Funeral potatoes are a classic baked hashbrown casserole with a rich, cheesy sauce and crisp topping that delivers big comfort with minimal ingredients. They are the coziest, creamiest potatoes perfect for any crowd!
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: We love funeral potatoes because they’re creamy, cheesy, and hearty with a crunchy, buttery topping.
- Time-Saving Tip: Use pre-shredded cheese to save time on prep!
- Serving Suggestion: Keep these cheesy potatoes warm in a Crockpot for an easy, grab-and-go buffet favorite.
What Are Funeral Potatoes?
Funeral potatoes are a dish from the midwest that are a staple for post-funeral luncheons.
It’s a comforting dish that can easily be made ahead of time making it an ideal choice for gatherings.
Easy Ingredients
- Potatoes: This funeral potatoes recipe uses diced frozen hash browns. Any frozen (or pre-cooked) potatoes will work.
- Cheese: Sharp cheddar cheese adds a bright, tangy flavor, but use what’s in your cheese drawer. Cheese tends to melt best if you shred it yourself from a block, but you can use pre-shredded cheese if time is short.
- Sauce: Melted butter, condensed cream of chicken soup, and sour cream make up the sauce. You can use cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup in place of cream of chicken to make it vegetarian.
- Topping: Crushed cornflakes are mixed with butter for the best crunchy topping. Replace the cereal with crushed potato chips (any flavor), Ritz crackers, or bread crumbs if that’s all you have.
Ingredient Swap: To use fresh potatoes instead of hash browns, dice them ½” 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.
How to Make Funeral Potatoes
- Topping: Prepare the cornflakes topping and set aside.
- Sauce: Sauté onion in butter & mix with sour cream, soup, and some of the cheese.
- Assemble: Stir in potatoes and spread into a casserole dish.
- Bake: Add cheese & topping and bake until bubbly and golden brown.
Storing Cozy Casseroles
- Storing: Cover the pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Place a thawed portion or two in the microwave for a few minutes or toast in the oven at 325°F for 15-20 minutes!
- Make ahead & freeze: Skip the topping, freeze in the dish until firm. Remove from the fish and wrap in foil and plastic wrap, and store in a large zip bag up to 3 months. Pop back into the casserole dish when ready to defrost and bake.
- Reheat: Bake frozen, covered with foil, at 350°F for 50-60 minutes. Add topping, bake 15-20 more minutes or until it reaches 160°F.
Casseroles for a Crowd
Did you make these Funeral Potatoes? Be sure to leave a rating and comment below!
Ingredients
- 1 (32 ounce) bag diced hash brown potatoes thawed
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ½ onion finely chopped
- 1½ cups sour cream
- 2 (10.5 ounce each) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
- 2½ cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
Topping
- 1½ cups cornflakes
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with butter.
- In a medium bowl, make the topping by gently crushing the cornflakes. Toss with 4 tablespoons of melted butter and set aside.
- In a small skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine the butter and onions, sour cream, condensed soup, and 2 cups of cheese. Season to taste with salt & black pepper.
- Gently stir in the hash brown potatoes. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
- Top with the remaining ½ cup of cheese and sprinkle the topping over top.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until browned and bubbly.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Breakfast, Casserole, Side Dish
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Why are these called Fineral potatoes?
Funeral Potatoes are from the midwest and they were a staple for post-funeral luncheons, which is where it got the name from!
Amazing! My picky boyfriend loves these. I didn’t have cornflakes, so instead used bread crumbs dotted with butter on top. Turned out great.
These are delicious. I always keep a tray in the freezer for unexpected dinner guests or quick night suppers. The only thing I do different is use Helluvadip (Canada) or sour cream onion dip instead of regular sour cream. Gives it an extra flavor boost. Always asked to bring these to get together. Yummy!
Hi Holly can you make the potatoes in a crock pot to save room in the oven
Yes, this can be made in a crockpot. I would cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-7 hours. I would suggest skipping the topping in the slow cooker as the cornflakes may become mushy. If you’d like a little crunch, lightly brown some Panko breadcrumbs in butter in a skillet and sprinkle on top just before serving.
Love these yummy potatoes. I need to make enough for 25 people. Do you think 2 casseroles would be enough?
Each casserole serves 8, so I would probably make three just to be safe. And it makes great leftovers if you have any leftover!
Ive made this before and want to make it again. I’m confused in the recipe how it shows 1/4 cups of butter melted twice? I know we have to grease the pan with butter and cook onions in butter. But 1/4 cup? That seems like a mistake or I am missing something. Either way, great recipe!
There is ¼ cup of butter mixed with the crushed cornflakes in step 2 (for the topping) and the remaining ¼ cup butter is cooked with the onions in step 3.
I need all the measurements for this delicious recipe!
Hi Loretta, the entire recipe is available by using the Jump to Recipe button at the top or by scrolling to the bottom. There you will find the exact measurements and instructions. I hope that helps!
Hi and Merry Christmas! I am making the funeral potatoes for xmas this year.i prepared them today and i put full 2 1/2 cups of shredded cgeese in the potatoes instead of dividing them.do you think they will be ok?
They’ll be delicious I’m sure!
Thankyou and Merry Christmas!