Small Batch Funeral Potatoes – AKA cheesy potato casserole with corn flake topping, party potatoes, or potluck potatoes – scaled down to make a great side dish.
This cheesy potato casserole is absolutely delicious. It’s base is creamy cheesy potatoes that get topped with buttered corn flakes cereal that get crispy when baked.
A traditional Funeral Potatoes recipe (AKA potluck potatoes or party potatoes) makes a ton. So it’s a great dish to bring to an event with a lot of people, like a funeral, potluck, or party. 🙂
The only problem with this recipe (other than the name) is that even though it’s really good, I would never make it as a side dish because I don’t want to have to eat cheesy potatoes every day for a week.
Problem solved! This small batch version of funeral potatoes is great for a side dish to feed your family. Now you don’t have to wait for a big event to eat these perfect potatoes.
How to make this Funeral Potatoes recipe:
- Add cubed potatoes to a large bowl (I use bagged frozen potatoes)
- Add a can of cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and shredded cheese
- Add salt and garlic powder
- Stir it all together and pour it into a baking dish
Make the crispy buttery corn flake topping:
- Crush up some corn flake cereal
- Melt some butter in a medium bowl
- Add the cereal to the butter and stir it up
- Sprinkle the buttered corn flakes over the potatoes
- Bake
Looking for a lighter side dish to serve with these cheesy potatoes? Try:
- Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Sugar Snap Peas with Garlic
- A side salad with homemade Garlic & Herb Vinaigrette
- Cucumber Salad with Vinegar from Real Mom Nutrition
Watch the step by step recipe video for Small Batch Funeral Potatoes below:
Find more of my recipes on TikTok
Small Batch Funeral Potatoes
Video
Ingredients
- 3 cups frozen cubed potatoes -thawed at room temperature for at least 30 minutes
- 1 (15 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
For the Corn Flake Topping:
- 2 cups corn flakes cereal
- 1/4 cup butter -melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 7x11 (or 9x9) inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, add the potatoes, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, cheddar cheese, salt, and garlic powder. Stir until well combined and the potatoes are evenly coated.
- Pour the potatoes into the baking dish and spread them out into an even layer.
- Place the corn flakes in a plastic food storage bag. Seal the bag and use your hands to gently squeeze the bag and crush the corn flakes.
- Pour the crushed corn flakes into a small bowl. Add the melted butter. Stir to coat the cereal.
- Spoon the corn flakes evenly over the potatoes.
- Bake uncovered for 35 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving.
We call these our block Party Potatoes :). I usually make them with frozen hash brown potatoes and add diced onion for more flavor. I do not add more salt as the chicken soup has plenty.
These are everyone’s favorite at our block parties. Thank you for sharing!
Thank-you
These are soooo yummy!!
I cannot stand the taste of sour cream, I just do not use it. Could this recipe be made without it, Or maybe substitute something? Thank you!
I’m thinking mayonnaise might possibly make a good substitute?
PLain yogurt would work.
I use cream of celery soup instead of cream of chicken, we seem to like this better. I also use chopped up onion in the mixture. Sharp cheddar cheese works well also.
We sprinkle crushed Ritz crackers and parmesan cheese on the top in our family which is located in NW Pa. These have always been a big hit anywhere I’ve been 😊🍽
On a “regular” base, can you use bran flakes to incorp. more fiber?
Should work just will be darker top. Not sure how flavor would turn out but worth trying once to see.
I cook for one, but still make the full recipe frequently. I make an 8×8 pan to take to my daughter’s and split the rest into small dishes for myself and freeze them. Always delicious and can hold up in the freezer forever!
Finally a small recipe for funeral potatoes that I can make without having to invite the whole neighborhood over to eat so they don’t go to waste. Been involved in making these since I was a little girl of about 5 or 6. Great grandmother used to make very similar dish for family gatherings, harvest time meals and, of course, after funerals. Biggest difference however is she had to peel, cut and parboiled fresh potatoes. Thanks for bringing back those memories from so long ago and giving a smaller recipe for an old favorite.
Question: any idea whether it’s best to freeze extras before or after baking …. or does it matter?
I made this dish for the first time
I believe its going to be a keeper
Has anyone ever used creme cheese instead of sour cream? Just wondering… 🙂
Don’t think that will work as the consistency is so different
I have substituted French onion chip dip for sour cream and topped with sour cream potato chips…. came out great !
I use cream of potato soup because I am a vegetarian. You also use cream of asparagus or whatever you prefer.
Can I use shredded hash brown potatoes from the dairy section? They are refrigerated, not frozen?
I read somewhere they turn gummy
Not if you do it right. I have been making this for years and it has never failed me yet. These are hard to mess up. I’m just glad there is a smaller version of this as it is only myself and hubby still at home.
We like it extra cheesy. I substitute cheddar cheese soup and sometimes use fz. potatoes O’brien. Also my family likes Panko bread crumbs in place of flakes. We love this dish!!
We call it a potato casserole. I need to make a full recipe, my family looks forward to leftovers.
I can’t wait to try these! Looks like the perfect dish for this fall.
Shredded frozen potatoes work better and we use crushed rice checks cereal instead of corn flakes. also grate an onion or finely chop one in a food processor and add it to the mix.
For those picky eaters you can grate an onion with the smallest side of a box grater and you’ll get onion pulp and juice. That’s what I do in my homemade tarter sauce recipe. No crunchy onions for those who don’t like raw onion.
This dish is rooted in the Mountain West region of the United States, especially the states of Idaho and Utah. The name may appear off putting, but if you’ve ever been asked to provide the post funeral service family meal you know how this dish got its name. This dish is the ultimate comfort food, loaded with tasty carbs and dairy. The original recipe also feeds a lot of people, as the author points out.
You can substitute the cubes potatoes for shredded. We like to add some chopped onions into the mix for a little added flavor and, as we are not a fan of the cornflake topping in our family, we just top it with more cheese. Add some chunks of ham and it turns into a main dish.
This dish also freezes well. We froze the leftovers from my father’s funeral and ate them over the next several months.
Cornflake topping is making a comeback from at least 40 years ago. They or potato chips were the topping of choice in those days long past.
Now that my mobility is poor, you may be sure that they will show up the next time I bring a dish to a family gathering. I can just hear the raves.
Never seen a cornflakes topping on potatoes before, must be so good and crunchy!
I have never eaten funeral potatoes, they don’t seem to be a thing here in Australia.
And I admit, whenever I have seen them before the name put me off, but the small batch nature of these intrigued me.
They look delicious, and I am certain my kids are going to love them.
We also call them Cheesy potatoes in the U.S. They are delicious. Try topping with crushed french fried onions instead of the corn flakes/butter.
Frosted flakes add sweetness.
I was just wondering whether Frosted Flakes would work as I never got my Christmas marshmellow wreathes made. Need room in the freezer and would love an alternative potato recipe. Thanks for info about Frosted Flakes.
Could you make the funeral potatoes in the crock pot
Make sweet potato casserole and use frosted flakes(crushed) pecans melted butter and brown sugar mixed together as topping name in oven until crispy! Delish! You could even make a sweet potato pie using this mixture.
I would say no to the crockpot. You wouldn’t get a crunchy topping. But otherwise it would turn out ok, I suppose.
Or top them with crushed potato chips and butter!
Or crushed Ritz crackers. It gives an extra bit of twist. I also use sharp cheddar cheese in mine.
what about using rice krispies mixed with the butter?
We have done this for years but instead of shredded cheese we use half a block of velveta and chip some green onions and put on top of frozen potatoes. Everyone always raves about it!! Yummy!
Please don’t be put off, the dish is very good. It just a saying about the Funeral potatoes, because they are easy to make and a full batch feeds 12 to 15 and most everyone will make sure there’s room on their plate. Yum!
Can I make this the night before and just add the topping right before I cook it?