Funeral Potatoes
A cheesy hash brown casserole bound in sour cream and cream of chicken soup, topped with a buttery crushed cornflake crust — the classic potluck side.
- 30 ounces frozen hash browns, diced or shredded, thawed
- 2 cups sour cream
- 10.5 ounces (1 can) cream of chicken soup (or homemade)
- 10 tablespoons butter, divided, melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups corn flakes cereal
- Allow the hash browns to thaw in the fridge overnight, or spread them on a baking sheet and warm in the oven at 200°F for about 20 minutes, until fully thawed.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Combine the sour cream, cream of chicken soup, 6 tablespoons of the melted butter, salt, pepper, and dried onion in a large bowl. Mix well until smooth and evenly combined.
- Add the thawed hash browns and shredded cheddar cheese, stirring to combine everything evenly. Spoon the mixture into a single, even layer in a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Add the corn flakes to a large zip-top bag and crush gently with your hands or a rolling pin, leaving some texture rather than crushing them to a fine powder.
- Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of melted butter to the crushed cornflakes and toss to combine well, making sure the butter coats the cereal evenly. Sprinkle the buttered cornflake mixture evenly over the potatoes.
- Bake uncovered at 350°F for 40 to 50 minutes, until bubbling and golden on top.
- Serve alongside baked ham, oven-roasted turkey, or flank steak.
Chef's Note: This dish earned its unusual name from being a staple at post-funeral gatherings in the American Midwest and Mountain West, where a cheesy, crowd-feeding casserole like this one is easy to make ahead and bring to a grieving family. Crushing the cornflakes gently rather than pulverizing them keeps some texture in the topping, which is what gives the finished casserole its satisfying crunch against the creamy potatoes underneath.
This is a genuinely great make-ahead dish for potlucks and holidays — assemble everything except the cornflake topping, cover, and freeze for up to 3 months. Just thaw it in the fridge overnight and add the buttered cornflakes right before baking, so the topping stays crisp instead of going soggy in the freezer.
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