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 love this dish. I didn’t know it as “funeral potatoes” until my mid 20s, though. My mom’s recipe literally has about a pound of butter in hers!! So this one will be much healthier. (or that’s what I’ll tell myself!) I am also in the camp of the crunch on the top in the form of cornflakes, of course doused in more butter! I think I’ll try this recipe instead of mom’s this Easter. Thanks!
I’ve seen a few variations of this recipe before. I seem to remember the last one I tried having you cook the hash browns before mixing it all up and putting in the oven. Do the potatoes get cooked enough in 60 min so they aren’t too crunchy and raw tasting? I hope so, because this would be a lot easier!
As long as they’re completely thawed, they’ll be done in an hour. I agree, it’s way easier that way! 🙂
I dont thaw the hashbrowns when I make it (which is often), and they’re still completely cooked, hot and delicious in an hour. But it’s true the real potatoes taste even better… 😉
I adore funeral potatoes. I have a friend whose family calls them sunshine potatoes instead. Either way, they are delicious! I have made them in the crockpot before for the post-church lunch. I was actually really crunched for time so I mixed them up, put them into the crockpot, threw the whole thing in my deep freeze and then that night before I went to bed I threw them into the base and cooked them on low all night. It worked like a charm.
I love this recipe but have to say it is so much better with fresh potatoes. Just boil, peel and shred and they have so much more flavor and the texture is divine! A little more work but since the rest of the recipe is so easy I think it is definitely worth it! Love your site and just got your cookbook…so great!
Hahaha. I just got finished recommending your blog to a few friends during lunch, saying, “It has a good balance between easy and healthy. Like they don’t use canned soups.” I get back to my desk and see this recipe. Oops. At least it is easy and tasty.
gotta love the classic funeral potatoes 🙂
Also, I got your cookbook for my birthday and I am in love! Love your blog and the book . . . you guys are awesome!
For the love of all that’s holy! I just gained five pounds reading your post! Love this dish. My mom would always end up cutting up leftover Easter ham and mixing it in with the potatoes.
It’s so funny because last night I happened to stop on Paula’s Best Dishes on TV and she was making a version of funeral potatoes but with crushed potato chips on top. I thought, oh no, you need corn flakes. LOL. I just scrape them off on my leftovers. :o) I love these!
This looks like my mom’s recipe, except she adds in green onions. I have to admit, cream of soups are like my best friend.
Sorry…I still can’t do the cream of… soup LOL! I usually just add in some plain ole’ cream to ease the mixing. Yeah, not a low fat alternative, but it works. 😉 These are so good. Now I’m craving them!