Cheesy Funeral Potatoes (Hash Brown Casserole)
These tasty funeral potatoes are the best potluck side dish! This cheesy hash brown potato casserole with a crunchy cornflake topping is always a family favorite.
This cheesy potato casserole recipe has gone by many names over the years! Party potatoes, Amish funeral potatoes, frozen hash brown casserole… you name it. If the name of this classic potato casserole recipe gives you pause, I think that’s a totally reasonable reaction, but don’t worry!
But don’t worry! This cheesy potatoes recipe was a staple at after-funeral luncheons here in the Midwest. Luckily, they’re now just a dish that we like to serve on special occasions when you’re feeding a crowd.
I like to think of funeral potatoes as the easy version of au gratin potatoes! I won’t turn either of them down, but I’m more likely to make this recipe because of how quickly it comes together.
PS- This is NOT a mashed potato casserole, it’s more of a cheesy hash brown casserole! If that’s what you’re looking for, check out my Twice Baked Loaded Potato Casserole!
This casserole is truly the ultimate comfort food! For the dish, I combined onions, condensed soup, sour cream, butter and seasonings to make the base for the cheesy sauce. This sauce is combined with frozen hash browns and shredded cheese, then baked in a baking dish until it’s golden and bubbly. The result? A rich, cheesy potato recipe that is so easy to throw together for family dinners or potlucks!
For the buttery topping, I combined melted butter and crushed corn flakes. I think funeral potatoes really need a crunchy topping!
But, there are plenty of substitutions if you don’t want to buy corn flakes, like Ritz crackers or potato chips! I have them all listed below.
I think that these cheesy funeral potatoes will become one of your favorite dishes! Check out the full recipe below, as well as ingredient substitutions, tips and tricks!
Funeral Potatoes Ingredient Substitutions
I think the best recipe is the one that uses what you already have on hand at home! Here are a few ingredient substitutions you can make for this cheesy hashbrowns recipe:
- Substitute cream of celery soup or cream of mushroom soup for the cream of chicken!
- Instead of the corn flakes, substitute plain crushed potato chips, crushed Ritz crackers, panko breadcrumbs or Italian breadcrumbs.
- You have total flexibility as to what type of cheese you use! Instead of cheddar, use Monterey jack cheese, mozzarella, Italian blend or Mexican blend! The type of cheese used is absolutely your personal preference.
- Substitute frozen diced potatoes (thawed) for the frozen hash browns.
- Yes, you can use fresh shredded potatoes, but you may need to add an extra 5-10 minutes of baking time. Remember that you can use aluminum foil to tent the top of the casserole and keep the cornflake topping from burning if needed!
- I have substituted softened cream cheese for the condensed soup in other recipes, and it works pretty well! Know that if you do this, you’ll be lacking the seasonings added to the prepared soup. So, bunch up your spices just a bit!
If you are worried about oven space, you can absolutely make this easy recipe in your crockpot! Cook the potato mixture on low for 6 hours. Add the cornflake topping and continue to cook with the lid of the slow cooker off for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This Funeral Potatoes recipe is the perfect side dish for holiday dinners or family gatherings, hopefully no funeral required. Serve this popular dish along main dishes like Whole Smoked Turkey for Thanksgiving, Double Smoked Spiral Ham or Roasted Pork Tenderloin.
If you need another great side dish to pair with this recipe, I recommend my green bean casserole, pineapple casserole, cream cheese corn casserole or sweet potato casserole.
Storing Leftover Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
Cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap, or transfer the leftover casserole into an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
I think this casserole is best when reheated in the oven, but you can absolutely reheat in the microwave when you’re in a pinch!
Cheesy Funeral Potatoes (Hash Brown Casserole)
These tasty funeral potatoes are the best potluck side dish! This cheesy hash brown potato casserole with a crunchy cornflake topping is always a family favorite.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces sour cream
- 10.5 ounces Cream of Chicken soup
- ⅓ cup chopped onions (fresh or frozen)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup melted butter, divided
- 30 ounces shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
- 12 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1.5 cups corn flakes, crushed
Optional garnish:
- Diced green onions or parsley, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven for 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease a 9x13’’ casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Pat thawed hashbrown potatoes with a paper towel to remove excess water.
- In a large bowl, add sour cream, soup, onion, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and ½ cup of the melted butter. Stir well to combine.
- Add shredded potatoes and shredded cheese to the sour cream mixture. Stir well to coat the potatoes.
- Transfer the shredded potato and cheese mixture to the greased casserole dish. Smooth into an even layer using a spatula.
- In a small bowl, mix the crushed cornflake and remaining ¼ cup of melted butter (about 4 tablespoons). Spoon the butter and corn flake topping over the top of the potato mixture.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 50 minutes, or until the corn flake topping is golden brown and the casserole is bubbling.
- Allow to rest at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving. Optionally, garnish with fresh diced chives or parsley for extra color.
Notes
If you are worried about the top of the casserole getting brown too early in the cooking process, just cover it loosely with aluminum foil, then remove the foil for the last 5-10 minutes of baking.
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 504Total Fat 40gSaturated Fat 18gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 18gCholesterol 77mgSodium 1063mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 2gSugar 2gProtein 10g
The nutrition for this recipe is calculated by an app and may be incorrect.
