My favorite recipe for cheesy potatoes – aka funeral potatoes or cheesy potato casserole. This dish is so comforting, always a crowd pleaser and perfect for any holiday dinner!
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Perfect Thanksgiving Side Dish
If you’re looking for a recipe for cheesy potatoes to add to your Christmas dinner or Thanksgiving menu this year…I’ve got your back! We have them at every holiday meal and they’re always a HUGE hit!
This is a staple Thanksgiving side dish that is always the first one gone. It tastes amazing served alongside a roasted turkey or baked ham and gets so many rave reviews. Seriously so delicious!
These cheesy potatoes (aka funeral potatoes) are my mom’s specialty and is a classic recipe that’s been passed down from my Grandma. I’ve adapted the recipe over the years and now of course, I have to share them with you!
They’re deliciously creamy, cheesy, super tender and have a buttery and crunchy cornflake topping that is the absolute perfect finishing touch. If there was ever a potato side dish to add to your repertoire, this recipe for cheesy potatoes is it!
Why This Recipe Works
- The perfect texture. Creamy from both the sour cream and cream of chicken soup, cheesy from the cheddar cheese and crunchy from the buttery cornflake topping. This cheesy potato casserole has it all!
- Easy and quick. Prepared and baked from start to finish in under an hour with minimal ingredients and effort. This is an easy, no-fail side dish that you’ll come back to again and again!
- Freezable + make ahead. Save time and energy during the holidays by preparing these cheesy potatoes ahead of time. You can either store the dish in the fridge for a few days, or freeze and then thaw overnight.
Ingredients
With a few fridge and pantry staples, this recipe for cheesy potatoes doesn’t require any fancy ingredients!
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Hash browns: This recipe starts with a big bag of hash browns. You can either use diced or shredded (I prefer the texture that diced potatoes add). Just make sure to let them thaw completely before using.
- Sour cream: This adds a bit of tang and contributes to the creamy texture.
- Cream of chicken: For additional flavor and an extra creamy texture, I like to add in a can of cream of chicken soup. You can also use cream of celery or mushroom. You could even make a homemade cream of chicken soup if you’d prefer.
- Butter: This is mixed in with the potatoes and the crunchy topping for some added richness.
- Onions: I like to include some fresh chopped green onions to help boost the flavor. If you don’t have fresh onions on hand, you can mix in some onion powder instead.
- Cheese: They wouldn’t be cheesy potatoes without the cheese! I like to grate my own cheese and then stir it into the potato mixture. You could even sprinkle some on top before baking to make them extra cheesy.
- Cornflakes: These add amazing texture and crunch. Crush them up, then sprinkle on top before baking. You could also use crushed Ritz crackers, potato chips or panko breadcrumbs as the crunchy topping.
Lightening up the Dish
The version my mom makes omits the cream of chicken and cracker topping (to save on calories), but I love the extra creaminess it adds and the crunchy topping. So I go all out for the holidays. Feel free to omit as well if you’d like, they are still super yummy ;)
- Omit the cream of chicken soup
- Omit the Ritz/butter topping
- Use light sour cream
- Use less cheese
How to Make Cheesy Potatoes
If you haven’t tried this recipe, it’s a must this year! We always make it for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter (served with ham, vegetables, and homemade rolls).
- Preheat oven. Preheat oven and butter a 9×13″ baking dish. Set aside.
- Mix ingredients together. Combine potatoes, green onions, sour cream, cream of chicken, salt, pepper, 1/4 cup melted butter and cheese in medium bowl. Stir, then spread into baking dish.
- Add topping. Top with extra cheese (if desired) and crushed cornflakes. Drizzle remaining melted butter on top.
- Bake in oven. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling hot.
Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes
You can also make crockpot cheesy potatoes if you’d like. Simply mix the potatoes, sour cream, cream of chicken, butter, half of the cheese and spices in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours. Then sprinkle on the remaining cheese and cook for about 10-15 more minutes until bubbly.
Expert Tips
- Thaw. It’s important to thaw the bag of hash browns first before using. If they are still frozen, the excess water could make your cheesy potatoes a bit runny when baking.
- Topping. If the cornflake topping begins to brown too fast while baking, feel free to tent the top with foil.
- Let rest. The potatoes will need to set a bit before serving, so I would recommend letting them rest for about 5 to 10 minutes before digging in.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Boiled or baked and then shredded or cubed should work well in this recipe.
The dish isn’t gluten-free with the cornflakes, but you can make it gluten-free by swapping them out with a gluten-free cracker or breadcrumb.
This cheesy potato casserole is sometimes called funeral potatoes because it is typically served at the after-funeral luncheon or gathering. It’s also the perfect casserole dish to bring to someone who is grieving.
Make-ahead + Freezing Instructions
Make-ahead: Prepare in a baking dish as directed, but leave off the cornflake topping. Then cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days. When you’re ready to bake, let the dish sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Then sprinkle the cornflake topping over the potatoes and bake as directed.
Freezing: Prepare the dish according to instructions (don’t add the cornflake topping). Pour it into a baking dish or a disposable pan for easier clean up. Cover the pan tightly, then freeze up to 2 months.
When ready to enjoy, let thaw in the fridge overnight. Add the topping just before baking, then bake as directed (it may need to bake a few minutes longer since it was frozen, so just keep an eye on it).
5 star review
“My favorite potatoes, not just for holidays, but al year long! They are always requested, because everyone loves them! They are the first thing to go every year!”
-Kristyn
Want more cheesy potato recipes? Try cheesy mashed potatoes, cheesy scalloped potatoes and ham, or cheesy funeral potatoes.
More Delicious Potato Dishes
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Cheesy Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 (30-ounce) bag diced or shredded hash browns , thawed
- 1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of chicken soup (or celery or mushroom)
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 1 bunch green onions (or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese , plus more if desired
Topping
- 1-2 cups crushed cornflakes (or ritz crackers or panko crumbs)
- ¼ cup melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish. Make sure your potatoes are mostly thawed and drain any excess water.
- In a medium bowl, stir together potatoes, sour cream, cream of chicken, green onions (or onion powder), salt, pepper, butter, and shredded cheese until combined. Spread into the baking dish. Top with extra cheese, if desired.
- Spread crushed cornflakes over the top. Drizzle with butter. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling hot. If using cubed potatoes instead of shredded hash browns, bake 40 minutes.
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy while warm!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
My boys favorite!!!!
I haven’t had this in years but love it! We can’t buy the bags of frozen hash browns here, would you suggest we make our own with just boiling them or boilding and fry?
Hi Lisa! Boiled or baked and then shredded or cubed should work well in this recipe.
Have made this every year I have made thanksgiving and my family loves it
I’m so happy to hear your family loves it! :)
My family loves this. It’s their favorite recipe.
I’m so happy to hear it’s a family favorite!
We love this recipe a family favorite for sure!
My favorite potatoes, not just for holidays, but al year long! They are always requested, because everyone loves them! They are the first thing to go every year!
I make these all the time and everyone loves them! Including me! Sometimes I add a little extra cheese 🤗
They are a favorite around here too. I’m so glad to hear everyone loves them!
I made this for a picnic and this was the perfect accompaniment for the food I was serving. I messed up. by adding all the cheese and butter during the first mix (oops) so I ended up adding more cheese and melted butter on the top. I also added some softened sautéed onions to the potatoes and it added some nice flavor.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! :)
This recipe is by far the best cheesy potato recipe of all time. My family absolutely loves them!
I’m so glad you loved them! :)
I make this but use cream of mushroom soup, mix southern style hash browns and bag of shredded cheddar cheese, top with cornflakes-crushed and mixed with 1/2 stick melted butter, bake 1-1/2 hrs.
Goes well with ham or pork chops!
Sounds delicious!