This easy Funeral Potatoes recipe is make-ahead-friendly! This cheesy potato casserole is the perfect comfort food. It is easy to prepare and tastes fantastic.
Funeral Potatoes
These potatoes are also known as party potatoes.
This cheesy potato casserole is the perfect side dish that everyone will love. It makes an entire casserole dish of cheesy potato goodness.
These are a great alternative to mashed potatoes if you want to add a new side dish to your menu planning.
If you are wondering why they are called funeral potatoes, don't worry; you are not alone!
I had to consult Google to find some of the history behind this epic potato dish. This potato side dish is popular at after-funeral luncheons or dinners.
Some references call these potatoes Mormon Funeral Potatoes because they are a fixture among the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
While this is a sad reason to make this potato dish, they are delicious year-round, which is undoubtedly a happy thing for our taste buds.
This recipe is similar to our Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole with a few tweaks and added toppings.
Ingredients
Here is a quick overview of the simple ingredients needed to make epic Funeral Potatoes! The printable recipe card at the bottom of the post includes specific measurements and step-by-step instructions.
- Frozen Hash Browns
- Sour Cream
- Cream of Chicken Soup/Cream of Potato Soup
- Butter
- Garlic Powder
- Cheddar Cheese
- Corn Flakes Cereal
- Salt and Pepper
Optional Add-Ins: Bacon, Diced Onion
Frozen Hashbrowns - You can use diced or shredded potatoes for this recipe.
Cream of Soup - The most popular variety of soup to use is cream of chicken soup. If you are serving this to a vegetarian we highly suggest cream of potato soup so they are able to enjoy it.
Garlic Powder - We love the garlic flavor in this recipe. You can also use dried minced onion.
Cheddar Cheese - You can use classic cheddar cheese or change it up and use a triple cheddar cheese mixture. These potatoes also taste amazing with Monterey jack, Colby jack, sharp cheddar cheese, or any other cheese you love.
Corn Flake Cereal - If you don't have corn flakes or want to change the recipe up a bit you can also use panko crumbs, bread crumbs, or even Ritz Crackers.
Butter - Make sure to divide the tablespoons of butter according to the recipe.
Equipment Needed
- Large Mixing Bowl: We are big fans of this glass batter bowl with a handle. It makes it easy to mix ingredients and keeps the mixing bowl steady on the counter.
- 9x13 Baking Dish
- Wooden Spoon
How to make Funeral Potatoes
I've included complete instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here's a quick version.
Set the frozen hashbrown potatoes out in the fridge overnight to thaw them. You want them to be fully thawed so they cook perfectly.
If you forget to set them out overnight in the fridge you can also place them on a baking sheet in a 200 degree oven and cook them for about 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees when you are ready to start assembling the funeral potatoes.
Step 1 - Combine sour cream, cream of chicken soup, a portion of melted butter, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Make sure you use a LARGE bowl. You will be adding the potatoes to the bowl and you want them to all be contained.
Step 2 - Add in shredded cheddar cheese and evenly mix.
Step 3 - Add thawed potatoes and mix with cream of chicken soup mixture until evenly coated.
Spoon mixture into a greased baking dish.
Step 4 - Add corn flakes to a sealed bag and crush them. You can crush them by hand or use a rolling pin or glass to crush them.
You don't need to pulverize the cornflakes just break them into smaller pieces for the cornflake topping.
Spread crushed cornflakes over the top of the potato mixture.
Step 5 - Your funeral potatoes are ready to bake! Just place them in the oven uncovered and patiently wait until they are ready.
Time to enjoy these epic cheesy potatoes!
Make Ahead:
If you want to make these cheesy party potatoes ahead of time, you totally can!
Follow the recipe to the point you add the potato mixture to the casserole dish.
Place the covered dish of potatoes and sour cream cheese mixture into the fridge for up to a day beforehand or in the freezer for up to three months until you know you want to serve it.
Pull the dish out the night before and let it thaw in the refrigerator. Add the cornflakes and butter, and bake as directed.
If you plan on freezing this dish or taking it somewhere frozen, we suggest using a disposable casserole dish so you don't have to worry about transporting a glass dish or leaving it in the freezer.
Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy them within three days.
Freezing/How to Freeze: You can freeze your Funeral Potato leftovers in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to three months.
How to Reheat: We reheat our leftover portions in the microwave.
Recipe Variations
Substitutions:
You can use diced or shredded potatoes for this recipe.
We love using garlic powder for the garlic flavor in this recipe. You can also use dried minced onion.
You can use classic cheddar cheese or change it up and use a triple cheddar cheese mixture.
These potatoes taste amazing with Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or any other cheese you love.
If you don't have cornflakes or want to change the recipe, use panko crumbs, crushed potato chips, or even Ritz Crackers.
Vegetarian Option: Cream of chicken soup is used most often in this recipe. If you serve this to a vegetarian, we highly suggest cream of potato soup so they can enjoy it.
Vegan Option: In addition to the guidance for vegetarians, vegans should swap sour cream, butter, cheddar cheese, and cornflakes with plant-based alternatives.
Gluten-Free: Gluten-free eaters should use gluten-free cream of chicken soup and cornflakes to make this recipe safe for a gluten-free diet.
Smaller Serving Size + Larger Group/More Servings: The written recipe makes 12 servings. Feel free to double, triple, or scale it to the crowd size you need to feed.
Make It Spicy: Add diced chilies or your favorite hot sauce for a cheesy potato casserole with a kick!
Sugar-Free: The written recipe contains 1 gram of sugar per serving.
Tips for the Best Funeral Potatoes
- Make sure to divide the tablespoons of butter according to the recipe.
What to Serve with Funeral Potatoes
These potluck-friendly Funeral Potatoes add the goodness of cheesy, texture-filled potatoes to any meal, and leftovers taste even better the day after! Here are some pairing suggestions to inspire your menu planning.
Sides: Broccoli Casserole, Apple Stuffing, Carrot Soufflé, BLT Pasta Salad, Southern Fried Cabbage with Bacon, Air Fryer Baked Potato, Jiffy Cornbread with Sour Cream, Sweet Potato Casserole with Candied Yams, Southern Style Green Beans, CrockPot Bourbon Baked Beans
Main Dishes: Cracker Barrel Broccoli Cheddar Chicken, Stovetop Meatloaf, Chicken Casserole with Ritz Crackers, CrockPot Rosemary Pork, Cracker Barrel Chicken & Dumplings, CrockPot Macaroni & Cheese with Ham, CrockPot Salisbury Steak, CrockPot Ham & Cheese Grits
Desserts: Ooey-Gooey Butter Cake, Lemon Bars, Lemon Icebox Pie, Best Rice Krispie Treats, Bisquick Blueberry Cobbler, Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding, Bisquick Apple Cobbler, Bisquick Peach Cobbler, Molasses Cookies, Banana Bread, Classic Chocolate Brownies
Drinks: Coke Slushie, Red Robin Freckled Lemonade, CopyCat McDonald's Sweet Tea
When to Serve
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This potato casserole dish is a great side dish for ham!
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Funeral Potatoes
Ingredients
- 32 oz frozen hash brown potatoes
- 8 oz Sour Cream
- 10.5 oz Cream of Chicken Soup
- 12 Tablespoon Butter divided, melted
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 8 oz Cheddar Cheese
- 3 cups Corn Flakes
Instructions
- Thaw Hashbrowns potatoes in the refrigerator overnight until thawed
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Combine sour cream, cream of chicken/potato soup, 6 tbsp. butter, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Stir together.
- Add shredded cheese to the bowl and mix together.
- Add hash brown potatoes and stir together until well mixed. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.
- Crush Cornflakes with your hands or a rolling pin in a Ziploc bag. Add in 6 tbsp. butter and mix together. Sprinkle cornflakes over the potato mixture.
- Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes.
Kitchen Tools
- 9X13 Pan
William H Stoneman
We have always called this recipe "Dead Spread Potatoes".....