Funeral Potatoes

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Quick Bite

Funeral potatoes are a creamy, cheesy Utah casserole made with potatoes, sour cream, condensed soup, cheese, and a crunchy cornflake topping. They are rich, comforting, and exactly what a 9x13 pan was born to do.

History

Funeral potatoes are one of Utah’s most famous comfort foods, especially associated with Latter-day Saint communities and post-funeral luncheons. The name may sound gloomy, but the dish is really about care: feeding grieving families and large groups with something warm, filling, and easy to transport.

The dish is usually credited culturally to Relief Society cooking and church-luncheon traditions, though no single inventor is known. Recipes appeared in community and church cookbooks, and the casserole became a standard because it is affordable, scalable, and almost universally loved.

The classic formula is frozen hash browns or cubed potatoes mixed with cream of chicken soup, sour cream, butter, and cheese, then topped with crushed cornflakes or breadcrumbs. It is practical pantry cooking turned into emotional support food.

Today, funeral potatoes are not limited to funerals. They show up at Easter, Christmas, potlucks, family reunions, Sunday dinners, and holiday buffets. In Utah, the name is understood with affection. Outside Utah, people hear it once and never forget it.

Fun Facts

• Funeral potatoes are strongly tied to Latter-day Saint funeral luncheons and Relief Society cooking.
• The crunchy topping is often crushed cornflakes.
• They are also served at holidays, reunions, and potlucks, because comfort does not need to wait for a funeral.

Where to Try

Utah family gatherings and church luncheons Statewide, Utah
This is the traditional setting: a casserole dish, a serving spoon, and someone who knows exactly how much cheese is enough.

Garage on Beck Salt Lake City, Utah
A Utah comfort-food bar and grill that has been known for serving funeral potatoes in restaurant form.

Make them at home in a 9x13 pan Your kitchen
This is the most reliable and authentic way to experience the dish: hot, bubbly, cheesy, and topped with cornflakes.

About the Game

This recipe is part of Van Life Challenge, a travel-themed board game from Gray Dog Games where players explore the United States, discover regional foods, and collect memorable experiences along the way.

Each featured food celebrates a real place, a local flavor, and the kind of delicious roadside discovery that makes every trip feel like an adventure.

Recipe

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Home-Cook-Friendly Funeral Potatoes Serves: 10–12 Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 45 to 55 minutes Difficulty: Easy Style: Utah / Comfort Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 bag frozen shredded or cubed hash brown potatoes, 30 to 32 ounces, thawed
• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, 10.5 ounces
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup melted butter, divided
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• ½ cup chopped onion, optional
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups crushed cornflakes

Instructions

1. Heat the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare the pan: Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
3. Mix the creamy base: In a large bowl, mix the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, ¼ cup melted butter, cheddar cheese, onion if using, salt, and black pepper.
4. Add the potatoes: Fold in the thawed potatoes.
5. Fill the dish: Spread the mixture into the baking dish.
6. Make the topping: Mix the crushed cornflakes with the remaining ¼ cup melted butter.
7. Top: Sprinkle the cornflake mixture evenly over the potatoes.
8. Bake: Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until hot, bubbly, and golden on top.
9. Rest: Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Traditional note: To make it more traditional, use frozen hash browns, condensed soup, sour cream, cheddar, butter, and a cornflake topping. Bake it in a 9x13 pan and bring it somewhere people need comfort or seconds.

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