Creamy, cheesy potatoes with a crispy topping – known as Funeral Potatoes or Cheesy Potato Casserole – are a staple for family gatherings and post-funeral gatherings in church basements. The simplicity of the dish is unmatched, as is the flavor blast created by mixing together the handful of ingredients.

What are Funeral Potatoes?

The dish is traditional made with thawed shredded hash browns or cubed hash brown potatoes, as I’ve done here. The creaminess comes from a mix of sour cream, canned cream of mushroom soup and shredded cheese. For the topping, I prefer crushed up wavy potato chips. However, a more traditional version might be topped with buttery cornfakes.

This casserole became popular many years ago for its simplicity. The dump-and-stir ease of the recipe made it a staple at lunches and post-funeral gatherings, along with holiday events where people needed to feed a crowd.

Other Names for Funeral Potatoes

While the name Funeral Potatoes seems to be synonymous with having roots within Utah’s Mormon community, variations of this Cheesy Potato Casserole exist throughout the country. Some other names you might have heard this dish called include:

• Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole
• Party Potatoes
• Potato Hotdish (especially in Minnesota)
• Hash Brown Bake

No matter the name, this delightful comfort classic features the same crispy-topped goodness that never fails to satisfy.

How to Make Cheesy Potato Casserole

Step 1: Gather your ingredients. You’ll need a bag of frozen hash browns – shredded or small diced – that have been thawed for an hour (or overnight in the refrigerator). The other ingredients include 2 cups sour cream, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1½ tablespoons dried minced onion, 2 cups shredded Colby jack cheese, salt and pepper to taste and, of course, wavy potato chips to create a salty top crust.

Step 2: Combine all of the ingredients, except for the potato chips, in a large bowl and stir to combine. Transfer to a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish.

Step 3: Add potato chips to a zip-top bag and use your hands to gently crush. Sprinkle about 1½ cups of potato chip crumbs evenly onto the potato mixture.

Step 4: Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F for 50 to 55 minutes, until potatoes are cooked and cheese mixture is warm and bubbly.

This recipe is one I grew up making, and it’s great for holiday dinners, potlucks or as a side dish for Meatless Mushroom Loaf or even Broccoli Cheddar Quiche.