This Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole recipe is true comfort food. Made with frozen hash browns and plenty of cheese, I can guarantee your family is going to enjoy this one! Often served at potlucks and funerals, everyone digs this cheesy dish.
Love holiday sides? You can’t go wrong with a a classic sweet potato casserole or pistachio salad.
Why this Recipe works
This recipe has been in our family for over 40 years. Back when corn flakes were one of the only breakfast cereal choice, ha!
Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole is such a great addition to any meal as it can be prepared ahead of time. All you need to do is pop it in the oven when it’s time to cook the meal.
- Corn flakes mixed with melted butter are the perfect crunchy, buttery topping for Cheesy Potato Casserole.
- My mom’s recipe also uses pre-shredded cheddar cheese. You know, the orange stuff in the bag (which we all love of course).
However, if you’re looking to take this to the next level of deliciousness, try using a good quality cheddar, that you shred yourself.
It gives this dish such an intense, tangy flavor you can’t resist. And, it melts so creamy mixed up with the rest of the ingredients!
Need a new holiday side dish? Try our cheesy hashbrown casserole with our green bean casserole today! Or give our candied sweet potatoes a try next.
Funeral Potatoes
My family calls this recipe Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole, but I have also heard it called Funeral Potatoes.
Why, you ask? If you have ever been to a funeral in the Midwest, you know that these Cheesy Funeral Potatoes almost always make an appearance at the meal afterwards.
They’re not just a staple at funerals, though – Funeral Potatoes are a part of just about any potluck or gathering in the Midwest.
They’re great to serve as a side dish with my favorite mississippi roast or Oven Baked Pork Chops too!
If you love Cracker Barrel hashbrowns, skip the cornflake topping and add shredded cheese on top instead!
Ingredient Notes
- Hashbrowns – thawed or frozen will work just fine. We prefer the cubed hashbrowns, but the shredded will also work, just a different texture.
- Cream of Chicken Soup
- Sour Cream – provides that creamy base!
- Cheese – a good cheddar cheese is what you’ll need for best flavor.
- Corn Flakes – provides the perfect crunchy topping. You can also use ritz crackers (like we do with our homemade mac and and cheese).
Easy Instructions
- Mix it all together.
- Pour it in a pan. We use a 13×9 baking dish.
- Add the topping. Crush the cornflakes slightly, you don’t want tiny crumbs!
- Bake. Cover the casserole with foil and bake until bubbly.
It’s that easy! Add it to your holiday list today. Or serve it up with mom’s meatloaf recipe.
Recipe FAQs
With my recipe, you can use hashbrowns straight from frozen!
Yes! Grate potatoes using food processor. Use in recipe as directed.
Want to make this more like Cracker Barrel? Add the cheese on top before baking (skip the corn flakes).
Store leftovers in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat individual scoops in microwave for 15-30 second intervals until desired temperature.
More Comfort Food Recipes
- Classic Stuffing Recipe
- Cole Slaw Recipe
- Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread
- Panera Mac and Cheese
- Banana Pudding Recipe – don’t forget dessert!
Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole
This Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole, also known as Cheesy Funeral Potatoes, makes an appearance at all family gatherings. So easy and delicious and perfect for a crowd!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds frozen hashbrowns (cubed)
- 16 ounce sour cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can (10 ½ ounce ) cream of chicken soup
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons minced onion
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted, divided
- 2 cups corn flakes, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degree F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine frozen hashbrowns, sour cream, cheese, soup, salt, pepper, onion and ½ cup of the melted butter. Mix until thoroughly combined. Pour into a 13x9 baking dish.
- In a small bowl, combine remaining ¼ cup melted butter with crushed corn flakes. Sprinkle over top of casserole.
- Cover dish with foil and bake for about 60 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes to add some crunch to the topping. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- May be prepared ahead of time and stored in refrigerator. If doing this, the hashbrowns will be thawed. You can now bake it for about 45 minutes covered, and 5 minutes uncovered.
- Store leftovers in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat individual scoops in microwave for 15-30 second intervals until desired temperature.
- See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 395Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 805mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 8g
*Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.
Hello, what would be the best vegetarian substitute for the cream of chicken soup? Thank you 😉
I believe cream of celery soup is vegetarian. You can use that (it will change the flavor slightly).
I have ulcerative colitis and black pepper is rather problematic, can I use white pepper since I can get it more finely ground? And what about smoked paprika to give it a smoky taste? Besides, my kids love paprika…
I think they both sound delicious!
Okay, I have a question. Do you leave the hash browns frozen when mixing or unthaw?
I leave them frozen.
Every time I make this casserole, it disappears! No leftovers because it is so good!
This looks so good! I love hashbrowns and cheese. So amazing and super easy to make.
My children are very careful now with Covid and don’t like sharing food out of one pan. I was wondering if anyone has ever made these potatoes in a 12 cup muffin pan? I don’t want to ruin a whole recipe if this won’t work.
Thanks
Mary Jo
Yes I have done that with my kids. We actually froze them and they popped them in the microwave for an afternoon snack
My husband has Celiac Disease and we are careful not to put the spoon on our regular wheat sandwich buns when taking something like bbq chicken out of a crockpot. It doesn’t seem hard to be careful of making sure not to double dip, having only one person serve it (maybe the person making it?), or simply washing hands before serving. Individual servings are great, but if everyone is already living together and no one is crazy in serving the dish, there’s no need for an extra step.
I only had cream of cauliflower (the Corona Virus has caused peeps to hoard soups, too). Yum! I added two slices of ham, chopped & I substituted Special K for cornflakes. It was perfectly scrumptious!
I use smoked sausage and Never use cream of chicken because well in my opinion it is gross to have pieces of canned chicken in your hash brown casserole. But adding browned smoked sausage also makes a meal of it!
I also use cream of onion when you can find it!!!
I used cream of mushroom instead because my husband is vegetarian.
I also used Chex cereal .
It looks good, still baking mine as we speak. I will update with another review once it’s baked. Just curious if anyone else similar substitutions
I am obsessed with this recipe! I use French fried onions instead of corn flakes – YUM!! Then I fry up the leftovers in a skillet with butter and make little potato cakes things. SO GOOD!
This was fantastic! I made a variation of my own by using brown rice and some cream cheese! So delicious! Thanks
Added 1/2 lb of thick cut bacon. Like bacon makes everything better. Great recipe. Turned out wonderful.
t is very humid today in the UP. I am wondering if anyone’s ever made this in a slow cooker?
Love your recipes when I find them online I switch back and forth between shredded and cubed cannot do the corn flakes on top will do anything else on top my mom cured me that when I was about 14 years old and would wake us up and tell us she was putting the milk on the corn flakesfor some reason I can’t deal with them ever since whether they’re soggy or not I know what her idea was but really a girl at work and I’ve done this different times told me to switch the sour cream for chip dip easy French onion or ranch gives a little different flavor is wonderful give it a try sometime love your recipes and will keep stopping back Diana
We use potato O’Brien instead of hash browns. It already has the onion and we love the green peppers too!
ps…mix and freeze a week?! I freeze from Thanksgiving to Christmas or longer every year…..NO PROBLEMS.
I too have been making these for years. Only two of us now so I know about freezing them…GREAT! I do not care for cheddar as much so I use half Swiss or motz. Saltines mixed with butter for top are good too.too
Wow!! Yum. Can you freeze any leftovers? Thanks.
What are your thoughts on mixing and freezing a week in advance?
My favorite side dish for every occasion….we use cornflakes too!
Love the corn flakes idea, can’t wait to try your version the next time I make these potatoes. YUM!
I’ve never put the corn flakes on top!! can’t wait to try this!