This cheesy potato casserole, topped with crunchy cornflakes, is the perfect side dish for any potluck, holiday, or get-together! Sometimes referred to as funeral potatoes, this easy casserole requires only six ingredients and can be prepped in less than 15 minutes.
Years ago, my husband requested a cheesy potato casserole with corn flakes, something that he said he had eaten a long time ago, perhaps at an aunt’s house, but he couldn’t remember.
I wasn’t familiar with the recipe, but a quick search revealed an entire cheesy potato universe that I never knew existed! Boy did we fall in love with this and have enjoyed it ever since!I think everyone has at LEAST two servings every time I make it… it is absolutely, positively irresistible.
Why You’re Going to Love This
- Wonderful contrasting flavor and texture thanks to the creaminess, cheesiness, and crunchy topping.
- Only 6 ingredients!
- Can be prepared in less than 15 minutes.
- Pairs wonderfully with any meal.
- Can be prepared a day ahead of time and even frozen.
- Big crowd pleaser – adults and kids love it!
Ingredients Breakdown
You only need SIX ingredients to make this easy potato casserole dish. Here’s what we use and notes on possible substitutions:
- CondensedCream of Chicken Soup– You can substitute cream of mushroom soup, cream of potato soup, cream of celery soup, or even condensed cheese soup, which creates more of a cheese sauce.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese– Feel free to sub in mild cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Colby jack cheese.
- Sour Cream– I recommend using full-fat sour cream so that the casserole texture isn’t runny in any way. You could also substitute full fat plain Greek yogurt.
- Frozen Diced Hash Browns– Frozen hash browns typically come in diced or shredded varieties; for this casserole we are using the diced type. They are usually sold plain or also with pepper and onions; you can use whichever one you would like! You use these straight from frozen, you do not need to thaw them.
- Corn Flakes + Melted Butter– For the amazing topping!
How to Make Cheesy Potato Casserole
This could not be easier to make! Here’s how we do it:
Step 1 – Preheat the oven and spray a 9×13-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Step 2 – In a large bowl, stir together the soup, shredded cheese, and sour cream. Stir in the frozen potatoes, breaking up any chunks.
Step 3 – Spread the mixture in an even layer in the pan and bake uncovered for 1 hour.
Step 4 – After 1 hour, stir the potato mixture, combine the crushed cornflakes and melted butter, then add it to the top of the casserole and bake for an additional 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Topping Alternatives
While crushed cornflake cereal is the traditional topping, there are many others you could try, depending on your preferences. Here are a few ideas:
- Crushed Ritz crackers (about 40 crackers, crushed)
- Crushed potato chips (about 2 cups crushed)
- Panko breadcrumbs (2 cups combined with ½ cup butter, melted)
- Canned fried onions (the type you put on top ofgreen bean casserole– use about 2 cups)
What to Serve With It
This is such a versatile potato side dish, and it goes really well with most anything, especially classic Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter main dishes like turkey, beef, lamb, and ham. Here are some great accompaniments:
- Classic Meatloaf
- Buttermilk Fried Chicken
- Pulled Pork
- BBQ Brisket
- Crock Pot BBQ Ribs
- Chicken Fried Steak
- Cumin and Fennel-Crusted Roast Lamb
Can You Make This Cheesy Potatoes Recipe Ahead of Time?
Yes! This is an easy dish to assemble ahead of time, and will make holiday mornings go a little more smoothly!
Simply mix together the soup, cheese, sour cream, and potatoes and spread it in the baking dish, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before you plan to bake and remove the plastic wrap.
How to Store and Reheat
Leftovers should be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or if reheating the entire casserole, cover with foil and heat in a 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until heated through.
Freezing Instructions
Prepare the casserole as outlined above in the make-ahead instructions (mix casserole ingredients and spread in your baking pan). Cover with plastic wrap, then cover with a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking.
Watch the Recipe Video Below:
More Side Dish Casseroles
Always a crowd favorite and the first to go at any holiday or get-together!
- Easy Hashbrown Casserole
- Cheesy Creamed Corn Casserole
- Sweet Potato Gratin with Gruyere
- Pineapple-Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole
If you make this cheesy potato casserole recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give it a 5-star rating – it helps others find the recipe!❤️️
Cheesy Potato Casserole with Corn Flake Topping
Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Total Time: 1 hour hr 35 minutes mins
This easy cheesy potato casserole, sometimes called funeral potatoes, is creamy, cheesy, and topped with crunchy Corn Flakes.
4.98 (38 ratings)
Print Pin Rate
Ingredients
- 21.5 ounces canned condensed, reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
- 12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)
- 1 cup (227 ml) sour cream
- 32 ounce bag frozen diced hash brown potatoes (about 7⅓ cups)
- 2½ cups (70 g) corn flakes cereal, crushed
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
In a large bowl combine the soup, shredded cheese and sour cream. Stir in the potatoes, breaking up any frozen chunks. Spread in an even layer in the prepared baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour.
In a small bowl, combine the melted butter and crushed cornflakes.
Stir the potato mixture and sprinkle with the corn flakes mixture. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 20 minutes. Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
- CondensedCream of Chicken Soup – You can substitute any other condensed cream soup if you’d like (cream of mushroom soup, cream of potato soup, cream of celery soup, etc).
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese – Feel free to sub in mild cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby jack cheese, or any other favorite.
- Sour Cream – I recommend using full-fat sour cream so that the casserole texture isn’t runny. You could also substitute full-fat plain Greek yogurt.
- Frozen Diced Hash Browns – Frozen hash browns typically come in diced or shredded varieties; for this casserole we use the diced type. They are usually sold plain or also with pepper and onions; you can use whichever one you would like! You use these straight from frozen, you do not need to thaw them.
- Topping Alternatives –Crushed Ritz crackers (about 40 crackers), crushed potato chips, canned fried onions, or panko breadcrumbs.
- Make-Ahead – Mix together the soup, cheese, sour cream, and potatoes and spread it in the baking dish, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before you plan to bake and remove the plastic wrap.
- Storage – Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheating Instructions – Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or if reheating the entire casserole, cover with foil and heat in a 350-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until heated through.
- Freezing Instructions – Prepare the casserole as outlined above in the make-ahead instructions (mix casserole ingredients and spread in your baking pan). Cover with plastic wrap, then cover with a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking.
Nutritional values are based on one serving
Calories: 262kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 41mg, Sodium: 447mg, Potassium: 505mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 670IU, Vitamin C: 7.6mg, Calcium: 233mg, Iron: 2.6mg
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Author: Michelle
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
This recipe was originally published in March 2016.
Photography by Dee Frances.
