This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Family-favorite funeral potatoes are creamy, cheesy, and crispy on top. It’s perfect for dinners and holidays!
If you like cheesy potatoes, you’ll love Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes or Baked Mashed Potatoes.
A Holiday Must-Have!
There are certain side dishes that have to be made on Thanksgiving for our family. Some of those include my aunt’s famous Ham, my mom’s famous rolls, and several side dishes, including funeral potatoes (also known as cheesy potato casserole).
We also make Classic Mashed Potatoes as well, but we always have at least two pans of funeral potatoes. It’s a favorite because:
- They are sinfully delicious!! So flavorful and filled with ingredients we all love – it’s the ultimate comfort food!
- So many variations! Add onions, leave them out, or add ham or change up the toppings based on preference.
- Can be made ahead of time. Funeral potatoes are the perfect side dish for large gatherings, parties, and holidays (like Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas).
Why are they called funeral potatoes? At some point, someone noticed that this dish had become a staple at funeral luncheons and the nickname has stuck. They’re an easy dish to feed a crowd which means they are great to have for holiday dinners, potlucks, and family gatherings all year long.
Ingredients
- frozen diced hash browns – Use shredded hash browns instead of cubed potatoes – we have a similar recipe using them for Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole.
- sour cream – we recommend full fat sour cream but reduced fat works as well as plain greek yogurt for a tangier taste.
- cream of chicken soup – You can use other flavors of soup such as cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup, or even cream of chicken soup.
- unsalted butter
- sharp cheddar cheese (shredded) – You can also use medium or mild cheddar cheese or can use another favorite like monterey jack cheese.
- seasonings – salt, black pepper (if desired) and onion powder (or 1/4 cup chopped onions)
- corn flakes – We think unfrosted cornflake cereal works the best, but you can also use Panko, bread crumbs, Lays Potato Chips, or even crushed Ritz crackers. Most kinds of crackers will do, but Ritz works best.
- unsalted butter
You can also use fresh potatoes. Just peel about 6-7 medium russet potatoes and cut into small cubes. Add the cubes to a large pot and cover with cold water. Add a dash of salt and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, cook for 1-2 minutes. Drain potatoes and allow to cool to room temp before adding the cubes to the cream mixture
Just Mix and Bake!
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- POTATOES. Place hash browns in a colander and let sit until fully thawed and drained.
- SAUCE. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine sour cream, soup, and ½ cup butter and mix well. Add cheese, salt, and onion powder and mix until well combined.
- COMBINE. Add potatoes to the cheese mixture and stir until combined. Place in a lightly greased 9-x-13-inch baking dish.
- TOPPING. Combine cornflakes and the remaining ¼ cup melted butter in a large resealable plastic bag and crush corn flakes.
- BAKE. Sprinkle buttered cornflakes over potatoes. Bake for 42–46 minutes. Serve warm.
To Make for a Large Crowd
To make this recipe for 50 or more people – just triple the recipe or more. This recipe serves about 16 people. Make sure you have a few 9×13 pans lying around to bake all the potatoes in! Or better yet – buy large disposable pans to bake them in.
Recipe TIPS
- Flavor. Add flavor using extra salt, pepper, garlic salt, or even some paprika, chili powder, or red pepper flakes. Toss on some cooked crumbled bacon or ham (similar to our Ham and Potato Casserole).
- Crock pot. We like this version in the oven, but we do have a Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes recipe we love!
- What to serve with Funeral Potatoes? Here are some of our favorite main dishes:
Storing Info
Make ahead of time. Make them as the recipe says, but don’t add the cornflake topping or butter. When you’re ready to bake, thaw in the fridge overnight. Add the butter and cornflake topping and bake as directed!
STORE. Place the leftover cheesy potatoes with cornflakes in an airtight container and leave it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, just place on a plate and reheat in the microwave until heated through.
FREEZE. Make these potatoes to the point where you pour the potatoes into the dish (use a disposable pan if freezing). Do not add the cornflakes, instead cover with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
For more potato recipes:
COLLECTIONS: Thanksgiving Sides
Funeral Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 32-ounce package frozen diced hash browns, (or shredded potatoes)
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1 10.5-ounce can cream of chicken soup
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder optional
- 2-3 cups corn flakes crushed
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place hash browns in a colander and let sit until fully thawed and drained.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine sour cream, soup, and ½ cup butter and mix well.
- Add cheese, salt, and onion powder and mix until well combined.
- Add potatoes to cheese mixture and stir until combined. Place in a lightly greased 9-x-13-inch baking dish.
- Combine cornflakes and the remaining ¼ cup melted butter in a large resealable plastic bag and shake until cereal is coated.
- Sprinkle buttered cornflakes over potatoes.
- Bake for 42–46 minutes. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love Love Love your Funeral potatoes. I have been trying to find one just like my husband’s grandma made years ago but couldn’t find the same one until now. thank you so much for sharing it with us. you are the best. this funeral potatoes is the best and what we call in our family; “yummy potatoes”.
from Your thankful follower
Walaiporn Black: do you use corn flakes on top? I was wondering if I could substitute potato chips or crackers.
Awe, you are so sweet! Thank you so much for sharing that!
Hi-
I am EXCITEd about making this dish to serve with Christmas dinner and am wondering, Can it be made ahead and refrigerated for a night or two?
Thanks!!
It sure can. Just cover well 🙂 Enjoy!
I am making these for a Christmas gathering, but dont have any cornflakes. I have potato chips and Ritz crackers. Do you think either of these would work? Also i definitely would add butter to the ritz crackers, but what about the potato chips?
Yes, those are great options 🙂 Hope you like it!
Made it once before wife loved them. But is it just one 10 oz. Can of soup?
Yep 🙂 Thank you!
Love, Love, Love your easy Reci
Thank you so much!! I am so glad you do 🙂
I MAKE TWO minor changes. I add a can of cream of celery soup too and I use the “dried” hashbrowns (hungry Jack or Idahoan) due to having limited freezer space so frozen HB’s take up too valuable freezer space. I love this recipe otherwise.
That sounds great! There are so many variations you could do with this recipe & all are delicious! Thank you!
I’ve had funeral potatoes all my childhood. Now i am in a different country preparing for my first Thanksgiving away from home. I had to really search for some of the ingredients, and I have to make my own cream of chicken substitute (https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/condensed-cream-of-chicken-substitute/ in case anyone else needs it). but really this recipe is so easy! I’m looking forward to seeing how it turns out tomorrow with my friends. I really enjoyed reading all the comments. It really got me Into the mood. I’m going to try and make it with fresh potatoes (they don’t sell frozen potatoes in this country). I’ll let y’all know how it goes!
I’m impressed that you are making homemade cream of chicken substitute! I sure hope it’s a hit!! Happy Thanksgiving!
Sounds amazing, but what is Cream of chicken “And Born”?? What is the “And Born” part? I’ve never seen that before. Just curious. I want to make this and want to make sure I’m doing it right.
It shouldn’t say born, so disregard that 🙂 Cream of chicken soup is a blend of chicken meat in a creamy chicken stock. Hope that helps! You can find it at any grocery store.
Can The Funeral Potatoes Be Frozen?
They sure could 🙂 Enjoy!
these make the perfect dinner meal! my family loves this recipe!