Here's Why Ruth's Chris' Sweet Potato Casserole Tastes So Good

Ruth's Chris is obviously known for steak. Let's be honest, that's what most people go there for. But once you've actually eaten there a few times, it's hard not to notice that a couple of sides get a lot of attention, too. And while Ruth's Chris' steaks are always very good, it turns out that so is their sweet potato casserole, which has become one of those menu items with a bit of a cult following.

The casserole is on the menu as a side dish, but it's also basically a dessert partly because of what goes into it, and some diners have been known to enjoy it that way, too. The sweet potato mixture includes vanilla, which comes up again and again in recipes that try to recreate the restaurant version. This vanilla adds sweetness to the casserole without making the dish taste too sugary, and the potatoes are also mashed until smooth, which gives it a very uniform texture instead of a chunky one. It also includes a unique crust that puts its own flavorful angle on classic versions of this casserole. The dish has become popular enough that it's spawned plenty of copycat recipes online, especially around the holidays — and most of them stick pretty closely to the same basic idea rather than changing it too much. Why mess with a good thing?

Now, the topping here is where this casserole really separates itself from more traditional versions. Instead of marshmallows, it's finished with a nut-based crust. On the official Ruth's Chris website, the recipe simply calls for chopped nuts, with no specific type required. This makes sense, as any nut will add crunch and keep the dish from feeling too soft all the way through. But, the website does note that pecans are preferred for the recipe, which makes sense, too: Pecans, particularly oven-roasted pecans, elevate the casserole by bringing a buttery richness that balances out the sweet potato base.

As with any recipe with a fanbase, this is also when people may start to tweak it and make it their own — some copycat recipes stay very straightforward and follow the script while others may add extra ingredients like bourbon, cinnamon, nutmeg, or even orange zest to bring a little warmth and complexity depending on taste. But no matter what you add to it, Ruth's Chris' casserole works because of how these familiar flavors are combined, not because it's doing something massively unexpected. It's a dish that is sweet, rich, and consistently good, which is why it keeps showing up on orders, even at a restaurant where the main event is meant to be the meat.