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
I’m out of sour cream, can I use more creamed soup instead?
You *could* Denna- the flavor definitely wouldn’t be the same, and you miss out on a creamy-tanginess from the sour cream, but it would bake up just fine. If you have a store near by I’d run and get some sour cream! But if you’re really in a pinch, go ahead and add more soup.
I have been searching for a good funeral potato recipe and this is it!! We all loved it (my 14 year old daughter even went back for seconds). Next time I think I will cut back on the onion and garlic but otherwise very, very good.
Just wanted to add my two cents. These were AMAZING! Our family had a big party to celebrate my sister getting sealed to her husband on Saturday. They were a huge hit! Though because the celebration was a happy one, they dubbed the potatoes as “Celestial Potatoes” because “that way they are happier.” Thanks so much!!!!!!
Update – I made these in a slow cooker yesterday and got creamy, cheesey goodness.
I make these in the crock pot and call them crock pot potatoes (though we do serve them at a lot of funerals) I use cream of celery soup instead of cream of chicken.
So, after living in Utah for 7 years and never hearing of this dish until I’ve lived here, I decided to try them tonight…paired with oven baked fried chicken and some fruit (I think)…
lo and behold, I go to my pantry and reach for Cream of Chicken…and I’m out!! *gasp* I can’t remember the last time I was out of COC. So, I pulled out some cheese soup stuff and decided to use that instead…I’m crossing my fingers…my husband gets a little weirded out when I improvise…
My Dad retired from Hungry Jack and fed these potatoes to the new product departement for a suggestion for a new product and they loved them but couldn’t figure out how to make them into an instant casserole like the other ones. They just did quite taste the same. Some one should figure it out they would make a million.
Well, being from Idaho, I have eaten these many times and used about every kind of potato to make them and come out delicious!!! Although I add onion powder to mine. When we have to make team lunches or dinners this is what my son always requests us to volunteer to bring. I have used frozen tator tots, french fries, country style hashbrowns. You can pretty much use any form of potatoe as long as it is cooked first. Don’t use raw, something about the cream won’t them them cook through and you end up with crunchy potatoes.
These are so delicious and smell so yummy that I made that huge mistake of sticking the fork in them as soon as they came out. My mouth had to then deal with my bad discussion! These are definitely amazing! My mom decided that they are funeral potatoes because they are to die for!!! I have a recipe from my boyfriends mom that are similar, but I think these are my favorite, something about the shredded hash browns make them my fav! (also her recipe had the crunchy cereal topping, and no onions or garlic and garlic is a fav. The more the better!)
My MIL puts both cheese and Regular potatoes chips on hers holy heck they are fantastic!