Jalapeño Cheddar Funeral Potatoes (Printable version)

Creamy, cheesy potatoes with sharp cheddar and spicy jalapeños in a baked casserole.

# What You'll Need:

→ Potatoes and Base

01 - 32 oz frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
02 - 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
03 - 1 cup sour cream
04 - 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
06 - 1/2 cup whole milk

→ Flavorings

07 - 2 medium jalapeños, seeded and finely diced
08 - 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
09 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

→ Topping

12 - 2 cups cornflakes, lightly crushed
13 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or butter.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine thawed hash brown potatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, condensed soup, 1/2 cup melted butter, milk, diced jalapeños, chopped onion, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
03 - Spread the potato mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
04 - In a separate bowl, toss crushed cornflakes with 1/4 cup melted butter until evenly coated.
05 - Sprinkle the buttered cornflakes evenly over the potato mixture.
06 - Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
07 - Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 20 minutes of prep, which means you can spend your energy on other dishes instead of stressing in the kitchen.
  • The jalapeños add a subtle kick that keeps people guessing what makes it taste so interesting, even the ones who claim they don't like spicy food.
  • It feeds a crowd without making you feel like you're serving something boring or overdone.
02 -
  • Don't skip thawing the hash browns; frozen potatoes release too much water during baking and turn the whole casserole into a watery mess that never firms up.
  • The 10-minute rest after baking is non-negotiable—it's when the starches in the potatoes absorb the cream sauce instead of everything staying separate and soupy.
03 -
  • Make sure your sour cream is cold when you start mixing; if it's been sitting out, the cold helps it blend smoothly without getting lumpy when you stir in the other cold ingredients.
  • Crush the cornflakes by hand in the bowl they'll be mixed in to save yourself from using extra dishes—just place them in the bowl and crumble them with your fingers, leaving some pieces about the size of a pea for texture variation.
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