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This best-loved cheesy family favorite feeds a crowd making it perfect for holidays!
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 because we love them that much!!
Why we love Funeral Potatoes
- 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)
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 45 minutes
- 1 (32-ounce) bag frozen diced hash browns – Use shredded hash browns instead of cubed potatoes – we have a similar recipe using them for Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole.
- 2 cups sour cream – we recommend full-fat sour cream but reduced fat works as well as plain Greek yogurt for a tangier taste.
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can 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.
- ½ cup unsalted butter – used for flavoring within the casserole
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese – You can also use medium or mild cheddar cheese or another favorite like Monterey jack cheese.
- 1 teaspoon salt – you can also add some black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder – or ¼ cup diced onions
- 2-3 cups corn flakes – unfrosted cornflake cereal works the best, but you can also use Panko, bread crumbs, Lays Potato Chips, and most kinds of crackers will do, but Ritz crackers work best.
- ¼ cup unsalted butter – flavors and crips up the cornflake topping.
Use Fresh Potatoes
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
How to Make Funeral Potatoes
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- POTATOES. Place 1 (32-ounce) package hash browns in a colander and let sit until fully thawed and drained.
- COMBINE. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 2 cups sour cream, 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of chicken soup, and ½ cup melted butter and mix well.
- Add 2 cups shredded cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon 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 2-3 cups 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. Bake for 42–46 minutes. Serve warm.
Crock Pot Method
We like this version in the oven, but we do have a similar Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes recipe that you’ll love!
Complete the Meal
- MAIN DISHES: Crockpot Ham, Crock Pot Pot Roast, Best Roast Chicken
- DESSERTS: Apple Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Coconut Cream Pie, Easy Chocolate Cake
- More SIDE DISHES: Glazed Carrots, Favorite Dinner Rolls, Roasted Vegetables, Green Bean Casserole
More collections: Potato Side Dishes, Vegetable Side Dishes, Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Funeral Potatoes Recipe
Family-favorite funeral potatoes are creamy, cheesy, and crispy on top. It's perfect for holidays and is the ultimate comfort food!
Equipment
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 1 (32-ounce) package hash browns in a colander and let sit until fully thawed and drained.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 2 cups sour cream, 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of chicken soup, and ½ cup melted butter and mix well.
- Add 2 cups shredded cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon 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 2-3 cups 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
Make ahead of time. Make potatoes as directed, but do not add the buttered cornflake topping. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, add the buttered cornflake topping and bake as directed.
Topping variations. We think cornflakes work the best, but you can also use Panko breadcrumbs or even crushed Ritz crackers.
STORE. Place the potatoes in an air-tight container and leave them in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, just place on a plate and reheat in the microwave until heated through.
Make for a LARGE crowd. Funeral potatoes are a great dish to make for a crowd! If you want 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 244kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 61mg, Sodium: 516mg, Potassium: 69mg, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 770IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 140mg, Iron: 1.4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Recipe FAQ
Why are They Called Funeral Potatoes?
- At some point, someone noticed that this side dish had become a staple at funeral luncheons and the nickname has stuck. They’re an easy side dish to feed a crowd which means they are great for holiday dinners, potlucks, and family gatherings all year long.
Added Flavor?
- Use extra salt, pepper, garlic salt, paprika, chili powder, or red pepper flakes. Toss on cooked crumbled Bacon or ham (similar to our Ham and Potato Casserole).
Make it for a Crowd?
- To make this recipe for 50 or more people – 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.
Can I Make it ahead of time?
- Make them as directed, 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!
How to Store Funeral Potatoes?
- Place the leftover cheesy potatoes with cornflakes in an airtight container and leave it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Place the desired amount on a plate and reheat in the microwave until heated.
How to Freeze?
- Make as directed and spread in the baking 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.
My go to dish for potlucks! So good!
Thank you!!
I want to make this using real potatoes. Do I need to pre cook the potatoes first? Not sure how to go about that.
Yes, you can definitely make this with real potatoes. And yes, you’ll want to bake the potatoes first and then cube or shred them. The potatoes mostly just heat up in the oven with the other ingredients, so I’d not recommend cubing them raw.
Question: to make ahead of time – make today and cook tomorrow, do you just prep everything (besides the cornflakes) and put it in the 9×13 dish and put in the fridge?
Loves these potatoes! Trying to save time on thanksgiving by prepping beforehand!
Hi Cali! Hope your Funeral Potatoes turned out well for the holiday. To answer the question, yes, that’d exactly what I would have done. Prep everything, keep in the fridge and then layer the cornflakes right before baking. 🙂
I just ran across your recipe. I was going to make my funeral potatoes in the crockpot but realized this recipe does not call for butter. Is it because it’s cooking in a crock pot that I omit? Will it effect the outcome if I add butter or is it not needed?
It shouldn’t affect the outcome… it would probably just affect the flavor of the dish. Some recipes call for butter in the funeral potatoes and some don’t. We have a Crockpot Cheesy Potato recipe we love on our site as well that I’ll share with you: https://lilluna.com/crockpot-cheesy-potatoes/
I have not yet tried this recipe but giving it 5 stars because it looks so good. I plan to bring it to my book club’s pot luck in December because it looks divine! I am so happy to have found you, Kristyn, and hope to see much more of you in the future. I am 85 years old and always ready and willing to try new recipes. Thanks for this and keep up the great work!
Oh thank you so much!! We’ll certainly pass along to sentiments to Kristyn. That is so wonderful that you are still in the kitchen trying new things and experimenting! Great inspiration for us all. 🙂
Can I put the cubed potatoes in the fridge at 9am (in a colander with a bowl under so they still drain) , will they be thawed and ready to cook when I get home at 5? Or will that make them mushy?
Thanks in advance 🙂
I imagine they will be ready to go by then!
This recipe is a staple in my family. Ever since I found Cream of Bacon soup at the store, I started using it instead of Cream of Chicken soup, also I like to use chopped scallions and replace the corn flakes with sour cream and onion Pringles, the Pringles do a great job of soaking up the butter, yet stay crispy. B
Mmmm thanks for sharing what you do! Those substitutions sound delicious too! I never would have thought to put Pringles on top. How fun is that?
Why are you thawing them? That’s a step you can totally leave out. They turn out perfectly made with frozen diced hash browns
Glad the frozen hash browns worked for you!
I always thaw or they turn out too watery for my liking. I also add is diced up kielbasa sausage and corn if i want to just make it a casserole meal night!
Thanks for sharing what you do. The addition of the sausage and corn sounds tasty!
Sorry if this has been asked already! Can I sub fresh cubed potatoes for the frozen kind?
Of course!!! Tastes delicious either way!
do I need to cook the potatoes at all first or can they just go in raw?
You’ll want to cook them first! If I’m not using the frozen hash browns, then I like to use baked potatoes, let them cool and peel the skins off, then cube them up for this dish. Frozen hash browns (that are thawed) are just a quicker way to get a similar result, but this recipe is really tasty with fresh potatoes too!
Got it! Thank you!
Just made my rendition of this obvious flavorful recipe. I added spam to my casserole. I cubed it & sautéed with fresh garlic & white onion. I allowed the spam to cool, got all of that additional flavor out the pan w/spatula. Instead of the corn flakes, which btw is still optional, I opted out. Instead, I decided on French’s onion. The aroma throughout my home is intoxicating. This accompanied meatloaf. I have to wonder this might b a true reason y we stay fun-sized.
Your additions/changes sound tasty! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the potatoes!