Funeral Potatoes

Practically every holiday there's an argument in the Ramsey household: How many pans of cheesy potatoes should we make? Obviously enough for the holiday meal in question, but how much EXTRA are we going to want? The inevitable answer: As much as possible, so we end up making enough to feed a party of 50 (when we usually have a group of maybe 15). So, imagine my surprise when I learned that a dish I'd been fighting over and eating my entire life actually had a name that was not simply cheesy potatoes. Don't be fooled by the name—the only thing deathly about this casserole is how absolutely delicious it is. Read on for everything you need to know about making this staple family recipe:

What People Are Saying:
“My classic go to recipe.” - MandaFern

How To Make Funeral Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

• Onion: You can use a white or yellow onion here—either will work, so use what you have on hand.
• Butter, Flour, Milk & Chicken Stock: I’ll let you in on a little secret: In my family’s recipe, we use cream of chicken soup (like any casserole worth celebrating). That being said, I know not everyone is a canned soup fan, so I included here how to make a quick and creamy sauce with butter, flour, milk, and chicken stock. If you’re looking for this to be vegetarian, use vegetable stock instead.
• Hash Browns: I use shredded frozen hash browns, but the cubed kind will also work great.
• Sour Cream: Sour cream not only adds a thick creaminess to our sauce, but also a welcome tangy flavor.
• Cheddar & Monterey Jack: A combination of cheddar and Monterey Jack is my preferred cheese choice here, but you can just use one or the other. I highly recommend freshly shredding your cheese for the best possible flavor.
• Cornflakes & Butter: The piece de resistance is a crunchy topping of cornflakes and butter that pairs perfectly with the creamy, salty, cheese overload that lies within.
• Chives: Some finely chopped chives add a nice hint of freshness to top off this cheesy casserole, but you can leave them off if you prefer.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

The best part of this party casserole? The prep is laughably easy. After preheating your oven, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add your chopped onion and cook until translucent. Then, sprinkle with flour and cook for 1 more minute before whisking in the milk and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then let it simmer until it thickens—this will create the sauce that we combine with our mashed potatoes. Once it has thickened, season well with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Then, stir in the cheeses and sour cream.

Next, in a large bowl, combine the frozen hash browns with the prepared sauce. Once tossed together, transfer to a buttered casserole dish.

In a separate bowl, combine the cornflakes and butter. Then, top the casserole with the buttered cornflakes, making sure to evenly distribute them.

Cover the casserole with foil and bake for around 45 minutes, or until bubbly and warm. Top with chives, and serve!

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• What are funeral potatoes? Funeral potatoes are a traditional Mormon dish, and a staple of the state of Utah. How they made their way into my Kansas City-bred family's repertoire, I have no idea, but it's probably because they are equal parts insanely easy and ridiculously cheesy and delicious.
• Why are they called funeral potatoes? We know: the name does sound like a bummer. The story goes that these bubbling beauties were named so after becoming a traditional comfort food for post-funeral gatherings. While I can't say its a bad idea—they are basically comfort in a pan—but I prefer (and suggest we all) eat them on happier occasions, especially Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any time comfort food is an absolute necessity.
  

Storage & Make Ahead

If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge (or in the casserole dish covered in plastic wrap) for 4-5 days. If you'd like to make this casserole ahead of time, assemble up until the cornflake topping, then cover and refrigerate. When ready to bake, top with the buttery cornflakes and bake (keep in mind that it might take up to 20 minutes longer to bake—keep an eye on it).