Potatoes. Cheese. A whole lot of sour cream. If you grew up anywhere near the Intermountain West or have spent any time at a Midwestern potluck, you’ve met this dish. People call it a lot of things—cheesy potatoes, party potatoes, or that "cornflake thing." But mostly, it’s known as a recipe for funeral potato casserole. It’s the ultimate comfort food, specifically designed to feed a crowd that is either grieving, celebrating, or just really, really hungry at a Sunday brunch.
Honestly, the name is a bit grim. I get it. But there is a reason this specific dish became the standard for after-service luncheons. It’s cheap. It's incredibly dense. Most importantly, it’s basically impossible to screw up, even if you’re cooking while emotionally exhausted. You just dump a bunch of stuff from the pantry into a 9x13 glass pan and bake it until the neighbors can smell the butter.
The Surprising History of the Recipe for Funeral Potato Casserole
You might think this dish has been around since the dawn of time, but it’s actually a product of mid-century convenience. Before the 1950s, if you wanted cheesy potatoes, you were peeling, slicing, and making a béchamel sauce from scratch. Then came the era of "casserole culture." Brands like Campbell’s and Kellogg’s started realizing that if they put recipes on the back of their packaging, people would buy more cream of mushroom soup and cereal.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) culture in Utah is where the "funeral" moniker really stuck. The Relief Society, the church’s women’s organization, often handles the meals for grieving families. They needed something that could sit in a warm oven for three hours without turning into mush. This casserole fit the bill. It's sturdy. It’s high-calorie, which, let’s be real, is what people crave when they’re stressed.
But don't be fooled into thinking it's just a "Mormon" thing. Travel to Iowa or Minnesota, and you’ll find almost the exact same recipe under the name "Lenten Potatoes" or "Potluck Potatoes." The core identity remains the same: frozen hash browns and a dream.
What You Actually Need to Make This Work
Forget fancy. If you show up with organic, hand-carved fingerling potatoes and a Gruyère reduction, you’ve missed the point. This is a blue-collar meal.
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First, the potatoes. You want the frozen bags of shredded hash browns. Some people swear by the cubed "Southern style" ones, and they’re fine, I guess, but the shredded ones maximize the surface area for the cheese to cling to. Make sure they are thawed. If you throw them in frozen, you’ll end up with a watery mess at the bottom of the pan that ruins the structural integrity of the meal.
The Gooey Base
This is where the magic happens. You need:
- Two cans of condensed cream of chicken soup. (Yes, two. Don't be shy.)
- A pint of sour cream. Full fat. Don't even look at the low-fat stuff; it splits in the oven and looks grainy.
- Half a cup of melted butter.
- A teaspoon of onion powder. Fresh onions are actually too crunchy for this—stick to the powder for that uniform flavor.
- Two cups of shredded sharp cheddar.
Mix that all in a massive bowl. It should look like a thick, yellow paste. If it looks healthy, you did something wrong. Fold in the thawed potatoes until every single strand is coated.
The Topping Debate: Cornflakes vs. Ritz
This is where families actually get into arguments. The traditional recipe for funeral potato casserole calls for crushed cornflakes mixed with even more melted butter. It provides a distinct, shatteringly crisp texture that offsets the soft potatoes perfectly.
However, some rebels use crushed Ritz crackers. It’s saltier. It’s more buttery. It’s also much more likely to get soggy if you have leftovers. My take? Stick to the cornflakes if you’re serving it immediately. Use the crackers if you want that nostalgic, salty kick. I’ve even seen people use potato chips or Panko breadcrumbs, but let’s stay focused on the classics.
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The Baking Process
Preheat to 350°F. Spread the potato mixture into a greased 9x13 pan. Don't pack it down too hard; you want some air pockets for the heat to circulate. Sprinkle that buttery topping over the top until you can't see the yellow underneath. Bake it for about 45 to 50 minutes. You are looking for bubbles around the edges and a golden-brown crust. If the cornflakes start to smell like they’re burning, tent it with foil.
Common Mistakes That Ruin the Casserole
I’ve eaten a lot of these at various community events, and I can tell you exactly where people go wrong. The biggest sin is the "liquid ratio." If you add milk to the soup, the casserole becomes a soup. It shouldn't be a soup. It should be a scoopable, solid mass that holds its shape on a paper plate next to a slice of ham.
Another mistake? Skimping on the salt. Frozen hash browns are notoriously bland. Even with the salty soup, you probably need a pinch more salt and a healthy crack of black pepper in the mix.
Finally, don't overbake. The sour cream can curdle if it gets too hot for too long. Once it's bubbly and the top is crisp, pull it out. Let it sit for ten minutes. This is crucial. If you scoop it immediately, the cheese sauce will run everywhere. Letting it rest allows the starches in the potatoes to soak up the remaining moisture, creating that iconic "casserole" texture.
Why This Dish Matters Beyond the Kitchen
There is something deeply human about the recipe for funeral potato casserole. We live in an era of TikTok trends and 15-minute air fryer meals, yet this heavy, old-fashioned dish persists. It’s because food isn't just about nutrition; it's about reliability. When life feels chaotic or a community is mourning, having a predictable, warm, and highly caloric meal is a form of social glue.
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It’s also surprisingly versatile. You can add diced jalapeños for a "Tex-Mex" twist, or toss in some leftover ham to make it a full meal. But usually, people just want the original. They want the version their grandma made. They want the version that reminds them of church basements and family reunions.
Expert Tips for the Best Results
If you want to be the person everyone asks for the recipe, try these three things:
- Sauté the topping: Instead of just mixing butter and cornflakes in a bowl, toss them in a skillet for 2 minutes first. It toasts the cereal and makes it extra crunchy.
- Add a splash of Worcestershire: Just a teaspoon in the cheese sauce adds a "What is that?" depth of flavor that cuts through the richness.
- Check your cheese: Use a block of cheddar and shred it yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in potato starch to keep it from clumping in the bag, which prevents it from melting into that perfectly smooth sauce we’re after.
Bringing it All Together
Making a proper recipe for funeral potato casserole is an act of service. Whether you’re bringing it to a neighbor who just had a baby or serving it at a holiday dinner, you’re providing comfort in its most literal, cheesy form.
To get started, clear some space in your freezer for those hash brown bags. Thaw them in the fridge overnight—never in the microwave, or they’ll get gummy. Grab your largest mixing bowl and a sturdy spatula. Make sure you have at least two sticks of butter on hand, because you're going to use most of them. Once that pan comes out of the oven, golden and sizzling, you’ll understand why this dish hasn't changed in seventy years. It’s perfect exactly the way it is.
Next Steps for Your Kitchen:
- Inventory your pantry: Check for cream of chicken soup and onion powder; these are the non-negotiables.
- Thaw the potatoes: Move a 30oz bag of shredded hash browns to the refrigerator now so they’re ready for dinner tomorrow.
- Pick your topping: Decide between the traditional cornflake crunch or the salty Ritz cracker crust based on your guests' preferences.