Cheesy potato casserole, also dubbed the slightly morbid “Funeral Potatoes” for its ongoing appearance as a gift casserole after a funeral (I prefer “party potatoes”), is an easy cheesy from scratch potato side dish recipe that is not only filling but flawless.
These delicious funeral potatoes, made with shredded potatoes (hash browns), makes prep so super simple that kitchen stress is non-existent. Unlike dishes like sausage hash brown casserole, this dish is meant to be a side, accompanied and complementary to BBQ, grilling, chicken and pork and is savory enough to almost eat as a main dish on its own.
Cheesy Funeral Potatoes
This cheesy potato casserole is the perfect dish that feeds a hungry crowd, is great for potlucks, and is a potato recipe for kids as well. Mixed with melty cheddar cheese throughout, hash browns make this casserole an easy potato side dish that also makes just as delicious left overs.
Here is a short list of ingredients to verify you have everything on hand for the recipe then scroll to the bottom for step by step measurements and instructions.
- butter
- white onion – chop down onion into bite sized pieces
- all purpose flour
- chicken broth
- half and half – if needed, heavy whipping cream would work as a substitute
- salt
- dry thyme
- ground pepper
- shredded cheddar cheese
- 30 oz. frozen hash browns – these should be kept frozen
- sour cream
- sour cream and onion potato chips – potato chips are the perfect topping and you can choose to use any flavor. Simple crushed down salty potato chips, cheesy potato chips, any will do if you enjoy the flavor. Its best to use regular chips and not chips with ridges for this dish.
What are “funeral potatoes”?
Many people wonder why funeral ptoatoes are even CALLED funeral potatoes. Death can be very difficult to consider (een though we all, at some point, reach the same end) and calling a food by that name can be off putting.
While I prefer potluck potatoes or party potatoes, many people search for this recipe by that name and therefore to find it, I also have to consider how the average person will reach this recipe.
This dish and potato recipe is exactly what it sounds like – a side dish or casserole dish that is often brought to share over a celebration of someone’s life or gifted to a widow to help with the burden of cooking after a loss of a loved one.
Food brings people together and dishes like funeral potatoes, Watergate salad, ambrosia salad or other casseroles like chicken and rice bake are often gifted when food is the last thing on someone’s mind.
Recipe for Funeral Potatoes
Grease a 9×13 baking pan and preheat oven to 350.
Add pats of butter and chopped white onion to a large stock pot and heat over medium heat.
Cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add flour and cook for 1 minute more (this mixture will thicken).
Whisk in chicken broth, half and half, salt, dried thyme and pepper. Combine well.
Heat pot over medium high heat and whisk constantly until mixture begins to bubble and boil.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for an additional 4 minutes as it thickens.
Remove pot from heat and stir in shredded cheese until melted.
Add frozen shredded hash brown potatoes and heat over medium heat until hash browns are thawed, about 10 minutes.
Pour cheesy potatoes into casserole dish and spread evenly.
Sprinkle top of hash browns with crushed potato chips.
Bake on 350 for 45-50 minutes.
Let funeral potatoes stand for 5 minutes before serving.
More Potato Lovers Recipes
Potatoes are quite easily the worlds most perfect food. There are so many types and can be made whipped, shredded, diced and mashed!
If you are a potato lover, consider these other amazing side dish recipe options no matter what main dish you are serving.
- Fouchy potatoes are a super creamy and delicious viral potato dish that brings everyone to the table.
- Nothing says ease like learning how to have a crispy skinned baked potato in the air fryer! Although if you prefer sliced and roasted, we have that too.
- The most popular side dish on Salty side Dish are these scored parmesan roasted potatoes – and for good reason.
- Last but not least, its so easy to make oven roasted large melting potatoes (or small creamer potatoes) which have huge love on Pinterest.
Cheesy Funeral Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 package 30 oz. frozen hash browns (kept frozen)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cups crushed sour cream and onion potato chips
Instructions
- How to make Cheesy Potato Casserole AKA Funeral Potatoes
- Grease a 9×13 baking pan and preheat oven to 350.
- Add butter and diced onion to a large stock pot and heat over medium heat.
- Cooked butter and onions together until diced onions are soft and translucent.
- Add all purpose flour and cook for 1 minute more.
- Whisk in chicken broth, half and half, salt, thyme and pepper. Combine all ingredients well.
- Continue to heat stock pot over medium high heat and whisk constantly until mixture begins to bubble and boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 4 minutes as it thickens.
- Remove pan from heat and stir in 8 oz. shredded cheese until all cheese is melted.
- Add frozen hash brown potatoes and heat over medium heat until hash browns are completely thawed, about 10 additional minutes.
- Pour cheesy hash brown potatoes into casserole dish and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle top with crushed potato chips.
- Heat funeral potatoes for 45-50 minutes.
- Let dish stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Sharing of this recipe is encouraged and appreciated. Copying of full recipe to any social media is prohibited.
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