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
Just wanted you to know I just wrote up a quick review on my blog about your cookbook! It is amazing and I love it!
Oh, thank you so much, Stephanie!! I’m so glad you love it!
I needed this one last week when I was requested to make these for….a funeral luncheon.
I will squirrel this recipe away for the next time. Or, maybe just make it for a non-funeral event. 🙂
We’ve made this into more of a main dish by adding cubes of leftover ham straight in. It’s really good!
These equal Grandma to me. She made these for every event! Fantastic!
Nothing wrong with a little sinful potato dish every once in awhile!
Everyone has their favorite version. Mine is with boiled cubed potatoes and topped with crushed Lays potato chips.
YUM! I personally prefer cubed potatoes over the hashbrown style, so if someone can’t find the hashbrowns or doesn’t have time, try that. They seem to have more substance…both really are SO good though!
Do you think these would work in a slow-cooker?
I received my OBB cookbook last week and my family LOVED the bacon wrapped chicken kabobs. But really, how can you not love something wrapped in bacon?
Oooh, Kari, I’m inclined to think that you could, I just don’t know how long you’d need to cook them for. If you try it out, let us know what you discover! 🙂
I’ve done them in the crockpot before…I can’t remember how long though (I know not all day, maybe 4 hours on low?). The come out great. They do come out a little moister (soupier) when cooked in the crockpot. So if you like the crispy brown edge and crispy toppings stick with the oven.
I do them in the crockpot for 4 hours on high. I also prefer them to be made with potatoes o’brien!!!! It makes such a huge difference. The plain potatoes taste kind of bland now, by comparison. I would skip the onion step. I just dump it all in a big bowl and stir it up. I’m actually making this tonight for dinner. It is the main thing by adding cubed black forest ham chunks to it. SOO good!
These potatoes are one of my husband’s favorites!! I usually make them for Easter, but also for Father’s Day. Breakfast on Father’s Day. My husband always wants them served with french toast and sausage, it’s his favorite meal!!
I sometimes make a version with shredded cooked potatoes instead of frozen hash browns (not because I have a problem with convenience foods–trust me) and they are very good also!!
Hope you girls are doing well. xoxo 🙂
Oh, my gosh, that’s awesome that you serve them for breakfast! I’m totally doing that!
Hope you’re doing well, too, my hilarious friend. 🙂
I had NO IDEA these were the famous Funeral Potatoes! I only tried them a few years ago when a coworker brought them to our company Christmas party & I fell HARD for them!
The first time I made them myself I popped open a can of cream of celery by accident and decided to use it– it’s all I’ve used since. I also LOVE topping them with French’s Fried Onions. When I store leftovers I blend it all together and it just makes an extra oniony flavor– not soggy.
I agree, cream of celery all the way! cream of chicken is just yuck, imo, and cream of mushroom gives a much different flavor. but cream of celery is perfection! Though I say the more corn flake topping the better! lol
THank you for the wonderful suggestion of cream of celery. Definitely trying that next time. It sounds delish!
I use Cream of Onion for everything that calls for Cream of ? Soup. I buy it by the case at Amazon, because it is hard to find in stores