How to make cheesy CrockPot funeral potatoes. Easy slow cooker hashbrown casserole, a family favorite side dish, breakfast, or brunch recipe.
Remember that wonderful hash brown casserole we made in the oven a little while ago? It was such a big hit with y'all, that I decided to adapt it and make it into a CrockPot hash brown casserole.
Only this time, I added one secret ingredient that really gives it a kick. What a difference one powerful, little ingredient can make.
CrockPot cheesy hashbrowns are the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter; they also make the perfect breakfast or brunch idea, especially if you add a little bit of protein like ham, bacon, or sausage. Yum!
One of the many things I love about slow cooker hash brown casserole is that it's very easy to mix up. It's as easy as dumping, mixing, and spreading in your slow cooker.
And it only takes 2-3 hours to cook, so you can easily make it morning of for a family dinner.
WHERE CAN I FIND THE ACTUAL RECIPE CARD?
If you’d rather skip all of my cooking tips, important cooking info for this recipe, and similar recipe ideas – and get straight to the casserole recipe – just scroll down to the bottom, where you’ll find a printable recipe card.
WHY ARE THEY CALLED FUNERAL POTATOES?
Well, Southern Living states that although they are consumed all across the country, funeral potatoes are really more of a southern tradition, and the reasoning is in the name. To put it simply, cheesy hash brown casserole is an easy make-ahead recipe that can feed a crowd, and that's perfect for a funeral.
To be honest, here in the South and even living in the Midwest, I can't remember ever attending a funeral or potluck at which funeral potatoes weren't served!
INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED:
- Frozen hash browns, thawed
- Salted butter
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- Garlic cloves – that secret ingredient I talked about… It's amazing what a little garlic can do.
- Yellow onion
- Cream of chicken soup – Or if you'd rather, cream of mushroom soup.
- Sour cream
- Sharp cheddar cheese – I prefer to use extra sharp cheddar cheese.
- Corn Flakes
Keep in mind, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.
KITCHEN TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED:
Small and Large Mixing Bowls
Cutting Board and Knife (or Vegetable Chopper)
Slow Cooker – My favorite slow cooker is a beast of a cooker.
HOW TO MAKE CROCKPOT FUNERAL POTATOES
Before getting started, be sure to spray your CrockPot or slow cooker with cooking spray to prevent sticking or scorching.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the hashbrowns, melted butter, salt, pepper, minced garlic, minced onion, cream of chicken soup, sour cream.
- Stir in the cheddar cheese.
- Spread the mixture into your greased slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 2 to 3 hours, or on low for 4 to 5 hours.
- In a small bowl, mix together the slightly crushed Corn Flakes and the melted butter.
- Sprinkle the Corn Flakes over the hash brown mixture in the slow cooker; then cover and cook an additional 30 minutes.
And that's it! When it's done, it's ready to serve while warm. You can sprinkle it with chopped green onions, if preferred.
CAN I PUT FROZEN POTATOES IN THE SLOW COOKER, OR DO I HAVE TO COOK THEM FIRST?
Yes, the potatoes can be put straight into the slow cooker, but it's important to ensure that they are thawed beforehand. Just follow the instructions on the package, and be sure to allow ample time for thawing.
HANDY TIP: HOW TO CRUSH CORN FLAKES
The quickest and least messy way that I have found to crush Corn Flakes is to place them in a quart sized plastic bag and seal the bag. Be sure that all of the air inside the bag escapes.
Using either your hands or a rolling pin, you can now crush the Corn Flakes. For this recipe, they only need to be slightly crushed, so don't spend too much time on it.
WHAT CAN I SUBSTITUTE FOR SOUR CREAM?
The best 1:1 substitute for sour cream that I have found is plain Greek yogurt. For every cup of sour cream, it is also possible to substitute 1 cup of milk or cream mixed with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
If a vegan substitute is desired, you can simply use a vegan sour cream or Greek yogurt, both of which can be found in most grocery stores and health food stores.
That being said, I highly recommend that you keep the sour cream in these CrockPot funeral potatoes, as nothing else really comes close to the flavor and richness sour cream provides.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH CROCKPOT HASH BROWN CASSEROLE:
Crockpot hash brown casserole pairs wonderfully with the following dishes:
- Maple Roasted Turkey
- Pineapple Glazed Ham
- Oven Baked Ham
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Orange Zest
- Jiffy Corn Casserole with Cream Cheese
HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT CROCKPOT CHEESY HASHBROWNS
Thankfully, this recipe is a great make-ahead side dish. It can be made the night before, the day before, etc. This casserole will store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Although it is certainly possible to cook it beforehand, for the best results I recommend mixing it up to store in the fridge, waiting to cook until you're ready to eat.
For longer storage time, cook your funeral potatoes in the slow cooker beforehand, and place them in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When you're ready, simply let your potatoes thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and bake them at 350° F for 30 minutes to an hour.
IS CROCKPOT HASHBROWN CASSEROLE GLUTEN-FREE?
Unfortunately, CrockPot hashbrown casserole is not typically gluten-free, reason being that cream of chicken soup and hash browns are rarely gluten-free. Corn Flakes aren't either.
That being said, there are options for both gluten-free cream of chicken soup and gluten-free frozen hashbrowns in most grocery stores and health food stores. I've found that Ore-Ida makes delicious gluten-free frozen hash browns.
As for the Corn Flakes, I haven't found a gluten-free option yet; but you could always substitute slightly crushed potato chips or maybe a gluten-free Corn Chex cereal.
Always be sure to check all of your ingredient labels to ensure that they're truly gluten-free.
MORE POTATO RECIPES YOU MAY ENJOY:
- Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Ultimate Mashed Potato Bar
- Ultimate Baked Potato Bar
- Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
GET THE PRINTABLE CASSEROLE RECIPE
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CrockPot Funeral Potatoes
Equipment
- Vegetable Chopper
- 7-Quart Slow Cooker
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
- 16 ounces sour cream
- 2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded
Topping:
- 2 cups Corn Flakes slightly crushed
- 1/4 cup salted butter melted
- 4 green onions chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Spray the inside of the CrockPot or slow cooker with cooking spray to prevent sticking or scorching.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the hashbrowns, melted butter, salt, pepper, minced garlic, minced onion, cream of chicken soup, and sour cream.
- Stir in the cheddar cheese.
- Spread the mixture into the greased slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 2 to 3 hours, or on low for 4 to 5 hours.
Topping:
- In a small bowl, mix together the slightly crushed Corn Flakes and melted butter.
- Sprinkle the Corn Flakes over the hash brown mixture in the slow cooker; then cover and cook an additional 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle with chopped green onions, if desired, and serve while warm.
Yummy and easy
Thanks, Sue!