French Onion Funeral Potatoes
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Creamy, cheesy hash browns baked to perfection and crowned with crispy golden onions—comfort food at its finest.
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If there’s one casserole that never makes it home with leftovers, it’s this one. French Onion Funeral Potatoes are the ultimate crowd-pleaser: tender hash browns folded into a rich sour cream and cheddar sauce, kissed with sautéed onions and garlic, then topped with a crunchy layer of fried onion rings. Whether you’re feeding a holiday crowd, showing up for a potluck, or just craving something cozy, this dish delivers big flavor with nostalgic charm.
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🧂 Ingredients
| Category | Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Potato Mixture | Frozen cubed hash browns (thawed) | 2 lbs (32 oz) |
| Unsalted butter (melted) | 4 tbsp (½ stick) | |
| Sharp cheddar cheese (freshly shredded) | 2 cups | |
| Sour cream | 1½ cups | |
| Creamy Sauce | Unsalted butter | 4 tbsp (½ stick) |
| Yellow onion (finely diced) | 1 small | |
| Fresh garlic (minced) | 2 tsp | |
| All-purpose flour | ¼ cup | |
| Kosher salt | 1 tsp | |
| Black pepper (freshly ground) | ½ tsp | |
| Cayenne pepper | ½ tsp (adjust to taste) | |
| Dried mustard powder | ½ tsp | |
| Chicken broth (room temperature) | ½ cup | |
| Whole milk (room temperature) | ½ cup | |
| Crispy Onion Topping | Yellow onions (thinly sliced into rings) | 2 large (about 4 cups) |
| Vegetable oil (for frying) | 4 cups | |
| Salt | To taste |
👩🍳 Instructions
🔹 Prep the Casserole
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Thaw hash browns completely and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
🔹 Make the Potato Base
- In a large bowl, mix hash browns, melted butter, shredded cheddar, and sour cream until well combined. Set aside.
🔹 Prepare the Creamy Sauce
- In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter until foamy.
- Add diced onion and sauté until soft and translucent (3–5 minutes).
- Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle flour, salt, pepper, cayenne, and mustard powder over the mixture. Stir constantly to form a roux.
- Gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk until smooth.
- Cook until thickened to a gravy-like consistency (2–3 minutes).
- Pour sauce over potato mixture and fold gently to coat evenly.
🔹 Bake
- Spread mixture evenly in prepared dish.
- Bake uncovered for 45–50 minutes, until bubbly and heated through.
🔹 Make the Crispy Onion Topping
- Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F.
- Fry onion rings in batches (about 1 cup at a time) for 2–5 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden brown.
- Transfer to paper towels and sprinkle with salt while hot. Repeat with remaining onions, letting oil return to temperature between batches.
🔹 Assemble & Serve
- Once casserole is baked, top immediately with crispy onions.
- Serve hot while the topping is still crunchy.
🍽️ Tips & Variations
- Make Ahead: Assemble the casserole (without topping) and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking.
- Reheating: Warm leftovers in the oven and re-crisp onions separately if needed.
- Dietary Swaps: Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, or gluten-free flour for the roux.
- Shortcut Version: Use store-bought French fried onions for a faster topping.
