Funeral Potatoes

Funeral Potatoes are a staple at Easter, potlucks and church gatherings. Also known as Church Potatoes, this recipe never fails to please.

Why This Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole Works Every Time

Funeral Potatoes or cheesy potato casserole is a crowd-pleaser. It’s the dish people ask me to bring when we’re planning Easter, a potluck, or if they’re looking for a side to bring in a panicked family text thread.

I grew up in Iowa, so funeral potatoes are one of those recipes that goes by many names. My family always called this recipe cheesy potatoes, and I’m sure it’s what many of the church ladies make for church carry-ins.

My friends at school called it church potatoes. Either way, this casserole is a recipe I make on repeat.

Why They’re Called Funeral Potatoes (And Church Potatoes)

Funeral Potatoes gets its name because it’s a hearty and easy-to-make casserole to bring to the church after someone dies in the community. The ladies would bring casseroles like this recipe to feed everyone.

What Goes Into This Casserole

You don’t actually need that many dishes, just two! One for the hashbrown mixture and one for the topping.

Then you’ll assemble everything into a casserole dish to bake. Here’s what you’ll need:

Frozen Shredded Hashbrowns

Funeral Potatoes start with a 24 oz bag of shredded hashbrowns. You could make them yourself, but I’ve found that the packaged hashbrowns have the right texture and moisture to make the casserole come out perfectly every time.

The only part of the recipe you can’t skip is thawing the hashbrowns, otherwise, the casserole will suffer for it. To save time, pull them out of the freezer and place them in a colander to thaw while you prep everything else, which takes about an hour.

Make sure they’re thawed before you start making the recipe.

Cream of Chicken Soup

The best and original soup to use is cream of chicken soup. However, in a pinch you can use cream of mushroom.

The soup is a major ingredient that balances out the sour cream, adds savoriness AND binds everything together. You really can’t leave it out of this recipe.

The rest of this cheesy hashbrown casserole recipe comes together with sour cream to keep things creamy until the last bite you scoop out of the pan, shredded cheddar, corn flakes to add texture, and some melted butter to help the cornflakes get crispy in the oven and not soggy.

Sour Cream – two cups of sour cream is what makes funeral potatoes creamy and tangy. Do not skimp on the sour cream, and do NOT use low-fat.

Trust me.

Sharp Cheddar Cheese – use real, sharp, tasty cheddar cheese for best results. I love Tillamook Sharp Cheddar – it’s rich, melts perfectly and adds a nice, sharp, creamy taste.

Two cups of cheese makes a great cheese layer. Make sure to shred the cheese yourself – bagged shredded cheeses don’t melt as well due to additives.

Shredded cheese will give the casserole a nice, smooth texture.

Cornflakes – use the original Kellogg’s cornflakes for the best results. Crush the cornflakes with your hands into small and uneven pieces.

If you make the pieces too small, your topping will be a bit more solid instead of crispy. Crushed cornflakes mixed with butter make the perfect, crispy, crunchy topping for funeral potatoes.

Salt and Onion Powder – don’t skip these ingredients – especially the onion powder. It’s a subtle ingredient that enhances the flavor of this recipe.

How to Make Funeral Potatoes

Funeral potatoes is a traditional side dish during the holidays – full-fat and hearty. Here’s how to make the best funeral potatoes:

• Prep – drain frozen hashbrowns in a colander in the sink for an hour before assembling casserole. Melt butter and set aside. Grease a 9×13 pan and preheat oven to 350°F. Crush cornflakes in a medium-sized bowl.
• Combine – add thawed hashbrowns to a large bowl along with cream of chicken soup, sour cream, 1/2 cup melted butter, salt, onion powder and shredded cheddar cheese. Mix well and spread into corners of prepared baking pan.
• Cornflake Topping – add remaining 1/2 cup melted butter to cornflakes and toss to combine. Spread cornflake mixture over funeral potatoes.
• Bake – bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes – until edges are bubbly and cornflakes are dark golden color. Serve immediately.

I suggest letting them sit for about five minutes before scooping to allow them to set.

If needed tent loosely with aluminum foil, without sealing the edges to allow steam to escape, to prevent excessive browning of cornflakes while the casserole finishes baking. Remove foil and continue baking until browned.

Crockpot Funeral Potatoes

Instead of baking these funeral potatoes in the oven, you can slow cook them by following this recipe for Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes. This is especially helpful during holidays when you have four other things going on in the oven.

Funeral Potatoes Without Cornflakes

Ritz Crackers, for a softer, less crunchy topping you can substitute 1-1/2 cups of crushed Ritz Crackers and 1/2 cup of melted butter. It makes the casserole richer and very tasty.

Potato Chips, crushed plain or lightly salted potato chips also make a tasty alternative to cornflakes. They won’t be as crunchy and will be more fragile but they’re flavorful.

Use same ratio as the Ritz cracker option above.

Panko Breadcrumbs, breadcrumbs will yield an even textured topping that is less coarse and finer looking. To get the breadcrumbs to crisp up and not just brown, toast them in butter in a skillet before adding them as the casserole topping.

Funeral Potatoes With Cream Cheese

I like the classic funeral potatoes best but a version with cream cheese is also delicious. It’s a bit thicker and richer.

To make these, mix 1 cup sour cream with 4 oz softened cream cheese (mix well) then combine with remaining ingredients as directed.

What to Serve With Funeral Potatoes

Funeral potatoes are definitely an anytime dish but are commonly served with a roast of some sort. They are a great accompaniment to Easter ham.

The salty glaze pairs perfectly with the creamy cheese. Funeral potatoes are a side dish that goes with many meats including turkey, roast chicken, pork tenderloin, pot roast, etc.

If you are looking for another amazing potato and meat dish try my Pork Chop and Hashbrown Casserole.

Make-Ahead Funeral Potatoes

You can prep this recipe up to 24 hours in advance. Grease your pan, make the potato filling, then cover tightly and store in the refrigerator.

Add the cornflake topping right before it goes in the oven. Adding it ahead of time will cause it to absorb the moisture from the casserole filling and go soft.

If you’re taking the casserole straight from the fridge to the oven, add 10-15 minutes to the baking time.

Can you reheat Funeral Potatoes?

Absolutely. Though the cornflake topping will get a bit soggy, Funeral Potatoes still taste great for up to 4 days after baking.

I prefer to reheat the potatoes in a 325°F oven so the cornflakes get crunchy again, but you can certainly nuke them in the microwave if you’re in a hurry.

Can you freeze Funeral Potatoes?

You can freeze the casserole without the cornflake topping for up to 2 months. To serve, move from freezer to fridge overnight to thaw.

Then, sprinkle the cornflake topping on top and bake as directed.

Funeral Potatoes FAQ

Why are they called funeral potatoes?

Funeral potatoes got their name from the dish’s origins as an easy-to-make casserole that could be brought to a family that has experienced a death. Casseroles are easy to make, can be made ahead of time, and feed a lot of people, making them a staple at times of grief and mourning.

Do I have to thaw the hashbrowns?

Yes. The easiest way is to set them in a colander in your sink for an hour.

Can I use fresh potatoes?

You can use fresh potatoes but you’ll have to par-cook them first. I’ve made Funeral Potatoes with fresh potatoes before and love using frozen hashbrowns because the end result is more consistent.

Can I double this?

Yes but use two 9×13 baking pans. Bake them side-by-side in the oven.

You can certainly try to fit everything into one pan but it’ll be a bit of a dome. It’ll be difficult for it to cook through all the way to the middle.

What to Do With the Leftovers

Breakfast Hash

Break up the potato casserole into bite-size pieces. Add to a frying pan with a few tablespoons of butter.

Cook on medium-high heat until potatoes begin to brown on the edges. Serve with a fried egg on top!

Breakfast Burritos

Scramble some eggs. Spoon some of the potato casserole into a flour tortilla and add some scrambled eggs.

Wrap and enjoy.

Stuffed Peppers

Cut a bell pepper in half, remove the seeds and membrane. Spoon the potato casserole into the pepper halves.

Top with some additional cheddar cheese. Broil until the cheese melts and starts bubbling.

Leftovers are just as good on day three.

More Potato Recipes Worth Your Time

• Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes
• Cheesy Potato Bake
• Crock Pot Baked Potatoes
• Pork Chop and Hashbrown Casserole

Funeral potatoes are one of those recipes that’s so good I feel like I should share it with everyone. If you’ve never had them before, I’m going to change that right now.

These potatoes are rich and creamy, loaded with cheese and have the best crunchy topping. Are you Team Cornflakes or Team Ritz Crackers when it comes to a casserole topping?