Funeral Potatoes Recipe (Utah Favorite!)

Whether you make this funeral potatoes recipe for special occasions, or just for Sunday dinner, it is one side dish that will have everyone coming back for seconds!

Because who can resist gooey cheesy potatoes topped off with a buttery, crunchy cornflake topping? No one I know, that’s for sure!

Why are they called funeral potatoes?

If you grew up in Utah, you are most likely familiar with this popular dish. If not, you may be wondering why they have such a strange name.

After Mormon funeral services, the church congregation provides funeral luncheons for the grieving family. Ham is often served as the main dish, and these potatoes are a great side dish for feeding large crowds.

Not only are they easy to whip up, everyone goes crazy for them! And of course, they are the ultimate comfort food, which is just what you crave on a challenging day.

As a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I grew up eating these “Mormon funeral potatoes” at just about every funeral I attended. I almost always went back for seconds. Still do. 😉

HOW TO MAKE FUNERAL POTATOES

1. PREP – Let the frozen hashbrowns thaw completely in the refrigerator or on your countertop. Drain off any water. Spray a 9×13″ baking dish or large casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. COMBINE – In a large bowl, mix together the hash brown potatoes, condensed soup, sour cream, milk, minced onion, salt, pepper, and shredded cheese. Spread in the prepared pan.
3. TOPPING – Place the cornflakes in a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Pour them into a bowl and stir in the melted butter. Sprinkle over the potato mixture.
4. BAKE – Bake at 350° for about 40 minutes, or until potatoes are bubbly and topping is golden brown. (You do not need to cover casserole.)

Serve hot and wait for people to come back for seconds!

PRO TIPS:

• Make sure your potatoes are thawed. If they are frozen, it will take much longer for the casserole to heat up, and the topping will burn.
• If you don’t have salted butter, add a pinch of salt to the crushed corn flakes.
• Freshly grated cheese melts better than the prepackaged shredded cheese.

Storing leftover funeral potato casserole:

If you have leftover potatoes, you can store them in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Either cover the dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil or transfer the casserole to an airtight container.

To reheat, you can simply reheat in the microwave, but keep in mind that the topping becomes soggy.

I like to reheat mine in a glass container in the microwave, then broil the topping in my toaster oven.

Or if I’m reheating several servings, I’ll scrape all the potatoes to one side of the pan, cover it with foil, then place it in the oven. I set the temperature to 300° and cook for 20-25 minutes. Then I remove the foil and broil for a couple of minutes.

VARIATIONS:

• We like this dish with cubed hashbrowns, but you can use shredded hashbrowns if you prefer.
• The dry minced onion is quick and easy, but I have also used fresh diced onions and sliced green onions with great results.
• No cream of chicken soup on hand? Feel free to substitute cream of mushroom soup, cream of celery soup, or even cream of potato soup.
• If you have an aversion to canned soup, homemade cream of chicken soup is delicious!
• Instead of cornflakes, you can top your cheesy hashbrown casserole with bread crumbs, or my favorite – crushed potato chips.
• Love lots of cheese? (I hear ya!) Add an additional layer of shredded cheese under the crushed cornflakes.

MORE GREAT SIDE DISHES:

• Almondine Green Beans
• Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes
• Slow Cooker Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
• Sweet Boiled Carrots
• Fried Corn Recipe
• Sage Stuffing Recipe for Turkey
• Easy Rice Pilaf

Chunks of potato, creamy sauce, melted cheese, and crunchy topping make this Utah potato casserole a hit no matter where or when you serve it!