Cheesy Potato Casserole, also known as funeral potatoes, is sure to please a crowd! You’ll love the tender potatoes, lots of cheese and a unique crunchy topping.
Cheesy Potato Casserole (Funeral Potatoes)
Cheesy Potato Casserole is better known to many as Funeral Potatoes, not because you only eat them at funerals, but because they’re a staple for feeding large groups of people. Nearly every church potluck dinner, large family gathering or, well, funeral luncheon I’ve ever attended features several pans of this cheesy potato dish alongside a ham, salad and rolls. There are dozens of variations to Funeral Potatoes, but this one is our tried and true. It’s been a family favorite for generations and it’s always devoured quickly. We make them every year for our Easter dinner as it goes perfectly with Easter ham and all the trimmings. No matter what you serve it with or where you serve it, you’ll absolutely love this potato casserole.
Crunchy Corn Flake Topping
It may sound strange to you, but I promise you will love it! Adding a couple of cups of crushed corn flakes gives this casserole a golden brown crust, a delightful crunch and a nutty, buttery flavor that goes so well with all the cheese and cream in the potatoes. Any brand of corn flakes will do.
Variations to Cheesy Potato Casserole
- Add finely diced onion (about half a cup) to your Funeral Potatoes for extra flavor. If you don’t like the crunch of onions, you can grate the onion too.
- Add cubed ham and add it straight to the potatoes for a delicious meaty meal.
- Mix bacon or diced chicken into the potatoes.
- Omit the crunchy corn flake topping and sprinkle with extra cheese.
- Cook up your own potatoes instead of using diced hash browns. You’ll need 6-8 good size potatoes for this recipe. Just peel and dice into bite size pieces and follow the rest of the instructions in the recipe card below.
- You can use shredded hash browns for a different texture too!
What to Serve with Funeral Potatoes
This deliciously cheesy potato casserole pairs beautifully with our Honey Baked Ham Copycat Recipe or our Slow Cooker Ham with Maple and Brown Sugar. Try these other recipes for dinner too:
- Sweet Teriyaki Grilled Ham Steaks
- Easy Instant Pot Chicken Breasts
- Oven Roasted Green Beans
- Rosemary Tri-Tip Roast
- Lemon Pepper Chicken
More Perfect Potato Recipes
Hailing from Idaho, we know a thing or two about good potato recipes. Try a few of our very favorites!
- Parmesan Baked Potato Halves
- Twice Baked Potatoes
- Perfect Mashed Potatoes
- Creamed Potatoes and Peas
- Slow Cooker Au Gratin Potatoes and Ham
How to Make Cheesy Potato Casserole (Funeral Potatoes)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs hash brown cubes country style
- 3 tsp salt
- pepper to taste
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- 1 cube butter 1/2 cup or stick
- 1 can cr. chicken soup
- 1 pint sour cream
- 1/2 c. milk
- 2 cups crushed corn flakes
Instructions
- Mix hash browns, cheese, salt, and pepper and pour into a 9x13 pan. Mix butter, soup, sour cream, and milk - pour over hash brown mixture. Top with corn flakes and a little melted butter. Bake 1 hour at 350.
Paula says
April 17, 2014 at 7:55 amWhat is a CUBE of butter?
Erica says
April 17, 2014 at 11:53 amcube=stick
Bonnie says
December 24, 2014 at 4:17 pmsame question.Cube?? I use tater chips on top.
Bonnie says
December 24, 2014 at 4:28 pmInstead of pint, it is easier to say 16 oz. Maybe we use simple language in MI.
Bonnie says
December 24, 2014 at 4:30 pmI also add extra stick of butter & top with potato chips.
Michelle says
April 15, 2019 at 2:41 pmI use the shredded potatoes instead of cubed. Add garlic powder. Always make sure they are frozen. When you mix . If your ha da are not numb your not doing it right. For a completely different taste you can add a pancake of bacon peices not bits, I mean the packages kind in the bags by the dry ranch dip mixes., and add that to the mixture or justvti the topping for a bacon crunch too. Yes you can cook your own…but why? Lays potato chips crunched up and mixed with additional shredded cheese on top is also a great topping. Keebler butter crackers or cheese it’s work too!!!
linda blood says
April 17, 2014 at 8:20 ami make this also, the only different thing i do, is i put ham in mine, and instead of crushed up corn flakes, i use crushed up cheddar and sour cream potato chips. this is a very good recipe, a good way to use some of that leftover Easter ham.
Gayle Anderson says
April 17, 2014 at 8:21 amIs a cube of butter a stick of butter or a couple of teaspoons of butter?
Erica says
April 17, 2014 at 11:53 amA cube is one stick.
Iamme says
April 17, 2014 at 12:47 pmLove this recipe, a favorite in our family for sure! My mom requested I make this for her birthday dinner this year. The only thing I do differently is used shredded hash browns.
Sonia Nuño says
April 17, 2014 at 1:03 pmI wonder how it would taste with Panko bread crumbs. Any other variations you recommend instead of corn flakes?
Erica says
April 17, 2014 at 5:18 pmYes, panko, corn flakes, or I have even heard of people using potato chips! 🙂
Amanda says
September 5, 2014 at 10:28 amI use crushed up Fritos! Everyone loves it this way that has tried it!
Echo says
September 5, 2014 at 10:39 pmI’ll have to try Fritos next time I make this – thank you for the idea!
Teresa says
October 7, 2014 at 3:10 pmI use crushed Ritz bacon flavor crackers….just adds that little something extra!
Erica says
October 9, 2014 at 9:32 amOh yum! Great idea!!!
Nancy says
April 17, 2014 at 9:12 pmCrushed Ritz crackers are also yummy!
Mel Irvine says
April 17, 2014 at 10:36 pmBeing from Australia, I find it hard to understand some of the ingredients used in the recipes I find online. Could you please tell me what hash brown cubes are? Are they just cubed potatoes or is there more involved? Thank you
Erica says
April 17, 2014 at 11:34 pmYes, they are just the cubed potatoes that are small.. the ones in the frozen section of the grocery store.
Betty says
December 25, 2018 at 10:11 pmThey are a potato grated.
Jolene says
April 19, 2014 at 7:34 amDo the hash browns need to be defrosted and how much butter goes with the cornflakes?
Jolene says
April 27, 2014 at 2:39 pmI loved the country style hash browns and will use this recipe again but with less salt. 🙂
Ann says
September 2, 2014 at 8:56 amI love your site because some of my favorite recipes are ones you rave about, it makes it easy to trust the deliciousness of the rest of them! Thank you for sharing your passion with the rest of us. I tried this recipe and I love the country style potatoes, better than shredded. I also love the topping, I never bothered before but my kids loved that part the best!
Heather says
September 11, 2014 at 2:00 pmI am making this for a birthday party, how many will this serve ?
Echo says
September 15, 2014 at 12:45 pmThis recipe makes 12 servings. Good luck with your party!
Becca says
March 22, 2015 at 3:28 pmCould you think of a good substitue for the can of cream of chicken? I personally strongly dislike it, because I feel as though the chicken just taste fake. It honestly makes me sick. Thanks for any suggestions in advance!
Erica says
March 23, 2015 at 12:44 pmI always use my friend, Melanie’s cream of chicken recipe.. it can be found HERE
Echo says
March 23, 2015 at 12:54 pmThank you for asking! This is a homemade cream of chicken soup recipe from a good friend of hours – Melanie at Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. See recipe here: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/homemade-condensed-cream-of-chicken-soup-and-how-to-sub-in-recipes/
Bonnie says
March 25, 2015 at 3:27 pmI use cheddar cheese instead of cream of chicken soup.
Brooke T. says
March 31, 2015 at 7:45 pmLove this recipe!
P.s. If you don’t want the crunch of onions but still want yummy onions in the dish, I recommend sautéing the onions in oil or butter with minced garlic first until they are soft and delicious.
Echo says
April 1, 2015 at 8:20 amThat is a great idea – I often do this to hide the onions from my kids. Thanks for sharing!
Don O. says
December 11, 2015 at 11:43 amJust use your grater and grate the onion. Then they are so small that you don’t even notice them.
joan dugan says
November 2, 2018 at 8:50 amOnion? What onion? There is no onion in the recipe? Are we looking at the same recipe?
Jody says
December 24, 2015 at 8:39 amCan you make this a day ahead and store in the fridge?
Erica says
December 31, 2015 at 10:38 pmYes, that should be just fine
Vickie says
March 30, 2018 at 5:38 pmThis sounds good,
Do I defrost the hash browns first. Or use frozen. Thanks
Favorite Family Recipes says
April 2, 2018 at 9:37 pmYou can do it either way. I like them thawed first because I feel like they cook better but you can do them frozen too!
Sue says
November 12, 2018 at 2:56 pmCan you do this in a crockpot?
Favorite Family Recipes says
November 12, 2018 at 8:58 pmI haven’t tried it in a crock pot, so I’m not sure! Let us know how it goes if you do try it!
Lara Beck says
April 18, 2019 at 3:41 pmHi,
Might be a stupid question, but if you make this ahead, would you just assemble and put in the fridge without cooking? Or would you assemble and cook, and then put in the fridge to reheat the following day? If the latter, how long to reheat and at what temp?
Thanks!
Erica says
April 18, 2019 at 4:40 pmYou could actually probably do either. It might taste the freshest after cooking and less dry if you don’t cook it first. Either way I would assemble without the crumbs on the top so they don’t get soggy. They will be easy to add right before cooking.