Funeral Potatoes are so easy, cheesy, and pretty much perfect in every way! Serve this side dish staple on Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other time you’re craving it. If you do happen to make this potato side dish on a hectic holiday, you’ll love how maintenance it is compared to all of your other recipes!

A spoon is lifting some potatoes out of a casserole dish.


Funeral Potatoes

I’m sure you’re wondering… Why is this side dish titled something a little odd? It’s actually exactly what you’d think. This cheesy baked potato casserole recipe first gained popularity by being served at post-funeral gatherings. Thus, the name Funeral Potatoes was born!

There are plenty of potato-based recipes you can choose from when selecting what to whip up on holidays. If you’ve never made Funeral Potatoes before, I definitely encourage you to try them for your next family gathering! Cheesy, creamy hash browns are baked to perfection under a layer of salty, crunchy potato chips. Every bite is seriously addictive.

The best part? This classic side dish is SO easy to make! On crazy busy holidays when you’ve got about a million other things to focus on, relieve some stress by making a simple, trusty side dish like Funeral Potatoes.

The ingredients are inexpensive, the steps are easy to follow, and you can always trust that it’ll be the most beloved side dish on the spread! Even your pickiest eater will go back for seconds. I mean, who doesn’t love cheesy potatoes with chips on top?!

A white casserole dish is filled with baked funeral potatoes.

How to Make Funeral Potatoes

This classic recipe is seriously easy!

  1. Make the butter mixture. Melt the butter and cornstarch over medium heat in a saucepan. Whisk in the milk and cook until slightly thickened. Stir in the chicken stock, nutmeg, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened, then set aside.
  2. Cook the onions and garlic. Cook the onions and garlic in some olive oil in a pan over medium heat for about 1 minute. Set aside.
  3. Make the potato mixture. Combine the hash browns, sauce, onion mixture, cheese, and sour cream in a bowl. Stir and set aside.
  4. Assemble. Pour the potato mixture into your baking dish. After the potato chips and butter have been combined, sprinkle the mixture evenly over the potatoes and cover with foil.
  5. Bake. Bake the casserole for 20 minutes covered. Uncover and bake for another 20 minutes.
  6. Rest, then serve. Let the hot casserole rest for about 10 minutes, then serve and enjoy!
A spoonful of potatoes is being lifted from the casserole dish.

Storage Tips

In an airtight container, Funeral Potatoes will stay fresh for about 3-4 days. While they do make great leftovers, I recommend serving and eating them the day they’re made! That’s when those chips on top are the crunchiest.

Which Chips for the Best Topping

If you can find them, I really like the bold flavor that horseradish cheese potato chips lend the top of this dish. However, really any chips you choose will work well! You can always opt for plain potato chips that will still lend a good salty crunch.

Funeral Potatoes vs Scalloped potatoes

While they’re both creamy and cheesy, these two dishes are different. In my Funeral Potatoes recipe, I like to use hash browns instead of thinly sliced (or scalloped) potatoes. Plus, most scalloped potato recipes I’ve seen don’t call for potato chips!

Funeral potatoes are placed next to broccoli on a plate.

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A spoon is lifting some potatoes out of a casserole dish.

Get the Recipe: Funeral Potatoes Recipe

Crispy, crunchy, cheesy Funeral Potatoes are the best comfort food. Tender hash brown potatoes are baked in a cheesy, creamy sauce and topped with a crunchy potato chip crust!
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Ingredients

  • 2 pounds frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
  • 4 tablespoon salted butter
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 Vidalia onion, grated
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 cups grated sharp cheddar
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 cups crushed Horseradish Cheddar Potato Chips, or your favorite Kettle chips
  • 3 tablespoon salted butter, melted

Equipment

  • 1 baking dish

Instructions 

  • Preheat over to 350˚F.
  • In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and whisk in the cornstarch until golden.
  • Whisk in the milk and continue to cook until slightly thickened. Add the chicken stock, nutmeg, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
  • Bring to a boil, continuing to stir and cook until thickened.
  • Remove from the heat and set aside.
  • In a small pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic cooking for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, add the hash browns, sauce, onion mixture, cheese and sour cream. Stir to combine.
  • Pour the mixture into a 13×9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray and spread in an even layer.
  • In a small bowl, mix together the potato chips and melted butter stirring to combine.
  • Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the potatoes and cover with foil.
  • Bake the casserole for 20 minutes, covered and then remove the foil.
  • Continue to bake uncovered for an additional 20 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.
  • Allow the casserole to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Video

YouTube video

Notes

Funeral Potatoes can be assembled in advance but leave the potato chip crust off until right before baking. Cover the assembled casserole with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Bake as directed.
Calories: 328kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 48mg, Sodium: 395mg, Potassium: 499mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 520IU, Vitamin C: 10mg, Calcium: 213mg, Iron: 1mg