This hash brown casserole with Corn Flakes is filled with creamy, cheesy shredded potatoes and a buttery, crispy topping. Baked in a 9×13 pan, it’s a make-ahead staple at Midwest potlucks, Easter brunches, and holiday dinners. Growing up, I always looked forward to my aunt making this dish for family get-togethers, and I was so thrilled when I found her exact recipe in the family cookbook.
My earliest memories of this delicious side dish are at church potlucks, probably why this classic comfort food is better known as funeral potatoes. We went to a little country church, and we had fairly frequent potluck dinners, whether it was celebrating a holiday together or eating dinner after a funeral, honoring the life of a church member and friend.
My aunt called this dish sour cream potatoes, but around here, we just call it like it is: hash brown casserole. It takes just 20 minutes to assemble before popping it into the oven for an hour, and it’s a budget-friendly way to feed a crowd.
Why You’ll Love This Hash Brown Casserole Recipe
- Make-Ahead: Can be assembled ahead, making it ideal for busy mornings, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Sunday dinners. It’s the classic dish for after-funeral luncheons too, hence the name “funeral potatoes”.
- Budget-Friendly: Stretches simple, pantry staple ingredients into a full 9×13 dish that easily feeds 12 hungry guests.
- Comfort Food: Whether you call it cheesy hash brown casserole, funeral potatoes, or sour cream potatoes, this timeless side dish pairs effortlessly with roasted turkey, glazed ham, or breakfast sausage.
- Beginner-Friendly: Takes just 20 minutes of simple hands-on prep, no boiling potatoes or complicated steps required!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Frozen Hash Browns – Be sure to let them thaw out in the fridge overnight before assembling your casserole. You can use shredded or cubed hash browns, but shredded hold the cheese sauce best for a creamier texture.
- Salted Butter – Melted butter adds richness to the potato base, and it binds the Corn Flake topping to create that rich, golden, crunchy topping.
- Salt & Black Pepper – Adjust to taste!
- Minced Garlic – You can use freshly minced garlic cloves or convenient jarred minced garlic.
- Cream of Chicken Soup – Cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup works well too, if you don’t mind a slightly different flavor.
- Yellow Onion – While we prefer to use a regular yellow onion for a little extra kick, you can also use a sweet onion.
- Sour Cream – Full-fat sour cream gives the creamiest texture and a little extra tang. Plain Greek yogurt is a great 1:1 substitute.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese – Extra sharp cheddar adds bold, cheesy flavor. Freshly shredded cheese fresh from a block gives the best melt!
- Corn Flakes – Ritz crackers or crushed potato chips also work.
How to Make Hash Brown Casserole with Corn Flakes
Before getting started, you’ll need to crush up the Corn Flakes. Put them in a quart sized plastic bag, seal the bag, and use your hands or a rolling pin to just slightly crush them up in the bag.
Make the Potato Base
- Combine the hash browns, melted butter, salt, pepper, minced garlic and onion, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and shredded cheese in a large mixing bowl.
- Spread the potato mixture in a greased 13×9 baking dish.
Add the Topping
- Mix together the slightly crushed Corn Flakes and melted butter in a smaller mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle the buttery Corn Flakes over the top of the casserole.
Bake It in the Oven
Bake your hash brown casserole at 350°F for about 1 hour, ’til bubbly and golden brown. Then serve while warm. Alternatively, I also have a CrockPot hash brown casserole recipe if you’d rather not take up precious oven space.
Storage, Freezing & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerating Leftovers – Allow the casserole to cool completely to room temperature. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil or transfer individual portions into an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Freezing Baked Leftovers – Allow it to cool completely, then wrap tightly in foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Transfer it to the fridge to thaw overnight before reheating.
- Reheating in the Oven (Recommended) – To regain that signature crispy topping, cover the dish or portion with foil and reheat in a 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes until warmed through. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes to re-crisp the cornflakes.
- Freezing Unbaked Casserole (Best for Meal Prep) – Assemble the potato mixture in a freezer-safe 9×13 baking dish, but hold off on making the topping so it doesn’t get soggy. Wrap the dish tightly with a layer of plastic wrap, followed by another layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and add the topping right before baking, and bake at 350°F for 60 to 70 minutes.
- Reheating in the Microwave – For quick individual portions, microwave on high in 30-second intervals until hot. Note: The Corn Flake topping will be softer when microwaved than when reheated in the oven.
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQs
A watery casserole usually happens when frozen hash browns are added directly to the dish before they’ve totally thawed. If they’re even slightly frozen, they will release extra water into the cheese sauce. Be sure to let your hash browns thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight, and pat off any excess moisture with a paper towel before mixing.
Yes, you can make it gluten-free. First, swap standard cream of chicken soup for a certified gluten-free cream of chicken soup (or gluten-free cream of mushroom). Additionally, double-check that your frozen hash browns don’t contain added wheat flour coatings, and use gluten-free Corn Flakes or crushed gluten-free Chex cereal for the topping.
Yes, you can use either hash brown patties or fresh potatoes. Once thawed, crumble the hash brown patties into a bowl before mixing with the other ingredients. If using fresh potatoes, peel and shred them, then soak them in cold water for 15 minutes to remove excess starch. Drain and squeeze them out, and then pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel before adding them to the casserole base.
Optional Add-Ins & Recipe Variations
- Leftover Ham Casserole: Stir in 1 to 2 cups of diced cooked ham into the potato mixture before baking. This is a great way to use up leftover holiday ham.
- Breakfast Sausage & Bacon: Turn it into a hearty breakfast casserole by adding breakfast sausage and crispy chopped bacon.
- Ritz Cracker & Potato Chip Topping: If you’re out of Corn Flakes, swap in crushed Ritz crackers or kettle-cooked potato chips instead.
- Add Extra Veggies or Spice: Fold in diced green bell peppers, sauteed mushrooms, or a 4-ounce can of drained diced green chiles for a little kick.
More Holiday Casserole Recipes
- Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Ritz Chicken Casserole
- Green Bean Casserole
- Jiffy Corn Casserole with Cream Cheese and Bacon
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Hash Brown Casserole with Corn Flakes
Ingredients
- 30 ounces frozen hash browns thawed
- 1/2 cup salted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup yellow onion minced
- 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup
- 1 pint sour cream
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
Corn Flake Topping:
- 2 cups Corn Flakes slightly crushed
- 1/4 cup salted butter melted
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F, and add your Corn Flakes to a quart-sized plastic bag. Then crush them up with either your hands or a rolling pin.
- Combine the hash browns, melted butter, salt, pepper, minced garlic and onion, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and shredded cheese in a large mixing bowl.
- Spread the potato mixture in a greased 13×9 baking dish.
- Mix together the slightly crushed Corn Flakes and melted butter in a smaller mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle the buttery Corn Flakes over the top of the casserole.
- Bake your hash brown casserole at 350°F for about 1 hour, ’til bubbly and golden brown.
- Serve while warm.
Video
Am I reading the nutrition info right? A serving is 1 gram at 525 calories? That’s only about 1 spoonful. A one-half cup serving would be over 2,000 calories.