Funeral Potatoes, aka holiday potatoes, cheesy potatoes, or hash brown casserole, just to name a few of the things I have heard them called. But whatever you want to call them, they are most definitely to die for! The ingredients are simple, but it is an indulgent combination and will have you going back for seconds and thirds! They are perfect for any meal, holiday dinner, or gathering of any kind! My kids absolutely love these so I make them probably more often than most people, but they really do go well with pretty much anything. We really love to have them with anything barbecued! Sometimes I will even add meat such as ground beef, sausage or bacon and make them a complete meal. Once you make these you will fall in love with not only the taste but also the versatility!
And if you didn’t know this about me yet, I am a potato LOVER! Try some of these other great recipes!
Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes, Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Twice Baked Potatoes, Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and one of my favorites Cheesy Chicken Bacon Ranch and Potato Bake
Why are they called Funeral Potatoes?
The name can be very off-putting for some and I understand. They earned the name funeral potatoes because they are a very popular dish at after-funeral luncheons! It is really that simple. They are easy to make, inexpensive, and can easily feed large crowds! And that is just a small piece of history and the origin of the name. Again, if the name is off putting to you, there are plenty of other things you can call them. I have always known them as funeral potatoes so that’s what we’re going with!
Can these be prepared ahead of time?
You can make them ahead of time. Assemble everything except for the topping. Wrap them up tightly and store in the fridge for up to 2 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to prepare, bake as directed. If frozen, thaw them in the fridge first.
What is in them?
- Frozen hash browns – you can use fresh potatoes. You will will about 1.5 lbs of parboiled diced or shredded potatoes
- Cream of Chicken
- Cream of Mushroom – *Both soups are interchangeable with pretty much any flavor of canned cream soup. You can also make your own, but that is a recipe for another day!
- Sour Cream
- Grated Cheddar Cheese
- Butter, melted
- Garlic and Onion Powder – some people like to use a fresh diced onion
- Salt and Pepper
- Corn Flakes – The topping is where you can get really creative as well! I usually use Ritz crackers! They are also great with fried onions, potato chips, and I have even hear a lot of people say they use Frosted Flakes. (I have not been brave enough to try that combo yet, but I will someday and let you know!)
How to make them
Grab a large mixing bowl, as everything is mixed up in one bowl! Everything except the corn flakes and 1/2 of the stick of butter. You will combine everything in one bowl. Pretty easy so far, right?
Spread them into a 9×13 baking dish and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.
When they are nearly done, crush up 2 cups of corn flakes and mix with the other half of the stick of melted butter. Spread that mixture evenly over the top then bake for another 15 minutes! And that’s it! So easy!
The last time I made these, we had them with some BBQ Chicken legs, a lovely salad and some hot buttered biscuits with honey. It was a delicious meal! I hope this post inspires you to make some of these decadent potatoes very soon!
If you do make these, please leave a comment and a review/rating as it helps so much! Thank you!!!
Funeral Potatoes
Ingredients
- 28 oz Bag of Frozen Hash Browns
- 10.5 oz Can of Cream of Chicken Soup
- 10.5 oz Can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
- 8 oz Sour Cream
- 2 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
- 1 stick Melted Butter, divided in half
- 2 Cups Corn Flakes
- 1 tbs each Garlic and Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl, except for 1/2 of the melted butter and the corn flakes
- Spread into a 9×13 baking dish
- Bake for 45 minutes, uncovered
- Crush the corn flakes and mix with the other half of the melted butter. Spread evenly on top of the potatoes. Bake for 15 more minutes.
Kelly
Recipe is delicious but too much salt and definitely too much pepper. I should’ve went with my instincts on that and not added the amount in the recipe. Possibly a teaspoon of each but not a tablespoon. It’s much too peppery, the pepper takes over the whole flavor of the dish.
cwilken
I am so sorry Kelly. One thing I need to keep in mind when making recipes is that I probably like salt a bit more than a lot of people and to put only half of what I use in the recipes when I post and let people know they can always add more. Hopefully you will make it again and it will turn out better! Thank you for letting me know!
Taylor
I was so excited to make these for our Labor Day cookout. I’d definitely recommend not using a full tablespoon of salt. Unfortunately, they really were way too salty and I had to throw them away. I noticed that your recipe in the video for these on social media didn’t list a salt measurement, but because it was my first time making these, I wanted to follow the instructions so I came to your site. I wish I had screenshot the video recipe. Otherwise a really easy dish and will be so good the next time I make them with half the salt called for.
cwilken
I am so sorry that happened Taylor! I have revised the recipe because 1 tbs is definitely too much. I hate when it takes someone to make a dish for me to realize I made a mistake on the instructions. Hopefully you will give them another try, and thanks so much for taking the time to review and let me know!