These easy and delicious Funeral Potatoes (also called cheesy potatoes) are a cheesy hash brown casserole that makes the perfect warm side dish for any meal, holiday dinner, or potluck.
I can't believe the holidays are almost here! These delicious funeral potatoes accompany many Sunday dinner, holiday dinners and potlucks this time of year in our house. They go well with everything and are a huge crowd pleasing side dish.
Why are they called funeral potatoes?
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 to have become such a STAPLE. Many people also call them Cheesy Hashbrowns.
These warm, cheesy potatoes with a crispy cornflake crumb topping make a great side dish to ham, turkey or chicken. I've also heard of many people who enjoy this dish for breakfast as a hash brown casserole, with eggs.
No matter how you serve it, it's guaranteed to be a crowd favorite!
How to Make Funeral Potatoes:
Combine the sauce ingredients–sour cream, cream of chicken soup (or use my HOMEMADE cream of chicken soup recipe), 6 tablespoons of melted butter, salt, pepper and dried onion– in a bowl and mix them up.
Add the diced potatoes (you can use frozen cubed hash browns, or use real potatoes. You will need about 10 small diced potatoes, parboiled) and shredded cheese and stir everything to combine it, then pour it into a baking dish.
Crush the cornflakes (I pour them in a ziplock bag and use my hands to crush them). Mix in the remaining 4 tablespoons of melted butter and sprinkle cornflakes over potatoes. Bake funeral potatoes in the oven for 40-50 minutes or until it's bubbly and warmed through.
Can I freeze funeral potatoes, or make them ahead of time?
To make funeral potatoes in advance make the recipe through step 4 when the mixture is spread into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Store covered in the fridge for up to 1 day. Add crushed cornflake topping before baking. Add 5-10 minutes to the bake time if they go into the oven cold from the fridge.
To freeze funeral potatoes, make as directed, but do not add the cornflake topping. Cover and store in freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw in the fridge overnight. Add cornflake topping before baking.
What should I serve with funeral potatoes?
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Recipe
Funeral Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 30 ounces frozen hash browns , diced or shredded will work, THAWED*
- 2 cups sour cream
- 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup (or homemade)
- 10 Tablespoons butter , divided, melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups corn flakes cereal
Instructions
- Allow potatoes to thaw in your fridge overnight, or spread them on a baking sheet and warm them in the oven at 200 degrees for about 20 minutes, until thawed.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine sour cream, cream of chicken soup, 6 Tablespoons of melted butter, salt, pepper and dried onion in a bowl. Mix well.
- Add potatoes and shredded cheese and stir to combine. Spoon mixture into a single layer in a 9x13'' pan.
- Add cornflakes to a large ziplock bag and crush gently with your hands or a rolling pin.
- Add remaining 4 tablespoons of melted butter to the crushed cornflakes and combine well. Sprinkle mixture over potatoes.
- Bake uncovered at 350 F for 40-50 minutes.
- Serve these with baked ham, oven roasted turkey, or flank steak.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
*I originally shared this recipe December 2016. Updated October 2018.
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“Best funeral potatoes I’ve ever eaten” said my son which is something a Mom always wants to hear. Easy and yummy! Made them the night before and baked them for Christmas lunch. I used white cheddar and they were all eaten. Thanks for the recipe!
Couldn’t find my moms recipe so I goggled funeral potatoes and used this recipe…they were THE BEST funeral potatoes I have ever eaten!! Thanks so much!!
I have had these since I was a little girl. My mom always called them Party Potatoes instead of Funeral Potatoes. They were a favorite then as they are now with my own kids.
Made these for the first time and they actually are for my neighbor whose husband just passed. All the family is coming in tonight and when you described this as a comfort food it sounded perfect. I’m glad I made a dbl batch, one for us! Thank you for the homemade condensed soup recipe. I don’t use any recipe calling for canned soup. Now I’ll have an option!
I have tried and tried making these darn potatoes and every time it fails no idea why either. This time I used the O’Brien taters and added chicken as well and it came out runny. I used 1 can of cream of chicken soup and a 16 of sour cream I give up.
Just curious, did you use low-fat or fat-free sour cream? Using either could make it runny, and I know from experience. I used one of them in a corn casserole recipe and it would never set up. As info, I didn’t have 16 oz of sour cream so I substituted onion dip for part of it. It was delicious!
Did you use low-fat or fat free sour cream? I used them in a corn casserole and the dish would never set up. The last time I made these I only had 8 oz of sour cream so I used 8 oz of French onion dip for the other 8 oz. it was delicious!
Rich, creamy and Yum with a nice crunchy topping. It could be a side, but really is hearty enough for a stand alone meal, especially if you added some ham.
I love funeral potatoes! The name is also quite popular amongst Catholics in the U.S. South, according to my dad. My mother grew up knowing them as “buffet potatoes.” For years I thought Dad called them funeral potatoes because they’d put you in an early grave lol. Dad makes them as you do, with cornflakes. Mum makes them with breadcrumbs. I’m a fan of both (:
Thanks for sharing Brooke–they really are delicious!
A good friend brought these to our neighborhood pot-luck over the weekend and they were amazing! Everyone loved them so she pointed us to your website. I love your site! I will be making these soon.
These remind me of growing up. I had honestly forgotten about them until recently. I decided to made them over the weekend and they were every bit as good as I remember. Definitely will be making again!
Thanks Jamie! I’m really happy you enjoyed them–they are a classic!
I made this for Easter dinner and it was fantastic! I made the filling ahead of time and added the cornflakes to the top before baking. Everyone gobbled it up!
I’m so happy everyone loved them for easter dinner. Thanks for sharing!
Been making this hash brown potato casserole for years for family gatherings and not once has it ever been referred to or thought of, as funeral potatoes.
How morbid.
Its called funeral potatoes because its a traditional after funeral family meal dish in Utah and many mostly Mormon communities. Ham, funeral potatoes and jello, every time.
Oh for Pete’s sakes…its called that because you make them for a crowd…they aren’t called cadaver potatoes or something
It’s actually amusing, actually. And heartwarming that, during sad times, someone will always bring you comfort food called Funeral Potatoes.
Definitely going to try this! It looks and sounds like a dream 🙂
Been making this in our family for about 70 some years we love it for Christmas Eve or Easter .
Yes we live in Utah