There are some foods whose names tell you exactly what you’re getting. Chocolate cake. Chicken noodle soup. Honey-baked ham.
And then there are funeral potatoes.
If you’ve never encountered them before, the name might not exactly get your stomach rumbling. But what’s hiding behind that slightly morbid moniker is about as comforting as comfort food gets: tender potatoes swimming in a creamy, cheesy sauce and baked under a buttery, crunchy topping.
And despite the name, you definitely don’t need to wait for a somber occasion to make them.
?? SIGN UP to get delicious recipes, handy kitchen hacks & more in our daily Pop Kitchen newsletter??
Funeral potatoes have long since made the leap from their namesake gatherings to potlucks, holidays, family dinners and anywhere else a big pan of cheesy potatoes is likely to disappear quickly. They’re inexpensive, easy to make for a crowd and built around the kind of familiar ingredients that have kept American casseroles on dinner tables for generations.
“What I love about funeral potatoes is that they’re really a recipe about hospitality disguised as a casserole,” says recipe developer Kara Brook Brown. That sentiment might be the best way to understand their enduring appeal. This is a dish created for showing up with something warm and comforting when people need it—and one that turned out to be far too good to save for funerals.
But that still leaves the obvious question: How did a cheesy potato casserole end up with such a gloomy name in the first place? Learn why they’re called funeral potatoes below, plus how to make them like a pro.
Why Are They Called Funeral Potatoes?
Brent Hofacker / 500px / Getty Images
Funeral potatoes have long been associated with Utah, but despite that association, nobody can say for certain exactly who invented the beloved potato dish.
While the exact origins are a little murky, what we do know is that the casserole became easier to make as convenience ingredients like frozen potatoes and condensed cream soups became staples in American kitchens. Chef and author Jimmy Proffit says it was only natural that those ingredients would find their way into hearty dishes that could be put together quickly and feed a crowd of people.
The name, however, has much clearer ties to Utah and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The church’s Relief Society, a women’s organization with a long tradition of providing meals and other assistance to families in need, commonly served cheesy potato casseroles at post-funeral luncheons. Over time, those occasions are likely what led to their memorable name.
Interestingly, the casserole itself is hardly unique to Utah. A 2002 Deseret News report found versions across the country called everything from Party Potatoes in New Jersey to Church Social Potato Casserole in Virginia and Hash Brown Potato Casserole in the South. The report also noted that many Utahns didn’t begin using the term “funeral potatoes” until the late 1990s, even though versions of the casserole had been served at funeral meals long before then.
That’s consistent with Proffit’s experience in the South, where he says the dish has a long history under names like hash brown casserole or cheesy potato casserole and can be found in countless church and community fundraiser cookbooks. “When someone passes away in the South, we show up with food, and lots of it,” he says.
Whatever you call them, the idea behind the dish is essentially the same: Feed a lot of people something warm and comforting without making life any more complicated than it needs to be.
Related: The Best Way To Make Hash Browns 10x Better, According to an Award-Winning Chef
What’s in Classic Funeral Potatoes?
ksushachmeister / Getty Images
There isn’t one official funeral potatoes recipe, but the classic ingredient list should look pretty familiar if you’ve spent any time around a church potluck.
“Most recipes will start with frozen hash brown potatoes, but some use frozen cubed potatoes, or home fries if you will,” Proffit says. From there, he says you’ll typically find sour cream, cream of chicken or mushroom soup, onion and cheese, followed by a crispy topping made with cornflakes, cracker crumbs or breadcrumbs.
Proffit takes a more from-scratch approach. He cubes fresh russet potatoes with their skins still on, parboils them for about 10 minutes and sautés diced onion in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. He warms the sour cream, cream of chicken soup and butter before combining everything with sharp cheese and finishing it with buttery cracker crumbs.
The fresh potatoes have a personal connection too. Proffitt’s first kitchen job at age 15 involved boiling 50 pounds of potatoes every evening at a truck stop—half destined to become hash browns the next morning, and the rest baked potatoes for lunch and dinner.
Brown also likes to give the classic recipe a little upgrade. She swaps the canned soup for a homemade creamy sauce and adds sharp cheddar, plenty of black pepper and a little Dijon mustard. She sticks with the traditional cornflake topping because the contrast between creamy potatoes and a crisp top is such an important part of the dish.
Her most unexpected addition? A tiny bit of honey. “You don’t want the potatoes to taste sweet,” Brown says. “You’re using just enough honey to round out the salty, tangy flavors.”
Do You Have to Thaw Hash Browns for Funeral Potatoes?
AnthonyRosenberg / Getty Images
If you’re sticking with the classic bag of frozen hash browns, Proffitt recommends thawing them at least partially before assembling your casserole.
The biggest issue is moisture. Frozen potatoes can release water as they cook, which can leave your otherwise rich, creamy casserole looking watery. Starting with frozen potatoes can also dramatically increase the amount of time it takes for the casserole to heat all the way through.
“If you are showing up with a dish, it better be good!” Proffitt says. Thawing the hash browns ahead of time is an easy extra step that can help you get there.
How to Make Funeral Potatoes Ahead of Time
Nature, food, landscape, travel / Getty Images
Part of what made funeral potatoes such a useful dish for church gatherings and grieving families is also what makes them a great modern-day potluck option: They handle make-ahead preparation remarkably well.
Proffitt says you can assemble the entire casserole ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze it, with one important exception: Leave off that crunchy topping until you’re ready to bake.
If you’ve frozen the casserole, transfer it to the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight before baking.
Already baked it? That’s fine too. Proffitt recommends covering the casserole and reheating it at 350°F for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until it’s heated through. Uncover it for the final five minutes to help crisp the topping back up.
Or take a page from Proffitt’s book and add a fresh handful of buttery cracker crumbs before reheating. After all, a casserole built around taking care of people shouldn’t make the cook’s life harder. And whether they’re headed to a funeral luncheon, holiday table or neighborhood potluck, that’s probably one reason these cheesy potatoes have managed to stick around for generations.
Sources:
Jimmy Proffitt is a self-taught chef, food writer and author of Seasoned in Appalachia: Delicious Recipes from the Mountains and Hollers. Born in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, he began cooking at age 15 and currently serves as marketing brand manager and historian for The Old Mill in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Proffitt has contributed to Okra, Southern Cast Iron and Taste of the South, which named him a Taste50 honoree in 2022. Kara Brook Brown is a recipe developer, beekeeper and founder of Bee Inspired. She creates recipes centered around natural, whole ingredients, including raw honey, herbs and fruit, with a focus on using them as alternatives to refined sugars and highly processed ingredients. Brown founded Bee Inspired after beginning beekeeping at Chesterhaven Beach Farm on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where she focused on incorporating honey and other natural ingredients into everyday cooking.Related: We Asked 5 Chefs the One Grocery Item They Always Buy Generic—One Kept Coming Up
Hence then, the article about why funeral potatoes became america s favorite potluck dish chef explains was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Why ‘Funeral Potatoes’ Became America’s Favorite Potluck Dish, Chef Explains )
Also on site :
- Rush-Henrietta Senior High School went into lockdown due to fight, superintendent says
- After a decade of failed bills and three years of resignations, Washington finally discovers it cares about AI safety
- More Than 1 Million Americans Are Taking Ozempic and Other GLP-1s Without an Approved Reason. Is That Actually a Problem?