This cheesy funeral potatoes recipe is a budget friendly casserole that might just become your family's new favorite side dish since it goes with everything!
Need another homestyle favorite? Try these Deviled Eggs or my Classic Ambrosia Salad.
Why you'll love it
Variously known as cheesy potatoes, party potatoes, and cheesy potato casserole, this filling side dish is a cheesy treat that complements almost any main course! The first time I tried that buttery, crunchy topping, I knew I had to create my own version. I hope you agree this is the best funeral potatoes recipe you'll try.
In my opinion, they're fantastic anytime, special occasion or not... because who doesn't love crispy hash brown potatoes, sour cream, and loads of cheddar cheese? It's comfort food dreams coming true! You may even prefer them to Mashed Potatoes.
What are funeral potatoes?
- It's a cheesy potato side dish that's a mainstay in the Midwest for holiday dinners, family gatherings, and potlucks because it feeds a crowd. Funeral potatoes aren't just, as the name suggests, a popular dish for funeral luncheons, although since they're super easy to make ahead of time, hassle-free to transport, and are incredibly comforting, they're ideal for that as well.
Ingredients for it
- Hash brown potatoes - you'll find these in the frozen foods aisle of your grocery store, and they are the signature ingredient in this recipe
- Butter - you're not going to want to skimp on the butter since it makes this classic side dish that much more comforting
- Sour cream - gives this casserole a little tang and more creaminess
- Cream of chicken soup - an inexpensive way to add even more richness and flavor to casseroles
- Garlic powder - who can resist a touch of garlic in a casserole?
- Scallions - these onions are quite mild tasting and give a pop of brightness and color
- Cheddar cheese - I recommend using a block of sharp cheddar rather than pre-bagged shredded cheese for freshness and texture
- Corn flakes - combined with melted butter, crushed corn flakes top off this decadent casserole
Make ahead tip
- To make funeral potatoes ahead of time, follow the recipe as written, but leave off the crunchy topping. Refrigerate or freeze (for up to 3 months) until it's time to bake it. Take it out and let it warm up on the counter until it's room temperature, and then make the buttery corn flakes topping. Add to the casserole and follow the remainder of the instructions.
How to make funeral potatoes
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Thaw the hash brown potatoes in a colander. Preheat your oven to 350F, and add the potatoes to a 9x13 baking dish.
In a medium bowl add half the melted butter, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, salt & pepper, scallions, garlic powder, and cheese. Stir until combined.
Pour the contents of the bowl onto the potatoes and toss until they're evenly coated.
Add the corn flakes to a large ZipLoc bag and crush them. Transfer to a bowl, and mix thoroughly with the rest of the butter.
Top the casserole with the corn flakes mixture. Bake until bubbly and golden!
Helpful tips
- Hash brown potatoes are a common item located in the frozen section of grocery stores, but if you're unable to find them, Russet potatoes would work. Use 2-3 lbs, dice them, parboil them, and add to the casserole.
- Aim for a bag of hash brown potatoes that's around 30 oz for this recipe.
- As written, this recipe easily feeds up to 10 people depending on portion size.
Substitutions and variations
- Condensed soup is a tried and true shortcut, but if you prefer, you can use a homemade Cream of Chicken Soup.
- Feel free to swap the scallions with 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder.
- For funeral potatoes without cornflakes, use panko breadcrumbs or crushed up Ritz crackers. Or try my similar Easy Cheesy Potatoes.
Leftovers and storage
- To store leftovers, simply cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or portion it up in Tupperware containers. They'll keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- To reheat, you can microwave them, heat them covered in a pan on the stove over a low heat, or reheat in the oven at 350F for 15-20 minutes.
- I don't recommend freezing leftovers. The sauce may separate and the topping will soften up.
Did you have any questions about this funeral potatoes casserole? Let me know in the comments below or if you made this tasty side dish. You can also find me on Instagram.
Funeral Potatoes
Ingredients
- 30 ounces hash brown potatoes (thawed) see note
- 1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick) divided
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Pepper to taste
- 1/3 cup scallions chopped
- 2 cups cheddar grated
- 2 cups corn flakes crushed
Instructions
- Thaw the hash brown potatoes (you can let them sit on your counter for an hour or so or thaw them in the fridge overnight).
- Preheat your oven to 350F and move the rack to the middle position.
- Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave or in a small pan on the stove.
- Add the potatoes to a 9x13 casserole dish.
- To a medium prep bowl, add the sour cream, cream of chicken soup, 4 tablespoons of the melted butter (half of it), garlic powder, salt & pepper, scallions, and cheese. Stir until combined.
- Pour the mixture over the potatoes and toss until combined, then smooth them into an even layer.
- Add the corn flakes to a large ZipLoc and crush them (use your hands or a rolling pin/bottle/etc.).
- Mix the rest of the butter with the corn flakes (I do this in another bowl) then add the corn flake topping to the casserole.
- Bake uncovered for 40-50 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Notes
- Hash brown potatoes are sold in bags of various sizes in the frozen foods section of most grocery stores. Anything in the 30 oz. ballpark will work. I used diced ones, but you can try shredded ones if you prefer. You can instead use 2-3 pounds of Russet potatoes (dice them then boil them until they're just tender, then drain and add them to the casserole dish).
- Serves 6-10 depending on portion size.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Bernadette says
From funerals to parties. That covers just about everything. I’ve been making a version of this (minus cornflakes and with Monterey jack substituted for cheddar) for several years and it’s one of my favorites. I enjoy your recipes. They’re my kind of recipes — simple, not requiring any unfamiliar ingredients, fairy quick and very good.
Natasha says
Aww thank you so much, Bernadette!! 🙂
Dawn P. says
Do you put any type of "cripsy" topping in place of the corn flakes? I was thinking replacing the corn flakes for ritz crackers or even doritos!