A Creamy ‘Funeral Potatoes’ Recipe That Actually Lightens the Mood: Bake It in Just an Hour
Despite the name, funeral potatoes are a celebration of rich and cheesy goodness
A hash brown casserole with a gooey, cheesy center and crispy on top sounds like the dream side dish, right? Well, luckily it exists and even goes by an eyebrow-raising name: funeral potatoes. Yes, they’re a staple at funerals in some parts of the country—but there’s no need to be sad over this casserole since it’s comforting and easy to prepare. You also don’t have to worry about the filling drying out with the help of a key ingredient. Read on to learn more about funeral potatoes and a simple recipe that bakes in just an hour!
What are funeral potatoes?
This dish starts with a hash brown filling that’s made by combining frozen spuds, cream of chicken soup, shredded cheese and other ingredients. The mixture is then poured into a baking dish and topped with corn flakes before it’s baked. Once the cheesy potato casserole is fully browned, it’s removed from the oven and served.
Why do they call them funeral potatoes?
How this dish came about isn’t widely known, which allows for several theories to pop up about its origins. Many believe it has a positive connotation as a staple dish served at Mormon funerals and gatherings. But, others think it was initially served to people who were nearing the end of their life. “Either way, the origin sounds a little morbid, but I assure you, if you have not had the pleasure of pairing a chargrilled cut of beef with a hearty portion of funeral potatoes, you are missing out,” Leah Rose, owner of Hoof and Vine restaurant, tells Food and Wine. Overall, these rich potatoes are enjoyed for a multitude of occasions and dress up any dinner spread.
How do you keep cheesy potatoes from drying out?
Your funeral potatoes casserole drying out shouldn’t be a concern as long as you include one ingredient in the filling: sour cream. This dairy staple adds moisture into filling so it stays creamy during baking. On top of this, the sour cream gives the casserole an extra tang that pairs well with the sharp cheddar, rich butter and starchy potatoes.
A simple recipe for funeral potatoes
This Funeral Potatoes recipe comes from blogger Mel Lockcuff and is full of cheesy goodness that will make you want to go back for seconds. The ingredient list mentions using thawed frozen hash browns as they’ll cook evenly and absorb the flavors of the other ingredients. Serve this casserole with main dishes like this Rum Ham, Prime Rib or Air Fryer Roasted Chicken.
Funeral Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 30 oz. frozen shredded hash browns, thawed
- ½ cup salted butter, melted
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- ½ cup yellow onion, minced
- 10½ oz. cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups sour cream
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 cups plain corn flakes, slightly crushed
- ¼ cup salted butter, melted
Directions:
- Yield: 12 servings
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- In large mixing bowl, combine the hash browns, melted butter, salt, pepper, minced onion, cream of chicken soup, sour cream and shredded cheese.
- Spread mixture in greased 13-by-9 baking dish.
- In smaller mixing bowl, mix together slightly crushed corn flakes and melted butter.
- Sprinkle corn flakes over hash brown mixture in the baking dish.
- Bake uncovered at 350° F about 1 hour. Once golden brown, remove from oven and cool slightly. Serve warm.
- Note: Transfer leftover casserole to an airtight container and store in the fridge for three to four days.
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