The Texas Roadhouse Side Dish That Could Double As Dessert

For millions of Americans, Texas Roadhouse is a go-to location for delicious meals and extra-large portions. But for Texas Roadhouse diners with a sweet tooth, the additional cost of dessert can feel like an unnecessary splurge. After all, the experience is only getting more expensive; in October, the chain announced it would be raising prices after its latest earnings report. Amid these rising costs, a number of Texas Roadhouse menu hacks have begun to circulate the internet, helping diners get the most bang for their buck. Fortunately, there's a satisfying way to get in your dessert fix that's already one of the most popular menu items at Texas Roadhouse — the sweet potato.

While it might seem odd to order a side dish as a dessert, the chain's sweet potato has everything you'd typically look for in a sweet, after-dinner treat. For one, the potato's natural sweetness and creamy texture are enough to make it a decadent experience on its own. But, if you order the sweet potato loaded, it comes with honey-cinnamon caramel sauce and toasted, golden-brown marshmallows on top. These toppings take the sweet potato to the next level, offering a nostalgic, s'mores-like flavor that somehow isn't overly sweet for just $3.49. While there are upcharges for additional toppings, including $0.50 for mini marshmallows, $0.79 for honey-cinnamon caramel sauce, and $1.29 for the loaded option, Texas Roadhouse's sweet potatoes are significantly cheaper than the chain's signature desserts, which are each $8.99. 

One of the best things about Texas Roadhouse's loaded sweet potato is that it can easily be customized to your liking. You can order it plain, of course, but if you're ordering the dish as a dessert, we'd suggest loading it up with some of the chain's many toppings. For a subtly-sweet dessert, reminiscent of a homemade sweet potato pie, you can top your sweet potato with butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Similarly, you can swap out the plain butter for some of Texas Roadhouse's iconic Honey-Cinnamon Butter (the same stuff that's used on those famous rolls!) for some extra indulgence. As previously mentioned, the loaded sweet potato comes with toasted marshmallows and Honey-Cinnamon caramel sauce. But, if you aren't into the sticky sweetness of the caramel sauce, you can order the potato with just toasted marshmallows, or vice versa. 

To really take your loaded sweet potato to the next level, you can ask for a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, making your sweet potato essentially a sweet potato pie à la mode. If you order this at Texas Roadhouse, it's important to note that this isn't officially offered on the chain's menu, and you may or may not be able to get it on your sweet potato, depending on your Texas Roadhouse location and staff.