Creamy & Cheesy Funeral Potatoes
Funeral potatoes...wait, what? What kind of name is that for something to eat?! This cheesy potato casserole originated as a side dish, commonly served at after-funeral potlucks, by the Mormons-- and that's how this recipe got its name. Traditionally, it's made with hash brown or cubed potatoes, with canned cream soup, cheese and sour cream. This recipe is one that doesn't use canned cream soup, and you'd be surprised how easy it is to make your own. This is comfort food at its best-- and you can change the name to "Amazing Creamy potatoes" if you wish.
Servings 10
Calories 378kcal
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons 1-stick salted butter
- 1 bag frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (or Southern Hashbrowns, as in cubed) 28- to 32-ounce
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese grated
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup sharp Cheddar grated
- 2 cups kettle-cooked potato chips or corn flakes or panko crumbs
- 1/4 cup Parmesan grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9-x-13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
- Take the potatoes out of the freezer while you are preparing the rest of the ingredients.
- Heat a large, deep skillet (or Dutch oven) over medium-high heat, then melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in it.
- Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir to incorporate. Cook for a minute or 2 to cook out the raw flour, but do not let it color.
- Whisk in the milk, making sure to get out all the lumps.
- Add the broth and whisk again if there are still lumps.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow it to thicken, about 3 minutes. Note: Mine didn't thicken as much as I'd like, so I added about another 1/4 cup of flour.)
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the Monterey Jack, sour cream and Cheddar. Add the hash brown potatoes and mix everything together.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
- Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a small pan. Put the potato chips (or corn flakes) and Parmesan in a bowl and crush the potato chips. Pour in the melted butter and toss to coat. Sprinkle the crumbs over the top of the potatoes.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking until golden brown on top and bubbling around the edges, about 15 minutes more.
- Note: Depending on your oven, you might need about 25 minutes of baking time. The casserole should be bubbly and slightly brown around the edges.
- Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
You can substitute the topping with corn flakes, panko crumbs or fried onion, if you wish.
Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman