Updated Funeral Potatoes Recipe (2024)

Recipe from Kate Jones and Sara Wells

Adapted by Julia Moskin

Updated Funeral Potatoes Recipe (1)

Total Time
2.5 hours, plus overnight refrigeration
Rating
4(362)
Notes
Read community notes

Featured in: Not Just for Sundays After Church

Learn: How to Cook Potatoes

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

  • 3baking potatoes (about 2 pounds)
  • canola oil
  • cups sour cream
  • ¼cup finely chopped chives, plus extra for garnish
  • 3cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 2tablespoons grated onion (about ½ an onion)
  • teaspoons kosher salt
  • ¼teaspoon black pepper
  • cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese, about 4 ounces
  • cups grated Gruyère cheese, or more Cheddar, about 4 ounces

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

467 calories; 33 grams fat; 17 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 24 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 19 grams protein; 655 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Updated Funeral Potatoes Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Heat oven to 375 degrees. Rub potatoes lightly with oil, place on a baking sheet and bake 60 to 80 minutes, until just tender all the way through. Let cool and refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days. (Refrigeration gives the potatoes the right texture.)

  2. Step

    2

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine sour cream, chives, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Using a box grater, coarsely grate potatoes with skins on. (Most of the skin will peel off; discard it.) Add grated potatoes to sour cream mixture, and gently toss to combine. Add 1 cup Cheddar and 1 cup Gruyère and mix gently. Transfer to an 8-by-8-inch-square baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

  3. Bake until hot, bubbly and lightly browned around the edges, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving, sprinkled with chives.

Ratings

4

out of 5

362

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Gailn56

I don't care for the taste of raw onions in baked dishes so I leave out the onion and instead of plain cheddar I use caramelized onion cheddar. Delicious.

Dmaniac278

Sorry... "because of **ITS** ubiquity." I feel like I've brought the NYT closer to failing with that glaring error. Gaah!!

Dmaniac278

Funeral Potatoes is a traditional Mormon dish, so named because of their ubiquity at church potlucks and post-funeral repasts. There are variations, like adding bacon pieces or vegetables, but almost all the versions I've seen contain cream of chicken soup and are topped with lightly crushed buttered corn flakes.

TOM G

Great recipe, unfortunate title. I will refer to them as "church potatoes", as one of my friends calls them.

Susan Rasmussen

I always sauteed onions until its translucent first before adding to a dish to be cooked, unless it's supposed to be raw

Jennifer

so tempted to use frozen hash browns for this....

Lori

The name comes from the fact that they're a really good potluck dish, so they tend to make their appearance and group events (like funerals).

Roberta

I've made this quite a few times, and everyone loves it. This last time we passed chopped chives at the table for those who wanted them, but the grated onion and chopped garlic in the recipe added just the right amount of allium flavor for me. I like serving it with Ann Romney's meatloaf cakes.

Rosemary

Can yogurt substitute for sour cream?

Roberta

There is no raw onion taste or texture in this recipe, in my experience with it.

Christine

This is like twice baked potatoes with half the work. My people love it. Could add bacon and blow their minds.

KH2273

Following the suggestion of one commenter I used refrigerated hash browns lb for lb instead of baking and grating potatoes (and BTW sautéed the onions and garlic). Worked like a dream!

Stephen

The dish pictured looks neither 8 x 8 nor square. I made this and doubled the recipe for a similar sized dish, and it was wonderful. I sautéed the onion for about 3 minutes to soften it and, because one of my guests dislikes chives, used chopped parsley. Lovely.

Lorri

Really good! Great make ahead dish.

Dorothy

This is one of those "time saver" recipes. Make one or two days ahead, cover tightly with foil and place in the fridge till day of cooking. Bring to room temp and bake as stated. I do this every Thanksgiving and Christmas.

AC

I was a funeral director in the midwest for many years and can confirm that this dish is a staple. Probably had it around 2,500 times in my career. The name is appropriate.

Dorothy

This is one of those "time saver" recipes. Make one or two days ahead, cover tightly with foil and place in the fridge till day of cooking. Bring to room temp and bake as stated. I do this every Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Rosemary

Can yogurt substitute for sour cream?

jen

Lots of talk about the name of the recipe, which is unfortunate. This dish is excellent as written. The baking and grating of the potatoes is a bit of a drag, but the resultant texture when baked is worth the effort.

KH2273

Following the suggestion of one commenter I used refrigerated hash browns lb for lb instead of baking and grating potatoes (and BTW sautéed the onions and garlic). Worked like a dream!

Lorri

Really good! Great make ahead dish.

brooke909

Any way to make this ahead of time, like for Thanksgiving?

Richard

It would be too early to make it for Thanksgiving now.

Alexis Sogl

The raw onion and garlic did not cook in the time allotted in the oven, which made it really hard to enjoy the potatoes which were quite good.

Christine

This is like twice baked potatoes with half the work. My people love it. Could add bacon and blow their minds.

Stephen

The dish pictured looks neither 8 x 8 nor square. I made this and doubled the recipe for a similar sized dish, and it was wonderful. I sautéed the onion for about 3 minutes to soften it and, because one of my guests dislikes chives, used chopped parsley. Lovely.

Jennifer

so tempted to use frozen hash browns for this....

Dmaniac278

Funeral Potatoes is a traditional Mormon dish, so named because of their ubiquity at church potlucks and post-funeral repasts. There are variations, like adding bacon pieces or vegetables, but almost all the versions I've seen contain cream of chicken soup and are topped with lightly crushed buttered corn flakes.

Dmaniac278

Sorry... "because of **ITS** ubiquity." I feel like I've brought the NYT closer to failing with that glaring error. Gaah!!

RES

Thank you for your comment! I was wondering about the "Funeral" in the recipe title.

Roberta

I've made this quite a few times, and everyone loves it. This last time we passed chopped chives at the table for those who wanted them, but the grated onion and chopped garlic in the recipe added just the right amount of allium flavor for me. I like serving it with Ann Romney's meatloaf cakes.

TOM G

Great recipe, unfortunate title. I will refer to them as "church potatoes", as one of my friends calls them.

SHIRLEY GLANVILLE

Would like the backstory on the moniker. My first response was a snort after reading the recipe. I would like to be positive and enquire after an alternative history! Love NYT COOKING!

Lori

The name comes from the fact that they're a really good potluck dish, so they tend to make their appearance and group events (like funerals).

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Updated Funeral Potatoes Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is funeral potatoes a Mormon thing? ›

Commonly served after LDS funerals, this cheesy potato casserole is the ultimate comfort food. If you've ever encountered Mormon funeral potatoes, you can attest that the salty, crispy, cheesy casserole is one of the most oddly satisfying creations that exists in America — nay, the world.

What is the real name for funeral potatoes? ›

Funeral potatoes (also great potatoes, cheesy potatoes, hash brown casserole, cheesy hash browns, those potatoes, or party potatoes) is a traditional potato hotdish or casserole that is popular in the American Intermountain West and Midwest.

What state made funeral potatoes? ›

Where did funeral potatoes come from? If conventional wisdom holds true and the Relief Society invented funeral potatoes, this dish was invented in Utah. It's also possible that funeral potatoes were invented in the Midwest. Until March 2023, funeral potatoes are part of a museum exhibit in Iowa per the Deseret News.

Why are scalloped potatoes called funeral potatoes? ›

Why are they called funeral potatoes? Funeral potatoes get their unique name from being a crowd-pleasing casserole served as a side dish at after-funeral luncheons (particularly in the culture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints).

Can a woman wear pants to a Mormon funeral? ›

What should I wear to a Mormon funeral? It's appropriate to dress in formal attire at a Mormon funeral. For men, this usually means a suit and tie, and for women, a conservative dress, skirt and blouse, or suit and trousers. Women should make sure to cover their knees and shoulders.

What do Mormons eat at funerals? ›

In many communities, close family members and friends gather at the church after the funeral to share a meal prepared by the women's Relief Society. Ham or turkey is served with potatoes, salad, and rolls, followed by dessert.

Who invented funeral potatoes? ›

While no one is sure where exactly funeral potatoes originated, most sources attribute their spread to the Relief Society, a women's organization within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. One responsibility of society members was attending to the needs of the bereaved, including meals.

Are scalloped potatoes and funeral potatoes the same thing? ›

Think of funeral potatoes like an everyman's au gratin or scalloped potatoes. Cheese, cornflakes (or something else carb-filled and crumbly), potatoes, sour cream and condensed soup comprise this delectable dish. It's a casserole dish that can feed a crowd.

What is the mother potato? ›

The mother tuber will grow a series of stems (or. stolons) which begin to swell at the end, eventually. growing baby tubers (potatoes). This is called the “hook” phase. The mother tuber will grow a series of stems (or.

What state loves potatoes? ›

Louisiana came in first, likely because many dishes the state is known for incorporate potatoes in some way. The Pelican State is famous for its crawfish boils, jambalayas, and gumbos – all of which include beloved spuds. Similarly, many people in Maine enjoy sides like potato salad with their renowned lobster dishes.

What state has famous potatoes? ›

Officially, Idaho is known as the Gem State, but it's the potato that most Americans identify Idaho with. Americans love their spuds and Idaho's rich, volcanic soil and mild climate make it the ideal place to grow the perfect potato. The potato is actually Idaho's state vegetable!

What country brought potatoes to America? ›

North America

Early colonists in Virginia and the Carolinas may have grown potatoes from seeds or tubers from Spanish ships. Still, the earliest certain potato crop in North America was brought to New Hampshire in 1719 from Derry. The plants were from Ireland, so the crop became known as the "Irish potato".

Why are funeral potatoes so good? ›

Full of tender potatoes, gooey cheese, sour cream and topped with crispy Kellogg's corn flake cereal this savory casserole cannot be beat. Funeral potato with real potatoes is easy, cheesy, and delicious. It is the perfect side dish for any meal and simple to make.

Why is it called a jacket potato? ›

Edward, the waiter, bruising the leathery jacket of the potato dexterously in his napkin, tumbles out the hot flour. Potato (cooked in jacket). From there, it's easy to see how it became a "jacket potato", since it's a potato that's baked with its skin (the "jacket") on.

What is an olivette potato? ›

The Olivette Potato has a diameter of 0.8 inch and a length of 1.2 inches. The Mascotte Potato has a diameter of 0.8 inch and a length of 3.2 inches.

What is the origin of the funeral potato? ›

While no one is sure where exactly funeral potatoes originated, most sources attribute their spread to the Relief Society, a women's organization within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. One responsibility of society members was attending to the needs of the bereaved, including meals.

What do Mormons do for funerals? ›

Mormon funerals include many traditional hymns, prayers, and readings. You and your family shouldn't have to worry too much about picking out the hymns, prayers, readings, etc. that will be used during your loved one's Mormon funeral service.

Do Mormons eat potatoes? ›

Unlike many religious traditions, there are no dietary restrictions against any particular foods in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .

What does a Mormon funeral consist of? ›

The format of a Mormon funeral may be familiar if you've been to a Christian funeral before. The bishop makes an introduction, followed by a sermon, prayers, and hymns. Close friends or family read a eulogy. The bishop may close the service with gospel teachings or an introduction to the faith.

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