If you ever came to my house growing up for a cookout, family party, celebration, etc., then you've had these potatoes. If you've ever come to my house as an adult for any of the same reasons, you've had these potatoes. They are instantly everyone's favorite and what's not the love? Gooey, cheesy potatoes with a crunchy top? It checks all the boxes for the indulgent side dish we all crave.
My mom has been making these my entire life and I'm still not sick of them, so I feel pretty confident you'll love them. It wasn't until I was in my early twenties that I found out some people call these "funeral potatoes" which is so depressing, especially considering we always had these at happy and fun occasions. I think traditional funeral potatoes use shredded potatoes instead of diced and cream of mushroom instead of cream of chicken. It makes a huge difference, particularly the potatoes. I'm diced for life.
The best part about these are they are so easy to make. You literally dump almost everything in a bowl and mix it then top with some buttery cornflakes and you're good to go. They are great to serve a crowd, easy to double the recipe and it freezes so well. It's a great recipe to make a batch and throw in the freezer to have available whenever you need it. Or I freeze 2-serving portions that are easy to throw in the oven for just my husband and me.
They're so easy in fact, that when my brother was in high school, every Thursday a group of his football friends would come over to grill. My mom made these potatoes for them every. single. week. But because it's only a few ingredients and 10 minutes to pull together, it wasn't a huge inconvenience for her (I don't think at least!)
These potatoes are so versatile. We've had them at 4th of July cookouts, Easter brunch, Christmas Eve dinner, potlucks and everywhere in between. It's always the right time for cheesy cornflake potatoes. Give them a try and I know you'll fall in love.
Cheesy Cornflake Potatoes
(Makes ~ 9-12 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 50-60 minutesIngredients:
1 - 10.5 oz. can of cream of chicken soup*
16 oz. sour cream
2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C. diced onions**
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 C. (1 stick) melted butter
1 - 32oz. bag of frozen diced hash brown potatoes
3 C. cornflakes cereal
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. In a LARGE bowl (so you don't make a mess), mix together the soup, sour cream, cheese, onions, salt and pepper until fully combined.
Add the potatoes and about 2.5 oz. of the melted butter to the bowl and mix until everything is combined, and the potatoes are fully coated in the sour cream mixture.
Spray a 9x13 or similar size baking dish with cooking spray and pour the potatoes into the dish.
Put the cornflakes into a gallon-size ziplock bag and crush them with your hands a bit. Do not pulverize them, you still want good pieces of cereal. Add the rest of the butter (about 1.5 oz.) to the bag and shake it around until all the pieces are coated in butter.
Spread the cornflakes evenly over the potatoes.
Bake at 350° for about 1 hour, until the cornflakes are golden brown and the potatoes are bubbling hot all the way through. If the cornflakes are browning too quickly, cover with foil.
Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
*Recipe notes + Variations*
*Instead of cream of chicken soup, you can substitute cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup to make it vegetarian. Don't get weirded out about the chicken in the potatoes though. It's like adding chicken broth to something. It adds a depth of flavor but it's not like you're tasting chicken.
**I buy frozen diced onions and keep them in my freezer specifically for this recipe. It helps me skip a prep step and then cleanup of my cutting board. Trust me, it's worth it.
Feel free to use low fat/light sour cream and cream of chicken soup. I do it all the time and it does not change the taste or texture.
Easily make these gluten free with gluten free cream of chicken soup.
To freeze portions, allow to cool completely then refrigerate for at least a few hours. Cut your preferred portion size and use a spatula to transfer it in one piece to a piece of plastic wrap. wrap tightly to help it keep its shape then place on a sheet tray in the freezer. Once fully frozen, transfer to a ziplock bag and store in the freezer until you need it. To reheat, either allow to thaw completely and bake at 350° for 30 minutes (with foil to prevent the top from burning) or bake for 1 hour from frozen (still with foil covering).
To make ahead and freeze, I suggest using a disposable baking dish. Do everything the same from the recipe instruction but instead of baking, cover with plastic wrap then foil then place on a sheet tray to initially freeze (or if you have a flat spot in your freezer, you can skip the tray). Allow to thaw completely and follow baking instructions from the recipe. You can also leave off the cornflake topping and add that fresh when you're ready to make.