Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

With a crispy, buttery cornflake topping, this Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole is a guaranteed hit, whether it’s for a weeknight dinner or holiday brunch. With very little prep and just a few ingredients, it’s a side dish that’s ready in under an hour. You can even prepare it a day in advance!

An Easy Funeral Potatoes Recipe

Straight from my mom’s recipe box, this Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole is a regular dish at our family table. It’s easy to make, plus creamy and cheesy – a personal favorite for as long as I can remember. I grew up on this recipe!

This potato casserole with cornflakes, aka “funeral potatoes”, is a versatile recipe that can be served any time of day, for any occasion.

It makes the perfect casual breakfast or brunch when served with some eggs and bacon. It’s a great side dish to take to a potluck or gathering, always devoured in minutes. And a holiday ham will always welcome a side of these cheesy potatoes. You just can’t go wrong with this casserole!

I also want to mention how I love that my mom’s cheesy potatoes recipe uses a little less butter and sour cream than many recipes you’ll find. But you’ll never notice the difference!

What Are Funeral Potatoes?

In the Midwest, where I’m from, this potato casserole with cornflake topping is nicknamed “funeral potatoes” simply because it’s often served at meals following a funeral.

You might also know it as “cheesy potatoes” or “party potatoes” because, well, we serve this cheesy potato hashbrown dish whenever we can. Because it’s just SO GOOD!

And if you’ve ever been to Cracker Barrel, you’ve likely eaten their hashbrown casserole. This recipe is very similar to that, featuring frozen hashbrowns mixed together with sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and lots of cheese.

What You’ll Need

Hashbrowns, cheese, sour cream, butter, and soup are the main ingredients in this hashbrown casserole. You won’t believe how wonderful these basic ingredients taste when baked together – and you’ll never miss the extra sour cream and butter that most other recipes call for!

• Frozen hashbrowns – Thaw before assembling the casserole.
• Cheese – We like to use a medium or sharp cheddar, but American cheese also works.
• Sour cream – Adds creaminess and a touch of tang.
• Cream of chicken soup – Part of the creamy base, which adds great flavor.
• Unsalted butter
• Minced dried onion
• Salt & pepper
• Garlic powder
• Corn flakes cereal – Lightly crushed and combined with melted butter for the crunchy topping.

How to Make Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

With just 5 minutes of prep, these cheesy potatoes are ready in under an hour!

• Combine the ingredients. Combine all of the filling ingredients except for the hashbrowns. Then fold in the thawed hashbrowns. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.

• Add the topping. Combine melted butter with crushed corn flakes in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the casserole.

• Bake. Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. For an extra crunchy topping, broil for a few minutes.

Recipe Variations

There are many ways to customize this cheesy potato casserole!

• Omit the topping. For a true Cracker Barrel copycat recipe, simply omit the crunchy topping. I personally think it adds a lot to the recipe and love the contrast in texture – but it can easily be left off.
• Switch up the topping. You could swap the cornflakes for panko breadcrumbs, crushed Ritz crackers, crispy rice cereal, or crushed sour cream & onion potato chips. They’re all great alternatives!
• Try a different soup. The cheesy casserole can be made with any “cream of” soup, like cream of broccoli, cream of cheddar (for extra cheesiness!!), or even cream of mushroom, for a different flavor.
• Use other hashbrowns. My mom often makes this casserole with diced potato hashbrowns, rather than the shredded variety.
• Can I use fresh shredded potatoes? Sure, if you want to shred your own potatoes instead of using frozen hashbrowns, that’s totally fine. (But frozen hashbrowns are just SO EASY!!)
• Swap out the sour cream. If you prefer, use regular Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream.
• Use any cheese you want. We’re partial to medium or sharp cheddar and American cheese for our funeral potatoes, but you can use any kind you want or even a variety. Think Colby jack, pepper jack, Monterrey jack, mozzarella, Italian, a Mexican blend…anything you want!
• Add a protein. To make this cheesy hashbrown casserole a heartier dish, you can fold in some cooked chopped bacon, crumbled ground sausage, or chunks of cooked ham.
• Add some veggies. Add some finely chopped sweet peppers and onion. Or a mix of sauteed peppers and onions. Or chopped jalapenos!

Serving Suggestions

This cheesy potato casserole with cornflakes can be served for any meal or occasion. We’ve enjoyed this for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner, as both a side dish and a main course. You seriously cannot go wrong serving up cheesy potatoes – everyone will love them, regardless of the time of day!

For a tasty meal, you may want to serve this up with some sugar grilled steaks, pork chops or beer can chicken, plus grilled veggies.

Or as part of a brunch spread or breakfast-for-dinner – with some sausage, bacon, or ham, plus your favorite style of eggs.

And, of course, cheesy potatoes are always welcome at the holiday table. This dish would be great alongside a mustard pork loin roast, a grilled turkey tenderloin, or your favorite holiday ham. The options are endless!

Can I Make This In Advance?

Yes, you can make these cheesy potatoes up to a day in advance. Prepare and assemble the dish as directed but do not add the corn flakes topping. Cover the dish with foil and place in the fridge.

Just before baking, add the cornflakes, and then proceed as usual. Note that you may need to cook the dish with the foil a bit longer since the ingredients will be cold instead of at room temperature.

Can I Double This In a Crockpot?

This is a GREAT recipe when you’re feeding a crowd and/or need to free-up oven space! My sister Jessica does this a lot – it’s such a fantastic option!

To double this recipe in a slow cooker, you will need a larger crockpot. I use this 7-quart multi-cooker. Just double all the ingredients and omit the cornflake topping (because it does not crisp in the slow cooker!). Add hashbrowns to the slow cooker. Then, in a medium bowl, stir together the rest of the ingredients. Fold this mixture into the hashbrowns. Turn slow cooker to high heat and cook for 4 to 5 hours, stirring halfway through.

Can I Freeze Funeral Potatoes?

Absolutely, you can freeze this cheesy hashbrown casserole before or after baking.

To freeze it before baking, follow the make-ahead instructions above. Do not add the cornflake topping. Cover with foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight then add the cornflakes right before baking. You may need to add a few extra minutes of baking time.

To freeze it after baking, do not add the cornflake topping. Bake the casserole and allow to cool completely, then wrap the entire pan or individual servings in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, then reheat in the microwave or oven. Add the cornflake topping, if desired, before reheating in the oven.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

Leftover cheesy hashbrown casserole can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. Individual servings reheat well in the microwave but you can also reheat the entire pan in the oven. Just cover and bake until heated through.

This also makes for a great breakfast side – add a spoonful of the casserole to a large skillet before cooking a couple eggs in the same pan. It gets a beautiful crisp crust to it, and even more so if you melt a little butter in the pan first!

More Hotdish & Casserole Recipes:

• Tater Tot Hotdish
• Leftover Turkey Casserole
• Green Bean Casserole with Bacon
• Spicy Lasagna Hotdish
• Sour Cream and Onion Tuna Noodle Casserole
• Cheesy Beef and Sweet Potato Taco Casserole
• Spaghetti Hotdish

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