Recipes

Easy Cheesy Funeral Potatoes

November 16, 2025

Funeral potatoes are a classic baked hashbrown casserole with a rich, cheesy sauce and crisp topping that delivers big comfort with minimal ingredients. They are the coziest, creamiest potatoes perfect for any crowd!

close up of Funeral Potatoes in a casserole dish

Flavor: We love funeral potatoes because they’re creamy, cheesy, and hearty with a crunchy, buttery topping.
Time-Saving Tip: Use pre-shredded cheese to save time on prep!
Serving Suggestion: Keep these cheesy potatoes warm in a Crockpot for an easy, grab-and-go buffet favorite.

What Are Funeral Potatoes?

Funeral potatoes are a dish from the midwest that are a staple for post-funeral luncheons.

It’s a comforting dish that can easily be made ahead of time making it an ideal choice for gatherings.

onion , hash brown potatoes , cream of chicken soup , butter , sout cream , cheese , cornflakes with labels to make Funeral Potatoes

Easy Ingredients

Potatoes: This funeral potatoes recipe uses diced frozen hash browns. Any frozen (or pre-cooked) potatoes will work.
Cheese: Sharp cheddar cheese adds a bright, tangy flavor, but use what’s in your cheese drawer. Cheese tends to melt best if you shred it yourself from a block, but you can use pre-shredded cheese if time is short.
Sauce: Melted butter, condensed cream of chicken soup, and sour cream make up the sauce. You can use cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup in place of cream of chicken to make it vegetarian.
Topping: Crushed cornflakes are mixed with butter for the best crunchy topping. Replace the cereal with crushed potato chips (any flavor), Ritz crackers, or bread crumbs if that’s all you have.

Ingredient Swap: To use fresh potatoes instead of hash browns, dice them ½” or smaller and add them to salted boiling water. Cook for about 7 minutes or just until tender. Cool slightly and proceed with the recipe.

adding ingredients to dish to make Funeral Potatoes

Funeral Potatoes in a dish before cooking

How to Make Funeral Potatoes

Topping: Prepare the cornflakes topping and set aside.
Sauce: Sauté onion in butter & mix with sour cream, soup, and some of the cheese.
Assemble: Stir in potatoes and spread into a casserole dish.
Bake: Add cheese & topping and bake until bubbly and golden brown.

Storing Cozy Casseroles

Storing: Cover the pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Place a thawed portion or two in the microwave for a few minutes or toast in the oven at 325°F for 15-20 minutes!
Make ahead & freeze: Skip the topping, freeze in the dish until firm, then wrap in foil and plastic and store in a large zip bag up to 3 months.
Reheat: Bake frozen, covered with foil, at 350°F for 50-60 minutes. Add topping, bake 15-20 more minutes until 160°F.

Casseroles for a Crowd

Did you make these Funeral Potatoes? Be sure to leave a rating and comment below!

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish with butter.
In a medium bowl, make the topping by gently crushing the cornflakes. Toss with 4 tablespoons of melted butter and set aside.
In a small skillet, melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the butter and onions, sour cream, condensed soup, and 2 cups of cheese. Season to taste with salt & black pepper.
Gently stir in the hash brown potatoes. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
Top with the remaining ½ cup of cheese and sprinkle the topping over top.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

For fresh potatoes, dice them into 1/2-inch pieces and boil in salted water for about 7 minutes or until just tender. Let them cool slightly, then continue with the recipe.
Store any leftovers tightly covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Breakfast, Casserole, Side Dish

Cuisine American

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