Sweet Potato Casserole with Canned Yams

Our Ruth’s Chris sweet potato casserole recipe starts with canned yams (sweet potatoes) to keep life as easy as possible.

Canned Yams Are The Secret Thanksgiving Weapon!

Big, strong feelings about Thanksgiving dinner over here. Like, for example, there must be at least 3 different types of potatoes. Mashed potatoes (because turkey gravy is a must), some sort of cheesy potato situation, and of course sweet potato casserole.

Let’s talk about the sweet potato casserole situation. I like marshmallows just fine, but 99% of the time I’m making Ruth’s Chris sweet potato casserole with it’s buttery, brown sugary pecan topping. I get it if you grew up with the marshmallow version, but I challenge you to give this stresul-y topping a try just once. I bet ya don’t go back. 😏

Thanksgiving is already stressful enough with the turkey (will it be overcooked and dry? Is it going to be finished at the right time? Is it too large or not quite large enough to feed all the guests?), so I like to cut corners on the side dishes where I can, so long as it doesn’t impact the final dish.

You can use canned yams for sweet potato casserole and no one will ever know. I swear, it’ll be our little secret and it’ll save you a good 30+ minutes.

Ruth’s Chris Sweet Potato Casserole:

This recipe comes from the famous Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

I’ve sadly never had the pleasure of eating at Ruth’s Chris, but I’ve eaten their recipe for sweet potato casserole more times than I can count.

It’s a favorite side dish at holiday meals and I’ve been known to eat the leftovers cold from the fridge for breakfast.

Normally, I’d take a few liberties with a recipe and doctor things up. Literally nothing needs changed in Ruth’s Chris sweet potato casserole. It is as good as it can possibly get. Trust me.

Filling Ingredients:

Canned Yams – We use a 29 ounce can of canned yams (which, in America, is a variety of orange fleshed sweet potato – they are different in other countries) for this recipe. Just drain off the liquid, and microwave them for a couple minutes to make them easier to mash. We like this brand of canned yams. If you prefer, you can certainly peel, boil, and mash fresh sweet potatoes for this recipe but we literally never bother.

Sugar – There is quite a bit of sugar in sweet potato casserole and you can reduce it down if you prefer. We think the sweetness is essential here, personally. As written, this recipe is just like what’s served at the infamous Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.

Vanilla – Use pure vanilla extract if you have. Imitation vanilla is fine, but pure vanilla is always best.

Butter – Salted, melted butter is key to make this sweet potato casserole so rich.

Topping Ingredients:

Brown Sugar – For more of a deep, molasses flavor use dark brown sugar. Light brown sugar will have a lighter flavor.

Pecans – You’ll chop up some pecans to add a little texture to this buttery topping.

Butter & Flour – Finally, you stir together butter and flour to make a simple streusel situation.

How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole:

Mash the canned yams until mostly smooth. You can leave it a little chunky, if you prefer. Stir in the beaten eggs, sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla.

Make the topping by stirring together melted butter, flour, pecans, and brown sugar until the mixture is well combined.

Spread the filling into a greased 2 quart baking dish and then spread that topping over it all. You can use a spoon to try and spread it out, but I find it pretty easy to use my hands.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and then remove from the oven and let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes before digging in.

Make Ahead:

If you’d like to prep this in advance, prepare the recipe as directed, but cover tightly with plastic wrap just before baking.

Store in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking.

Remove from the fridge for about 30 minutes before baking and then add an addition 5-10 minutes to the bake time to get it fully warmed through and hot.

More Thanksgiving Favorites:

• Green Bean Casserole with Bacon
• Sausage Dressing
• Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
• Chocolate Pecan Pie
• Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip
• Pumpkin Lasagna