Au Gratin Hash Brown Casserole – Funeral Potatoes
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Au Gratin Hash Brown Casserole, or more commonly known as Funeral Potatoes, are absolute comfort food! Shredded potatoes are coated with a rich cheesy sauce and covered with a crisp and flaky, buttery topping.
I’m quite certain that funeral potatoes had a way of showing up to any large potluck type gathering we attended growing up in Utah in the 90’s. Truly they have such an odd name which I believe was given because they were a common side dish served at funeral lunches.
If I were to have chosen a name I’d go with something seeming more appropriate such as Au Gratin Hash Brown Casserole. Which basically sums up what it is reminiscent of. Nonetheless it’s an excellent side dish that’s perfect for large get togethers.
One thing found in traditional funeral potatoes that many of us don’t care for anymore, is the cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup. So my version is canned condensed soup-less.
It’s just made with a roux and milk mixture instead, then a generous dose of tangy sour cream, along with a nice cheesy blend of sharp cheddar and parmesan cheese.
And you don’t even need to thinly slice or shred potatoes. It simplified using frozen, pre-shredded hash browns to save time.
It’s a great recipe to switch things up on your holiday menu coming up. Potatoes, cheese, a creamy base and a crisp topping, you know they’re going to be good!
Ingredients for Funeral Potatoes
- Hash browns: Store-bought hash browns work best here since they are par-cooked.
- Butter: Salted or unsalted butter is fine.
- Yellow onion: Chop the onion very small so it cooks through and softens fully by the time the casserole has baked through.
- Flour: This will thicken the roux for the sauce of the casserole.
- Milk: Whole milk works best for rich flavor.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: You can use yellow or white cheddar for the recipe.
- Parmesan cheese: Use real parmesan not the shelf stable powder.
- Sour cream: This also adds richness to the sauce, and adds thickness and body.
- Salt and pepper: Season to taste.
- Cornflakes: These may seem like a strange addition but they add a great crunch and a nice contrast.
- Parsley: This is used for the presentation of the dish, just to add more color to the casserole. It can be omitted.
How to Make Hash Brown Casserole
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.
Melt 4 Tbsp butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until softened.
Add in flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in milk then cook stirring constantly until mixture comes to a simmer.
Remove from heat, stir in cheeses.
Stir in sour cream. Season mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
Place hash browns in a large mixing bowl then pour in milk mixture and toss to evenly coat. Transfer to baking dish and spread even.
Crush corn flakes to pebble size bits. Add 3 Tbsp melted butter to cornflake mixture and toss to evenly coat.
Sprinkle cornflake mixture evenly over casserole.
Bake in preheated oven until hot throughout. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.
Make Ahead Option
- Prepare casserole as directed through step 6.
- Refrigerate up to 2 days.
- Bake 15 minutes before adding topping.
- Toss cornflakes with butter, add to casserole and bake until completely warmed through, about 40 to 50 minutes longer.
Gluten Free Option
- To make funeral potatoes that are gluten free ensure all packaged ingredients are gluten free.
- You’ll need to use a gluten free corn flakes option as most commercially made corn flakes are not gluten free (they commonly have malt flavoring or wheat starch).
- Use a 1:1 gluten free flour blend such as King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure in place of all purpose flour.
- Be sure hash browns are gluten free as some commercially made hash browns have added wheat flour (I prefer those that have no added ingredients anyway even for a non-gluten free option. Just potatoes).
What to Pair with Funeral Potatoes
Follow Cooking Classy
Funeral Potatoes - Au Gratin Hash Brown Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 (30 oz) package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
- 4 Tbsp butter, diced into 1 Tbsp pieces
- 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk (whole or 2%)
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- Salt and black pepper
- 4 cups cornflakes, crushed (nearly 2 cups once crushed)
- 3 Tbsp butter, melted
- 1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt 4 Tbsp butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until softened, about 5 - 6 minutes.
- Add in flour and cook stirring constantly, 1 minute. While whisking pour in milk then cook stirring constantly until mixture comes to a light simmer.
- Remove from heat. Add in cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese and stir until melted.
- Stir in sour cream. Season mixture with salt and pepper to taste (you want it on the salty side as it will be seasoning the potatoes).
- Place hash browns in a large mixing bowl then pour in milk mixture and toss to evenly coat. Transfer to a 13 by 9-inch baking dish (no need to grease dish) and spread into and even layer.
- Place cornflakes in a bowl. Pour in 3 Tbsp melted butter and toss to evenly coat.
- Sprinkle cornflake mixture evenly over casserole.
- Bake in preheated oven until hot throughout, about 40 - 50 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.