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).
If you have never had them before, you are MISSING OUT!! They’re cheesy, buttery, creamy and so delicious. They’re often called “funeral potatoes” since they’re a classic dish to make for a funeral luncheon, but no matter what you call them, we promise you will love them.
They’re great for all holidays, Sunday Dinners and more and make another great potato side to the Classic Mashed Potatoes.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- 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)
Funeral Potatoes Ingredients
- frozen diced hash browns (1 – 32 oz. bag) – The hearty potato base that keeps this dish easy and delicious. Use shredded hash browns instead of cubed potatoes.
- sour cream (2 cups) – Adds richness and that creamy tang. We recommend full-fat sour cream but reduced fat works as well as plain Greek yogurt for a tangier taste.
- cream of chicken soup (1 – 10.5 ounce can) – Creates the smooth, flavorful sauce that ties everything together. 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 (1/2 cup) – Adds buttery flavor throughout—half in the mixture, half in the crispy topping.
- shredded sharp cheddar cheese (2 cups) – Melts into the potatoes for gooey, cheesy perfection. You can also use medium or mild cheddar cheese or another favorite like Monterey jack cheese.
- salt (1 teaspoon) – Enhances flavor and balances the creamy ingredients. You can also add some black pepper to taste.
- onion powder (1 teaspoon) – Adds a subtle savory kick. Or ¼ cup diced onions.
- corn flakes (2-3 cups) – The secret to that golden, crunchy topping everyone loves. 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.
- unsalted butter (1/4 cup) – flavors and crips up the cornflake topping
Pro Tip: How to 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. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
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. Pour into the prepared 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.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Thaw completely. Make sure your hash browns are thawed and drained so your casserole bakes up creamy, not watery.
- Use shredded or diced potatoes. Both work great! Shredded gives a softer texture, while diced adds a little bite.
- Get that golden top. For a crispier cornflake topping, broil for 1-2 minutes.
- Make ahead. Assemble up to a day in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Add topping right before baking.
- Make it in the crock pot. We like this version in the oven, but we do have a similar Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes recipe that you’ll love!
Funeral Potatoes Recipe
Equipment
Video
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
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted, divided
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder, optional
- 2-3 cups corn flakes, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-x-13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- 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 melted butter and mix well.
- Add cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, and onion powder and mix until well combined.
- Add potatoes to cheese mixture and stir until combined. Place in the prepared dish.
- Combine cornflakes and 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
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.
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!
STORE. 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.
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.
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
For more potato recipes:
Best Mashed Potatoes
35 mins
Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes
4 hrs 5 mins
Crockpot Hashbrown Casserole
3 hrs 10 mins
Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
48 mins
This recipe was first shared November 2013.
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!