can sit in center of oven. Lightly grease bottom and sides of casserole dish with neutral cooking spray and set aside.
- Add ¼ cup unsalted butter to small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave butter in 15-second increments, stirring well between each, until butter is melted but not burnt. Carefully remove bowl from microwave.
- Add ¾ packed cup brown sugar, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ¾ cup coarsely chopped pecans, and melted butter to medium mixing bowl. Stir until ingredients are incorporated into crumbly mixture. Set bowl aside.
- Crack 1 large egg directly into large mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously until egg is well-beaten and no longer streaky.
- Again add ¼ cup unsalted butter to small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave butter in 15-second increments, stirring well between each, until butter is melted but not burnt. Carefully remove bowl from microwave and let butter cool slightly.
- Add melted butter, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes to large bowl with beaten egg. Stir all ingredients together until fully combined into smooth mixture. See Notes for hand mixer option.
- Transfer sweet potato mixture to prepared casserole dish. Spread mixture out into one even layer, covering bottom of dish completely.
- Sprinkle praline crumble over top of sweet potato layer, distributing crumble as evenly as possible.
- Place casserole dish in preheated oven. Bake casserole 30 minutes or until sweet potato layer is hot and praline crumble is browned. Note: if praline crumble browns too quickly, cover casserole dish loosely with aluminum foil.
- When casserole is ready, carefully remove casserole dish from oven. Set aside to rest 10 to 20 minutes, then serve warm.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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I made this last Thanksgiving and Christmas and loved it. Made it this Thanksgiving, still love it. Made it for Christmas and messed up the recipe, and it’s somehow EVEN BETTER!!! I accidentally trippled the butter in the topping. Then I added another 1/4 cup of flour to fix the proportions. The topping came out like a layer of pecan pie, without the goo. It’s a harder layer of crust that really compliments the soft layer of the sweet potatoes. I’m definitely making it this way forever now!
That sounds like a happy accident! We’re so glad it was a hit! 😊
This was a huge hit at Thanksgiving last year! Not a crumb left. Doubling the recipe this year since everyone loved it
We’re so happy it’s a repeat favorite now! Thanks so much for sharing, Terri!
My family loved this it turned out great!
We’re so glad the whole family loved it!
We had the Ruth Chris sweet potato casserole a couple of days before I made this recipe. Since I’m diabetic I used Golden brown monk fruit sweetener instead of brown sugar. My husband raved about the dish, something he rarely does. I have the feeling that this will be something he requests when I ask if he wants sweet potatoes.
We’re so glad you and your husband loved it! Thanks for sharing, Teresa!
This was a hit at Christmas. Everyone had seconds.
We’re so glad to hear this! 😊 Thanks for sharing, June!
Made for Thanksgiving! I big hit….already have given out the recipe to others! Thank you!
We’re so glad it was a hit at Thanksgiving! Thanks so much for sharing, Jane!
Love the sweet potatoes and that casarole
Be sure to let us know if you try it! 😊