Jalapeño Cheddar Funeral Potatoes (Printer View)

Cheesy, spicy potato casserole with cheddar and jalapeños baked for a creamy, crunchy finish.

# What you'll need:

→ Potatoes and Base

01 - 1 bag (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

# Method:

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's a potluck hero that actually tastes better than the traditional version because the jalapeños add something real people remember.
  • You can make it hours ahead and just pop it in the oven, which means less stress when you're already managing everything else.
  • The cornflake topping gets impossibly crispy and buttery in a way that makes people scrape the corners of the dish.
02 -
  • The potatoes really do need to be thawed first or they'll release too much water and your casserole becomes soup—I learned this the wrong way.
  • Don't skip the 10-minute rest or you'll end up with a running, broken mess when you serve it, no matter how good it tastes.
03 -
  • Shredding your own cheese from a block melts smoother than pre-shredded, which means fewer lumps and a silkier casserole texture overall.
  • Taste the raw mixture before it goes in the oven—you can adjust salt or heat then, but you can't fix it after baking.
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