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!!
What if you have some people who don’t like sour cream? Can you use two candy of soup? And, I was wondering if using those dried onions on the top instead of corn flakes might be good?
I’d substitute plain Greek yogurt, over extra cans of soup, but that would work fine too. Hope they enjoy it!
Husband wanted me to do that put I used corn flakes
JUST like my mom’s recipe! Grew up eating this (potato casserole) for Thanksgiving and Christmas, thank you!!
So I used Frosted Flakes due to my husband eating all the corn flakes! Turned out good! Thank you!!!!
Can I freeze them after I bake them?
I haven’t tested that, but I worry the sour cream would separate in the mixture when reheated. It would still taste good I’m sure.
Do you make the cream of chicken soup
With milk first and then add or do you just put in as is right from the can?
No, just add it right from the can. Enjoy!
HI – do you think they will still be good if I keep warm in a crockpot?
Yes, that’s fine!
Of all the funeral potato recipes online, yours is the one I always use. The first time I had these was at my Mom’s funeral, but I had no idea who made them or what they were called. They were delicious and honestly, the only thing about that day that brought me out of the fog I felt stuck in. Years later, for some reason, I felt the need to find the recipe and make it myself. Thank you, for posting the most authentic version, the one I always remembered.
I now make these for special family occasions or Church functions. Everyone loves them immediately. I do have to say though, that I have tweaked the recipe a bit. Maybe subconsciously, I want to keep the original and it’s memory selfishly to myself. I mostly keep things the same, but dice onions and garlic, and saute them in bacon grease. I also sub in cream of bacon instead of the chicken. Lastly, I use crushed cheez-its for the top layer. All of this together makes the dish ridiculously gluttonous and decadent. Maybe one day you can try this version, but please, don’t share it with anyone that has cholesterol or heart concerns. ;). God bless, and thanks again.
I love the adaptations! Thanks for sharing Stephanie!
Delicious recipe!
If you’d like to be a little easier on the health (lower fat and sodium) of the bereaved you’re honoring, make the following substitutions.
Sour cream = 2% plain Greek yogurt
Cream of chicken soup = 2 tsp low sodium Better Than Bullion Roasted Chicken paste
Low fat Colby Jack cheese
Just use butter. There’s no substitute. I made mine tonight with the above, and it was divine.
I’ve pre-made a quadruple batch for a funeral tomorrow. How long should I cook this for??
Hard to say–I would just keep an eye on it and when the edges are bubbling it’s ready.
I use cheese whiz and sauté onions with crackers on top
Good idea–enjoy!
I saw this recipe idea (for “funeral” potatoes) on a post from my sister with leftover Christmas ham stirred in, so I decided to look for a recipe to try it myself. I’m so glad I found yours! I especially enjoyed using the link to your homemade cream soup, as I haven’t been buying cream soups as a rule lately. It was so tasty (the soup and the recipe)! I used my homemade yogurt (instant pot version) and we will definitely be making this again! I’m told some will add in ground beef. I can see endless possibilities of variations, so it’s a great recipe!