Funeral Potatoes

No one ever asks me to bring a salad.

Every Easter, every potluck, and every time someone in the group text panics about what sides to bring, they request these.

Growing up in my family, we called them cheesy potatoes, while my friends at school called them church potatoes. The name funeral potatoes came later. Once you hear it, it makes sense. This is the meal that appears when you need to feed someone and don’t have the energy to think about dinner.

Mine has been to more Easter tables than I can count. People always come to find me after.

Why This Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole Works Every Time

The ingredients are pretty straightforward. They consist of frozen hashbrowns, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, shredded cheddar, butter, and of course, corn flakes. Just one bowl for the filling and one for the topping.

The step that is most important, and is unskippable, is thawing your hashbrowns completely. Everything else is less strict.

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

I have always called this church potatoes, since my mom made them and so did all the ladies at my church for every carry-in I remember growing up in Iowa. The name funeral potatoes comes from the tradition of bringing food to families after a loss, something that is filling and feeds a crowd while also not requiring any extra work from the attendees.

I have responded to both names at a potluck, and both names make sense to me.

But all the way to the last scoop, the sour cream ensures that it stays creamy. And the butter in the topping is what makes those cornflakes actually oven-crisp instead of turning to mush.

What Goes Into This Casserole

Frozen Shredded Hashbrowns

These are not fresh, hand-shredded, but frozen, from the bag, 24 oz. Because of the frzonens consistency of texture and water content the casserole always come outs the same.

The most important step and the most commonly skipped step when preparing a casserole is thawing. It'll wreck your casserole if you skip it. Simply place your casserole in a colander at room temperature for an hour before you start cooking.

Cream of Chicken Soup

One can go straight from the pantry, used as is. This is the binder-it holds the casserole together throughout the full bake and adds some savoriness that compliments the sour cream.

Cream of mushroom is ok to use if there are no other options, but this dish is meant to be made with cream of chicken.

Sour Cream

That's two cups of full-fat cream. It adds a degree of creaminess and offers a slight tang that you'd notice right away if it were missing.

I don't use the lighter version here. This is a side dish for the holidays.

Butter

There’s a half a cup in the filling and half a cup in the topping — they’re doing two different jobs. In the filling it adds richness. In the topping, it’s the ingredient that makes the cornflakes so crisp.

Don't hold back. This isn't the recipe to practice self-control with.

Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Two cups. It’s better to use cheese that’s freshly shredded from a block rather than pre-shredded. Pre-shredded cheese has some weird anti-caking coating that causes the cheese to melt grainy rather than smooth.

Tillamook Sharp Cheddar has an excellent melt profile as it is rich and creamy while having enough sharpness to cuts through surrounding flavors.

Cornflakes

Kellogg's original, crushed into uneven pieces — not powder. Variation in size is what gives you honest, real crunch when you bake it.

Crush them too finely and you'll get a dense layer instead of a topping with real texture.

Salt and Onion Powder

One teaspoon each — this is straightforward. But, don't skip the onion powder. It's quiet, but you will miss it.

How to Make Funeral Potatoes

Please remove the hashbrowns from the freezer an hour before you start cooking and spread them out in a colander in the sink to let them drain.

In a large bowl, combine thawed hashbrowns, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, ½ cup melted butter, salt, onion powder, and shredded cheddar. Mix well to combine.

Spread the filling into the corners of your greased 9×13 baking dish.

In another bowl, mix the crushed cornflakes with the other 1/2 cup of melted butter until all the cornflakes are coated. Evenly distribute this mixture over the filling.

Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes. The edges should be bubbling and the topping should be a deep golden color, not pale.

Allow five minutes to pass before beginning to scoop. If the topping is browning before the center is cooking, loosely place foil over the top and continue baking. Do not seal the edges — steam needs to escape.

Crockpot Funeral Potatoes

I have a separate post for the full slow cooker version and it's worth a look because the method is a bit different and it is a lifesaver when your oven is committed to four other things. Check out the Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes recipe here.

Funeral Potatoes Without Cornflakes

Ritz Crackers

Crushed Ritz crackers are my favorite substitution — about 1½ cups crushed, mixed with ½ cup melted butter. The texture is softer and more buttery, with less crunch and more richness.

I've created this version so many times, that I think I might even like it. I'm not having that argument out loud.

Potato Chips

You can also use crushed potato chips instead, plain or lightly salted – same ratio. The topping has more fragility, but the flavor is definitely there.

Panko Breadcrumbs

Even texture and finer appearance are the advantages of using panko breadcrumbs. With that in mind, take a moment and toast them in the butter in a skillet before you add them. That’s what will make the difference between panko that turns brown and actually crisps.

Funeral Potatoes With Cream Cheese

To make the filling even richer and denser, you can replace half of the sour cream with softened cream cheese. For example, use 1 cup of sour cream and 4 oz of softened cream cheese, mixed first before combining with the other ingredients.

The filling becomes thicker and somewhat richer; some people swear that this version is superior. I still prepare the classic version, but this is also worth knowing.

What to Serve With Funeral Potatoes

The first is always ham. Easter ham is special. It's good salty glaze against creamy cheesy potatoes is a combination that will never need improvement.

In addition to that, they pair with any roast — pot roast, Pork Chop and Hashbrown Casserole if you're really feeling the potato energy, roast chicken, pork tenderloin, and turkey at Thanksgiving. This is an anytime dish.

Make-Ahead Funeral Potatoes

You can prepare the filling and grease the pan for up to 24 hours in advance. Just cover it well and put it in the fridge, but don't put on the cornflake topping until just before you bake it.

Corn flakes mixed in beforehand will soften due to absorbing moisture from the filling. Add fresh topping right before baking.

Once ready, put on the topping and place the cold pan directly in the oven. You will need to add an additional 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time.

How to Store and Reheat

Fridge: Remains tasty for up to four days, even though the topping gets soft. To regain some crunch in the topping, reheat in the oven at 325°F. For a quick heat up, the microwave will work.

You can freeze the filling (without the cornflake topping) for up to 2 months. When you're ready to bake, thaw the filling in the fridge overnight, add a new topping, then bake.

Funeral Potatoes FAQ

Why are they called funeral potatoes?

The tradition started with bringing simple casseroles to families after a death — something that fed lots of people without requiring any more work from anyone else. I have always known this as church potatoes, and the two names make complete sense to me.

Do I have to thaw the hashbrowns?

Yes. Please make sure you don't miss it. One hour in a colander.

Can I use fresh potatoes?

You can do that, but you would first need to partially cook them, and they still won't be as consistent as frozen fries. Just go with the frozen ones.

Can I double this?

Yes, you can use two 9×13 pans placed side by side. Try not to stack them any deeper in one pan; the center will not cook evenly.

What to Do With the Leftovers

Breakfast Hash

I love five-minute breakfasts. Place some remaining food from yesterday into a frying pan and add some butter. Heat it up until it is slightly crispy around the edges. Then add a fried egg.

Breakfast Burritos

Lunch is sorted. Just reheat the casserole, scramble some eggs, and wrap it in a flour tortilla.

Stuffed Peppers

Fill halved bell peppers with extra shredded cheddar and broil until bubbly. Sounds intentional.

Reheat and eat again! it's just as good on day three.

More Potato Recipes Worth Your Time

• Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes — slow cooker version, great when the oven is full
• Cheesy Potato Bake — slightly different prep, same crowd result
• Crock Pot Baked Potatoes — simple and completely hands-off
• Pork Chop and Hashbrown Casserole — same hashbrown base turned into a full dinner

Leave a comment and tell me, which do you prefer, cornflakes or Ritz? I have a very strong opinion but I will keep it to myself until I see what everyone else says.