Believe it or not, “Funeral Potatoes” is not actually the technical name for this dish–it’s usually something like Cheesy Potato Casserole. But these are often found served with ham on Easter dinner tables as well as luncheons following funerals which, not shockingly, is how they got their name in certain circles. You can serve this as a main dish (kind of like mac and cheese, right?) with a salad and fruit or serve it alongside pot roast, ham, or roasted chicken. The funeral is totally optional. If you’ve never tried them, be prepared for these creamy, cheesy potatoes to disappear very quickly!
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Onion
- Fresh garlic
- Butter – Use real butter.
- Frozen hash brown potatoes
- Sour cream – Full fat is best.
- Cream of chicken soup
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Topping of choice – Crushed cornflakes, seasoned bread crumbs, crushed potato chips, crushed crackers, or more cheese!
How to Make Funeral Potatoes
- First you’ll melt some butter and sauté your onions and garlic.
- While the onions and garlic are sautéing, combine together the sour cream, cream of chicken soup, salt, and pepper.
- Combine the sautéed onions and garlic with a bag of thawed hash brown potatoes, the sour cream mixture, and the cheese. Transfer to a 9×13 baking dish.
- You can bake these potatoes as is, or sprinkle with corn flakes, cracker crumbs, or extra cheese before baking. I prefer topping with cheese or leaving them plain, as the other options become soggy on leftovers.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store cooled leftover funeral potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 4-5 days for best results.
- If you’d like to save dishes, prepare these potatoes in a cast iron skillet or other pan that can go from stovetop to oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Feel free to prep these potatoes a day ahead of time. They will need a few extra minutes in the oven if baking directly from the refrigerator.
You can freeze funeral potatoes for up to 3 months, before or after baking. Leave the toppings off if you plan to freeze. Thaw your pan in the refrigerator overnight before baking or reheating.
Funeral Potatoes
Equipment
- 9×13 baking dish optional
Ingredients
- 1 onion, small-medium diced
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1-2 tablespoons butter
- 1 28-30 ounce bag hash brown potatoes shredded, thawed
- 1 16-ounce container sour cream
- 1 10-ounce can cream of chicken soup or cream of mushroom
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese about 2 cups, shredded
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- crushed cornflakes, seasoned bread crumbs, crushed potato chips, or crushed Ritz or saltine crackers optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. In a large skillet (or 12" cast iron skillet), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant. Remove from heat.
- Add the thawed hash browns, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, cheese, salt, and pepper and combine well. Add additional salt and pepper if necessary.
- If not baking in the skillet, spread the mixture into a 9×13" (or similar) dish and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the casserole is hot in the center and the cheese is bubbly throughout. Serve as a main dish with a salad and fruit or alongside roasted ham, turkey, chicken, or beef.
Notes
- Store cooled leftover funeral potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 4-5 days for best results.
- If you’d like to save dishes, prepare these potatoes in a cast iron skillet or other pan that can go from stovetop to oven.
- The comment section on this recipe is filled with interesting and delicious variations, such as adding green onions, different types of toppings, and unique seasonings. If you’re looking for a new spin on this recipe, take a look!
Nutrition
Questions & Reviews
Curse you OBB! I actually had to take the pan off the table so we’d stop eating them!
Looks delicious, going to try making it with fat free sour cream, low fat cheese, and low fat condensed soup (watching my figure). Hoping the swaps work, because I think my family will love it!
I always use low fat soup, and sometimes use low fat sour cream. They turn out great! You can’t even tell!! I am not a personal fat of low fat cheese- I think it melts terribly, but you could try it. Anything to cut down on fat and calories, huh! Good luck!
OMG! My family calls this dish funeral potatoes too! I didn’t know this was an official name. 🙂
I just need to know what is wrong with “Cream of” soups???
There’s nothing wrong with them! 🙂 They definitely have their place. But sometimes they can be overused as sauce/gravy when there are better/fresher alternatives out there.
This is also a family favorite that we have loved forever! I promise, they are so much better with fresh grated potatoes. Sure it requires a little extra time (boiling, peeling, then grating them in my cuisinart. It is so worth the extra time! They taste amazing!
LOVE your cookbook!
I was once writing down my menu for a meal and I abbreviated funeral potatoes as “fun. potatoes”. One of my kids looked at the menu and asked “What are fun potatoes?” I’ve called them Fun Potatoes ever since!
Just saw Jennifer M’s post and I’m laughing because our family calls these Yummy Potatoes too! My mom’s tweaked the recipe – I don’t think she can NOT tweak a recipe – and we NEVER leave out the buttery cornflake topping. Can’t wait for Easter now!
In my cookbook they call these “Sinful Potatoes” because they truly are that good!
I don’t know about other people, but I have the unfortunate tendency when I make a recipe that turns out great to decide that it should become our traditional ______ (Easter, Christmas, whatever) breakfast/dessert/appetizer. I value tradition and just got married so am trying to start some of my own. This recipe has sadly fallen into that trap. I made it the first time 4 1/2 years ago, shortly after my husband and I met (only change is I don’t use onions but do use parmesan on top) and decided it should be Christmas morning breakfast because it’s SO good and SO easy. I have dutifully made it for Christmas morning every year since, and we love it, but that means I don’t make it the rest of the year because I want it to be “special.” Sigh! In any case, I am also not a big fan of canned soups but use it for this recipe because it’s wonderful :o)
YES! I had these before!!! It was AWESOME!!! I saw it, and I thought “that looks disgustingly amazing, filled with butter, sour cream, cheese, and carbs. I MUST try it!” And I did, and then and there, My life was changed forever. I remember coming home and telling my mom (who LOVES cream of chicken soup, which I hate, but these are worth it!) how I must make this. But I didn’t have a recipe. But now, I do! This blog is everything I love in a blog! I love you guys!