This deliciously easy Funeral Potatoes (also called cheesy potato casserole) is an absolute must for any gathering or holiday! Funeral Potatoes are creamy, cheesy, and comforting. The combination of sour cream, onions, cream of chicken soup, and that buttery top all meld together with the potatoes for a side dish perfect for any occasion.
I planned on making these a while back. Though, I planned to make these at the worst time because of circumstances and irony. Keep in mind that this was prior to when we found out. A friend of ours passed away and I planned to make this the week of the funeral (told you it was ironic). This cheesy potato casserole was thought to have originated in Utah by the Mormon community. Funeral potatoes get their unique name from being a crowd-pleasing casserole served as a side dish at after-funeral luncheons (particularly in the culture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). As sad as that might sound, it shows how comforting and delicious this dish is. It branched out to being served for other occasions such as Thanksgiving and Easter with turkey or ham as a comforting staple. Many people also call them Cheesy Hashbrowns or Cheesy Potato Casserole.
How to make Funeral Potatoes
This dish is nothing to be sad about preparing. It requires simple, budget-friendly ingredients. Cheesy and creamy with a crunchy, buttery cornflake topping. It tastes so good and brings just a little bit of comfort in each bite. (Full ingredient amounts and complete instructions are available in the recipe card down below).
- Frozen hash browns, shredded or diced: It’s all prepped and ready to go. let the potatoes thaw before baking, otherwise, it’ll result in a watery texture. If you plan on using fresh potatoes, you will need about 10 small diced peeled potatoes, parboiled.
- Sour Cream: You can also use greek yogurt. It brings creaminess with a bit of tang.
- Butter: Salted or Unsalted is fine for this dish. Just watch how much salt you add if you use salted butter!
- Onion: Yellow or white works best. Feel free to experiment with red onion.
- Salt, Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Celery Salt: To season up your potatoes!
- Cream of Chicken Soup: Canned or homemade. This gives the potatoes amazing flavor and creaminess.
- Mild Cheddar Cheese: Shred the cheese yourself for extra melty goodness. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with an anti-caking powder that prevents it from melting to its gooiest potential.
Preheat your oven to 350F. In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, butter, onion, seasonings, and chicken soup. Add in the potatoes and cheese and combine well. Spray a 9×13 casserole baking dish lightly with nonstick cooking spray, then spread the potato mixture evenly in the pan. Lightly crush the cornflakes in a Ziploc bag, then transfer them into a bowl with the remaining butter. Stir to coat, then top the casserole with the cornflakes. Bake, uncovered, for 40-50 minutes. Serve with ham, turkey, or a pot roast!
Tips & FAQs
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- To reheat: Microwave the potatoes for a few minutes until warm, or toast in the oven at 325F for 15-20 minutes.
- Freeze: make as directed, but do not add the cornflake topping. Cover and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw in the fridge overnight. Add cornflake topping before baking.
- If using fresh potatoes over frozen: Dice them 1/2 inch cubes or smaller and add them to salted boiling water. Cook for about 7 minutes or just until tender. Cool slightly and proceed with the recipe.
- Variations:
- Add in jalapenos for an extra kick. Toss in some diced ham, bacon, or broccoli!
- If you find hash browns that have peppers and onions, feel free to omit the onions from the recipe. The peppers will add more flavor to it.
- Top with panko breadcrumbs or reduced-fat potato chips instead of cornflakes! The reduced fat is key because regular potato chips have so much oil on them, and will make the chips soggy with the butter added. If you choose to use regular-fat potato chips, omit the butter.
- Use sharp cheddar instead of mild, or use a mixture of Monterey jack and cheddar!
Want the recipe? Click print below! Let me know how it came out for you by tagging me on Instagram (@missravenskitchen) and using #missravenskitchen! Follow my Facebook page for updates as well! Let me know if I need to tweak anything.
Funeral Potatoes
Ingredients
- 30 oz bag frozen hash browns, shredded or diced, thawed
- 16 oz sour cream (about 2 cups)
- 10 tbsp butter, divided into 6 and 4, melted
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp celery salt
- 10.5 oz can cream of chicken soup
- 8 oz shredded mild cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)
- 2 cups cornflake cereal
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 9×13 casserole baking dish lightly with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, 6 tbsp melted butter, onion, salt, pepper, garlic powder, celery salt, and chicken soup. Add in the thawed potatoes and cheese and combine well. Spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish.
- Add the cornflakes into a ziploc bag and crush lightly. Transfer the cornflakes to a bowl with the remaining butter and stir to coat. Sprinkle the potato mixture with the cornflakes.
- Bake, uncovered, for 40-50 minutes. Allow the potatoes to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat: Microwave the potatoes for a few minutes until warm, or toast in the oven at 325F for 15-20 minutes.
Freeze: make as directed, but do not add the cornflake topping. Cover and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw in the fridge overnight. Add cornflake topping before baking.
If using fresh potatoes over frozen: Dice them 1/2 inch cubes or smaller and add them to salted boiling water. Cook for about 7 minutes or just until tender. Cool slightly and proceed with the recipe.
Variations: Add in jalapenos for an extra kick. Toss in some diced ham, bacon, or broccoli!
- If you find hash browns that have peppers and onions, feel free to omit the onions from the recipe. The peppers will add more flavor to it.
- Top with panko breadcrumbs or reduced-fat potato chips instead of cornflakes! The reduced fat is key because regular potato chips have so much oil on them, and will make the chips soggy with the butter added. If you choose to use regular-fat potato chips, omit the butter.
- Use sharp cheddar instead of mild, or use a mixture of Monterey jack and cheddar!
Nutrition Facts
Calories
673.54Fat (grams)
50.5Sat. Fat (grams)
28.15Carbs (grams)
42.29Fiber (grams)
2.54Net carbs
39.73Sugar (grams)
4.39Protein (grams)
15.83Sodium (milligrams)
1451.88Cholesterol (grams)
137.25The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and the brands of ingredients used.
Miss Raven's Kitchen 
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