Cheesy Funeral Potatoes You’ll Ever Make
Get ready to fall head over heels for these Cheesy Funeral Potatoes — a creamy, golden, crispy-topped casserole that’s pure comfort in a 9×13 pan. This crowd-pleasing side dish comes together easily with simple ingredients like frozen hash browns, cheddar cheese, and a buttery cornflake topping that’ll have everyone asking for the recipe.
Okay, I know the name sounds a little ominous, but trust me — these cheesy potatoes are anything but gloomy. They’ve been the star of every potluck, holiday table, and family gathering I’ve ever brought them to, and honestly? They get more compliments than the main dish every single time. There’s something about that bubbly cheese, the creamy filling, and that crunchy cornflake topping that just makes people completely lose their minds.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These Cheesy Funeral Potatoes are the definition of comfort food done right. We’re talking frozen hash browns swimming in a rich, savory mixture of cream cheese, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup — all blanketed in melted cheddar and finished with a buttery, crispy cornflake crust. It’s the kind of dish that feels like a warm hug.
They’re also one of the easiest different sides for dinner you’ll ever make. You basically mix everything in a bowl, dump it in a baking dish, top it with buttery crumbs, and let the oven do the heavy lifting. That’s it. No fancy techniques, no babysitting a stovetop — just glorious, cheesy simplicity.
Cheesy Funeral Potatoes
Equipment
- 9×13 baking dish
- Large mixing bowl
- Large Zip-Lock Bag
- Nonstick Cooking Spray
- Box grater
Ingredients
Base
- 32 oz Frozen shredded or cubed hash browns thawed overnight in the refrigerator
Creamy Filling
- ½ cup Unsalted butter melted
- 14.5 oz Cream of chicken soup one can
- 1½ cups Sour cream
- 8 oz Cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- ½ tsp Garlic powder
- ¾ cup Yellow onion grated
Cheese
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese freshly shredded for best melting
Crunchy Cornflake Topping
- 2½ cups Corn flakes crushed
- ¼ cup Unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- The night before, transfer your frozen hash browns to the refrigerator and let them thaw overnight. Fully thawed hash browns are key — cold or icy ones will steam instead of bake, leading to a soggy casserole instead of a creamy, golden one.
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray. Don’t skip this step — the cheesy bottom layer will stick and tear if the dish isn’t well greased.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ½ cup melted butter, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, softened cream cheese, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and grated onion. Mix until everything is smooth and well combined. Make sure your cream cheese is fully softened beforehand to avoid lumps.
- Add the thawed hash browns and shredded cheddar cheese to the bowl. Stir until every piece of potato is evenly coated in that creamy, cheesy mixture. Transfer the mixture to your prepared baking dish and press it down gently so it fills the dish evenly corner to corner.
- Place the corn flakes in a large zip-lock bag and crush them using a rolling pin or your hands — aim for mostly fine crumbs with a few larger pieces for texture. Add the ¼ cup melted butter to the bag, seal it, and shake until every crumb is evenly coated. Sprinkle the buttery cornflake topping evenly over the potato mixture.
- Bake uncovered at 350°F for 40–45 minutes, until the edges are bubbling, the cheese is fully melted throughout, and the cornflake topping is deep golden brown. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving so it sets slightly and scoops cleanly.
Notes
Ingredients
Here’s everything you need to pull these together. Nothing weird or hard to find — promise.
| Category | Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Frozen shredded or cubed hash browns, thawed | 32 oz package |
| Creamy Filling | Unsalted butter, melted | ½ cup |
| Creamy Filling | Cream of chicken soup | 14.5 oz can |
| Creamy Filling | Sour cream | 1½ cups |
| Creamy Filling | Cream cheese, softened | 8 oz |
| Creamy Filling | Salt | ½ tsp |
| Creamy Filling | Black pepper | ½ tsp |
| Creamy Filling | Garlic powder | ½ tsp |
| Creamy Filling | Yellow onion, grated | ¾ cup |
| Cheese | Cheddar cheese, shredded | 2 cups |
| Crunchy Topping | Corn flakes, crushed | 2½ cups |
| Crunchy Topping | Unsalted butter, melted | ¼ cup |
A quick note on the hash browns: shredded works great for a more classic texture, but cubed gives you these satisfying little potato chunks throughout. Either works — use whatever you’ve got!
How to Make Cheesy Funeral Potatoes
Let’s walk through this step by step. It’s genuinely easy, but a few small things make a big difference.
Step 1: Thaw Your Hash Browns
The night before you plan to bake, pull your frozen hash browns out of the freezer and let them thaw in the fridge overnight. This is the only bit of “planning ahead” this recipe asks of you, and it’s worth it. Wet, cold hash browns will steam instead of bake, and we want creamy and golden — not soggy.
Step 2: Preheat and Prep Your Pan
When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F. Give your 9×13 baking dish a good coat of nonstick cooking spray — don’t skip this, because that cheesy bottom layer will absolutely glue itself to the pan if you do. (Ask me how I know.)
Step 3: Mix the Creamy Filling
Grab your biggest mixing bowl — bigger than you think you need, because this filling is generous. Combine the ½ cup melted butter, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, softened cream cheese, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and grated onion. Mix everything together until it’s smooth and well combined.
Pro tip: Make sure your cream cheese is fully softened before you start, or you’ll end up with little white lumps in your filling. Nobody wants lumpy cheezy potatoes! Leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes before you begin.
Step 4: Add the Hash Browns and Cheese
Now for the good stuff. Add your thawed hash browns and shredded cheddar cheese into that glorious creamy mixture and stir it all together until everything is evenly coated. You’ll already be able to smell how good this is going to be.
Spread the mixture evenly into your prepared baking dish. Press it down lightly so it fills every corner — no potato left behind.
Step 5: Make the Cornflake Topping
This crunchy topping is what separates a good potato casserole from a legendary one. Place your corn flakes in a large zip-lock bag and crush them — you can use a rolling pin, the bottom of a cup, or just your hands. You want mostly fine crumbs with a few bigger pieces for texture.
Add the ¼ cup melted butter right into the bag, seal it, and shake and squish until every crumb is buttery and coated. Then scatter the whole thing evenly over the top of the potato mixture. It should look like a gorgeous golden blanket.
Step 6: Bake Uncovered
Pop the dish into your preheated oven and bake uncovered for 40–45 minutes. You’re looking for the edges to be bubbling, the cheese to be melted throughout, and that cornflake topping to be a deep golden brown. Your kitchen is going to smell absolutely incredible.
Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving — the filling will set up just a little and be easier to scoop cleanly.
Expert Tips, Variations & Troubleshooting
Tips for the Best Results
Grate your own cheddar. Pre-shredded cheese has a coating that prevents it from melting as smoothly. Freshly grated cheddar melts into the most gloriously oozy, creamy situation. Totally worth the extra two minutes.
Grate the onion, don’t chop it. Grated onion melts right into the filling and you get all that savory onion flavor without big chunks. It’s a small thing that makes a noticeable difference.
Don’t cover the dish while baking. The whole point of that cornflake topping is the crunch. Covering it traps steam and you’ll end up with a sad, soggy topping instead of that beautiful crust.
Fun Variations to Try
Make it spicy. Add a can of diced green chiles or a teaspoon of hot sauce to the filling for a little kick. It plays beautifully against the richness of all that cream cheese.
Swap the topping. No corn flakes? Try crushed Ritz crackers or panko breadcrumbs mixed with butter. Both give you a great crunch with a slightly different flavor profile.
Add protein. Stir in some diced cooked ham or crumbled bacon with the hash browns to turn this into more of a one-dish meal. It’s basically hash brown casserole at that point — and nobody is complaining.
Go full cheezy potatoes. Use a blend of cheeses — sharp cheddar, pepper jack, and a little gruyère — for a more complex, deeply cheesy flavor. Ridiculously good.
Troubleshooting
My topping is browning too fast. Tent the dish loosely with foil for the last 10–15 minutes of baking to protect the topping while the inside finishes cooking.
The filling seems too wet. Make sure your hash browns were fully thawed and patted dry before mixing. Excess moisture is usually the culprit here.
It doesn’t seem cooked through. Every oven is a little different. If the center still looks jiggly and the edges aren’t bubbling, give it another 5–10 minutes. An internal temperature of around 165°F means it’s done.
What to Serve With Cheesy Funeral Potatoes
These are one of the best party food side dishes because they pair with basically everything. Need some inspo? They’re dreamy alongside the best Mexican Birria or tucked next to some Mexican street tacos for a crowd-pleasing spread.
If you want to lighten things up on the table, a fresh broccoli salad or a crisp Italian chopped salad balances the richness perfectly. For something a little heartier, this chickpea feta avocado salad is a total showstopper alongside it.
And if you’re planning an Easter or holiday spread, check out this beautiful Easter salad — it’s the perfect fresh counterpart to all this cheesy, buttery goodness.
Storage Instructions
Good news: these reheat like a dream, so leftovers are very much a thing you’ll enjoy.
| Storage Method | Container | How Long |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Airtight container or covered baking dish | Up to 4 days |
| Freezer (unbaked) | Covered baking dish, wrapped tightly | Up to 2 months |
| Freezer (baked) | Airtight container or freezer bag | Up to 1 month |
How to Reheat
Oven (best method): Cover with foil and warm at 325°F for about 20–25 minutes, then uncover for the last 5 minutes to re-crisp the topping.
Microwave (quick method): Works fine for individual portions, though the topping won’t be as crispy. Heat in 60-second intervals until warmed through.
No-Waste Kitchen Ideas
Leftover cheesy potatoes are incredible as a breakfast hash — just fry a scoop in a buttered skillet until crispy and top with a fried egg. You’re welcome. They also make a surprisingly great filling for breakfast burritos, or you can stir them into a pot of broth for a quick cheesy potato soup.
Nutritional Information
Approximate values per serving (based on 12 servings). These are estimates and can vary based on specific brands used.
| Nutrient | Per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~380 kcal |
| Total Fat | ~26g |
| Saturated Fat | ~15g |
| Carbohydrates | ~28g |
| Fiber | ~2g |
| Protein | ~9g |
| Sodium | ~480mg |
Cheesy Funeral Potatoes FAQs
Why are they called Funeral Potatoes?
The name comes from the tradition of bringing this casserole to post-funeral gatherings, especially in the American West and Midwest, as a comforting dish for the family. It’s a classic church potluck staple that has nothing to do with being sad and everything to do with being delicious. Despite the name, these Cheesy Funeral Potatoes have become a celebration dish as much as a comfort one.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Absolutely — this is one of the best make-ahead dishes out there. Assemble the whole thing (without the cornflake topping) up to 24 hours in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate. When you’re ready to bake, add the buttery cornflake topping and pop it straight into the oven. You may need to add 5–10 extra minutes to the bake time since it’s starting cold.
Can I use fresh potatoes instead of frozen hash browns?
You can! Shred about 2 pounds of russet potatoes and squeeze out as much moisture as possible using a clean kitchen towel before mixing them in. Frozen hash browns are honestly easier and give very consistent results, but fresh totally works if that’s what you have. Just make sure they’re really, truly dry.
What can I use instead of cream of chicken soup?
Cream of mushroom soup is the most common swap and works beautifully — it gives the filling a slightly earthier flavor. You can also make a simple homemade white sauce with butter, flour, chicken broth, and a splash of cream if you prefer to avoid canned soups altogether.
Are these the same as hash brown casserole?
Pretty much, yes! Hash brown casserole, cheezy potatoes, and funeral potatoes are all basically the same dish with slight regional variations in name and ingredients. Some versions skip the cream cheese, others use different toppings, but the soul of the dish — creamy, cheesy, hash brown goodness — is the same throughout.
Ready to Make These?
Seriously, if you’ve been sleeping on Cheesy Funeral Potatoes, this is your sign to finally make them. They’re the ultimate crowd-pleaser, one of the easiest different sides for dinner you’ll ever put together, and they disappear faster than anything else on the table every single time.
Give this recipe a try and let me know how it goes in the comments below — I love hearing from you! And if you make them for a party, holiday, or just a random Tuesday (no judgment), please share them on Pinterest so others can find this recipe too. Tag me and show me that gorgeous golden topping! 🧀
