Sweet Potato Dishes

Loaded Sweet Potato Recipe nights usually happen at my house when I want something cozy but I do not feel like babysitting a bunch of pots. You know the vibe: you are hungry, you want dinner to feel fun, and you also want it to be easy enough for a weeknight. This is my go to when I am craving that Texas Roadhouse style sweet potato with all the toppings. It is sweet, salty, creamy, and a little crunchy on top, which is basically everything I want in one bite. Plus, you can make it for one person or for a whole table without changing much.

Ingredients for Texas Roadhouse Sweet Potato Recipe

Let’s talk about what you actually need. I keep this pretty simple, and I will tell you what matters most. The star is a big sweet potato with that fluffy orange inside, then we go all in with butter, cinnamon, and the classic loaded toppings.

Here is my usual lineup for a Texas Roadhouse inspired loaded sweet potato. This makes 4 loaded sweet potatoes, but you can scale it up easily.

• 4 medium to large sweet potatoes (try to pick ones that are similar in size so they bake evenly)
• Butter (about 4 tablespoons total, plus more if you are feeling generous)
• Brown sugar (2 to 4 tablespoons, depending on how sweet you like it)
• Ground cinnamon (about 1 teaspoon)
• Mini marshmallows (a big handful)
• Chopped pecans (optional but so good for crunch)
• Salt (just a pinch to balance the sweet)
• Sour cream (optional, but if you like that sweet plus tangy thing, try it)

If you are the kind of person who loves creamy potato dishes, you might also be into this comfort food favorite I make when I am not in a sweet potato mood: creamy dauphinoise potatoes recipes. Totally different, but same cozy energy.

One more ingredient tip: if your sweet potatoes are super huge, plan on a longer bake time. If they are smaller, check them early so they do not dry out.

How to Make Texas Roadhouse Sweet Potatoes {video_youtube}

Okay, this is the part where it starts smelling amazing. The method is basically baked sweet potatoes plus a quick topping moment at the end. I do not do anything fancy because the toppings do all the work.

My step by step method (easy and reliable)

• Heat your oven to 400 F.
• Scrub the sweet potatoes, dry them, then poke each one a few times with a fork.
• Place them right on the oven rack or on a baking sheet if you want easier cleanup.
• Bake for 45 to 70 minutes depending on size. They are done when a knife slides in with basically no resistance.
• Let them cool for 5 minutes, then slice down the middle and fluff the inside with a fork.
• Add butter, a pinch of salt, brown sugar, and cinnamon right into the fluffy center.
• Top with marshmallows and pecans.
• Pop them back in the oven for 3 to 6 minutes, just until the marshmallows get puffy and lightly golden. Watch closely because they go from perfect to too dark fast.

That is it. This is the kind of dinner that looks like you tried harder than you did, and I love that for us.

If you are making a bigger spread and want another sweet side on the table, I am obsessed with this one: delicious sweet potato casserole dinner. It feels holiday-ish, even on a random Tuesday.

Also, here is a little organizer that helps if you are meal planning for guests or trying to time things with your main dish.

I made this loaded sweet potato recipe for a family movie night, and everyone kept stealing bites from each other’s plates. The marshmallow topping was the favorite, but the butter and cinnamon inside is what really made it taste like the restaurant.

My biggest personal lesson: do not skip the pinch of salt. It makes the sweet flavor pop instead of tasting flat.

Are Sweet Potatoes Healthier than Regular Potatoes?

This comes up a lot, especially when people see me making a Loaded Sweet Potato Recipe and assume it is automatically a health food. Here is my honest take as a regular home cook who reads labels but still loves butter.

Sweet potatoes and regular potatoes are both nutritious. Neither one is “bad.” Sweet potatoes tend to have more beta carotene (your body turns that into vitamin A), and they often have a bit more fiber depending on the size and how you eat them. Regular potatoes bring plenty of potassium and vitamin C, and they are also filling.

What usually changes the “healthiness” is what we put on top. A plain baked sweet potato is pretty balanced. A fully loaded version with lots of butter, sugar, and marshmallows is more of a treat, and that is okay. I like to think of my Loaded Sweet Potato Recipe as comfort food that can still be part of a normal week when you portion it in a way that works for you.

If you want a slightly more dessert-like version for special occasions, this one is seriously good and super cozy: deliciously creamy sweet potato casserole with praline topping. It is sweet potato happiness in a dish.

Quick practical idea: if you want to lighten things up, use less brown sugar, add cinnamon, and go heavier on pecans for that “treat” feel without quite as much sweetness.

Tips for the Best Loaded Sweet Potatoes

I have made this enough times to mess it up a few different ways, so here are the fixes that actually help.

Pick the right potato size. If they are wildly different, some will be done and others will still be firm in the middle. If you only have mixed sizes, bake the big ones first and add the smaller ones later.

Do not wrap in foil if you want a dry, fluffy inside. Foil traps steam. That can be nice sometimes, but for this Loaded Sweet Potato Recipe, I like the inside fluffy so it mixes well with the butter and cinnamon.

Fluff first, then season. Cut, fluff, then add butter, salt, cinnamon, and brown sugar. When you stir it lightly, it turns into this creamy, sweet mash right inside the skin.

Marshmallow timing matters. Add them at the end. If you bake them the whole time, they melt and disappear or burn. A quick final toast gives that classic Texas Roadhouse look.

Make it a meal. If I want this to be dinner and not just a side, I add a little protein on the side like grilled chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken. Sometimes I even do a savory version with bacon and cheddar, then still add a tiny drizzle of honey. It sounds odd, but it works.

By the way, if you are building out a comfort food menu and want something rich and creamy on a different night, I have used this dish as a cozy side more times than I can count: creamy dauphinoise potatoes recipes. Total crowd pleaser.

And if you are on a sweet potato kick (same), here is another one I keep bookmarked for potlucks: delicious sweet potato casserole dinner.

How Many Calories in a Texas Roadhouse Sweet Potato?

This is tricky because restaurants can be heavy handed with toppings, and sizes vary a lot. But I can give you a realistic home estimate so you can plan.

A medium baked sweet potato on its own is often around 100 to 160 calories depending on size. Once you turn it into a Texas Roadhouse style loaded sweet potato with butter, brown sugar, and marshmallows, it can land more like 300 to 500 calories, again depending on how much you add.

For my usual Loaded Sweet Potato Recipe at home, I would estimate about:

• Sweet potato: 130 to 180
• Butter (1 tablespoon): about 100
• Brown sugar (1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon): about 15 to 50
• Marshmallows (small handful): about 50 to 100
• Pecans (1 tablespoon): about 50

If you want to cut it down, the easiest move is less butter and fewer marshmallows. If you want to make it more filling without piling on sugar, add chopped nuts for texture and a little extra protein.

Common Questions

Can I make this Loaded Sweet Potato Recipe in the microwave?

Yes. Poke holes, microwave 5 minutes, flip, then microwave 3 to 6 more minutes until soft. Add toppings, then broil for 1 to 2 minutes if you want the marshmallows toasted.

Do I have to use marshmallows?

Nope. You can do just butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar, or swap marshmallows for a sprinkle of granola or extra pecans.

How do I store leftovers?

Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave. If you want the top to get puffy again, use the oven for a few minutes.

Can I prep sweet potatoes ahead of time for guests?

Yes. Bake them earlier in the day, then rewarm at 350 F for about 15 minutes, add toppings, and toast the marshmallows right before serving.

What is the best way to keep the sweet potato skin from tearing?

Let the potatoes cool a few minutes after baking. The skins are more delicate when they are screaming hot, so a short rest helps a lot.

A cozy final note before you bake

If you try this Loaded Sweet Potato Recipe, do not overthink it. Bake until soft, fluff it, then load it up the way you like. If you want to compare methods, I really like reading other approaches like Loaded Baked Sweet Potatoes Recipe – Serious Eats for technique tips, and this spot on copycat is fun too: Texas Roadhouse loaded sweet potato copycat recipe. Now go bake a few, put the toppings out, and let everyone build their own. It is easy, it is cozy, and it always disappears fast.