Looking for a simple side dish? Then check out our instant pot funeral potatoes. They combine everyone’s two favorite ingredients, potatoes and cheese!
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Okay, let me start off by saying I had no idea this hash brown casserole had anything to do with funerals. It wasn’t until Kim and I were looking for a name for this posting that we discovered that funeral potatoes are the name of potato dishes served at, well, funerals.
Once we noticed the search results, it seemed like the right term to use, so here we are. With that being, said, I still feel like our recipe is basically a hash brown casserole; however, for the sake of SEO, we’ll just call them funeral potatoes.
Now, I know funeral potatoes are usually topped with corn flakes or potato chips. However, we don’t like either of those as a topping, so we used bread crumbs. When I get to the topping instructions, feel free to use whatever you want to mix with the butter.
We totally understand that the name “funeral potatoes” may be a turnoff. If that’s the case, maybe you’ll like our Instant Pot Penne with Vodka Sauce recipe, Instant Pot Supreme Pizza Pasta, or Instant Pot Corn Chowder with Bacon instead. Now let’s get started.
How to Make Instant Pot Funeral Potatoes:
For this recipe you will need an instant pot and a steamer basket, so please make sure you have both of these kitchen tools before making the dish. We have an affiliate link for the steamer basket below, just above the recipe card.
Funeral Potatoes:
- First, set your instant pot to saute and add the unsalted butter. If you don’t have an Instant Pot branded device then use whatever setting allows you to saute inside your pressure cooker.
- Next, add the onions and cook them until they are soft. It usually only takes about 2-3 minutes. Go ahead and add the garlic and let everything saute for another 30 seconds. Don’t let the garlic over cook or it will become bitter.
- Now, turn off the instant pot and add all of your seasonings, the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Then, pour in the chicken broth and give the bottom of the pot a quick scrape to de-glaze the pan. If nothing stuck to the bottom, that’s okay, go ahead and give all the ingredients a quick stir before moving on to the next step.
- After that, place the steamer basket into the instant pot and pour in the frozen hash browns. The steamer basket should be setting above the liquid. Put the lid on, seal the cooker, and set it on Manual/Pressure cook for one minute. Once the dish is done do a quick release.
- After the pressure has fully released, pour the hash browns into the instant pot with the onions, garlic, and chicken stock. Slowly stir the sour cream and cheese into the hash brown mixture.
- Last, transfer the funeral potatoes into an 8-inch baking or casserole dish and set it aside. If you don’t have an 8-inch dish, then use 8×8 or 9×9-inch baking dish. Everything should fit just fine.
Topping and Serve:
- First, preheat your oven on the Broil setting. You only need to brown the topping, so the baking dish won’t be in the oven for long.
- Next, melt the butter and mix it with bread crumbs. Try using a fork or even your fingers to properly combine the butter and bread crumbs.
- Last, sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the funeral potatoes and then bake them in the oven for 2-3 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. If your oven doesn’t cook evenly you may need to rotate the dish as it browns. Just make sure not to leave it unattended at this point because the topping can easily burn. Serve as a side dish or just eat them as a meal.
The steamer basket we used for our Funeral Potatoes can be found here on Amazon.
Need other potato recipes? Then take a look at our Parmesan Mashed Potatoes or our Smashed Rosemary Potatoes with Rosemary Lemon Butter!
If you like this recipe, please leave us a comment and rate the recipe card. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram searching for Berly’s Kitchen!
Looking for a simple side dish? Then check out our instant pot funeral potatoes. They combine everyone's two favorite ingredients, potatoes and cheese!
- 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1 Small White Onion (chopped)
- 4 Cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 Cup Chicken Broth
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1/8 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
- 26 Ounces Hash Browns (1 large bag, shredded, frozen)
- 8 Ounces Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
- 3/4 Cup Sour Cream
- 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (melted)
- 1 Cup Bread Crumbs (panko)
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First, set your instant pot to saute and add the unsalted butter.
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Next, add the onions and cook them until they are soft (about 2-3 minutes) and then add the garlic and let everything saute for another 30 seconds.
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Now, turn off the you instant pot and add your seasonings, the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
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Then, pour in the chicken broth and give the bottom of the pot a quick scrape de-glaze the pan.
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After that, place the steamer basket into the instant pot and pour in the frozen hash browns.
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Put the lid on, seal the cooker and set it on Manual/Pressure cook for one minute. Once the dish is done do a quick release.
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Afterwards, pour the hash browns into the instant pot with onions, garlic, and chicken stock.
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Add the sour cream and cheese to the hash brown mixture and stir everything together.
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Last, transfer the funeral potatoes to an 8-inch baking or casserole dish and set it aside.
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First, preheat your oven to the Broil setting.
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Next, melt the butter and mix it with bread crumbs.
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Last, sprinkle the bread crumbs over the funeral potatoes and bake them in the oven for 2-3 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Serve as a side dish or just eat them as a meal.
Recipe Video
*The calories listed are based on the ingredients and approximately 1/2 cup serving size. Actual calories will vary. The funeral potatoes can be stored in your fridge for up to 3-days in a sealed container.
*For a lower sodium option, try low sodium or sodium free chicken broth.
Gloria
I always wondered why they would call anything “funeral”….so depressing. Potatoes are so delicious, and these sound great. This is the perfect “crowd pleasing” casserole…for LOTS of happy gatherings LOL!!
John
Thank you, Gloria! I agree, I’m not sure why they referred to these as funeral potatoes. I suppose it has some social significance. In the meantime, I will just call them delicious lol! Have a lovely day 🙂
Dayna
They are called funeral potatoes because of the following:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) have a group of women that are called the Relief Society. When a member of the church passes away and they have a funeral, it is customary for the Relief Society to ask members to bring a dish, or a salad, or rolls, etc. for people to eat at the funeral gathering at the church. One of the most common and easy dishes that are brought to the funerals was hashbrown casseroles. This dish quickly came to be more commonly known as “funeral potatoes”. They have also been called “Mo-Mo’s”. You would be hard pressed to attend an LDS funeral and not find shan, rolls, and Funeral Potatoes. 🤗
John
Thank you for letting me know, Dayna! Have a lovely day 🙂
Kristen King
I love your take on funeral potatoes and even better that they’re made in the instant pot. Genius!
John
Thank you, Kristen! Kim and I are glad you enjoyed the post. Have a lovely Saturday 🙂
lauren
I have to admit, the title of this recipe had me raising an eyebrow so thank you for the explanation! I’m always looking for new recipes to test out in my instant pot. The hubs is a huge potato fan, I’ll have to test these on him!
John
Thank you, Lauren! LOL, I cocked my eyebrows at Kim when she mentioned the name. Kim and I hope your husband enjoys them, however, I wouldn’t call them funeral potatoes when you serve them. He might get the wrong idea lol! Have a great Saturday 🙂
Sam | Ahead of Thyme
Looks like I need to get an instant pot asap! This looks delicious!
John
Thank you, Sam! Have a great day 🙂
Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens
Such a classic recipe! I think I was vaguely aware that these are sometimes called Funeral Potatoes, but in my family we usually call them “Sunshine Potatoes” – way happier LOL! 😉 Brilliant idea to adapt this for the Instant Pot! I’m so in love with my Instant Pot, for sure!
John
Thank you, Shelley! The name has always been kind of odd to me. Have a lovely day 🙂
Marisa Franca
I think every family has a favorite recipe they provide when someone dies. My MIL made an oatmeal cake with a brown sugar pecan topping. Any time we saw that cake on the counter the first thing we would say is, “Who died?” So the cake became called the Who Died Cake. I don’t believe I’ve ever had this particular casserole but it sounds delicious. I wish I had an Instant Pot so I could make it just like you did.
John
Thank you, Marisa! It is kind of strange to me the way people have chosen certain foods to help with healing process. I don’t remember if my parents had something like this growing up, but I can only assume we do on one side of the family or another. Thanks again for the comment and rating, have a lovely Sunday 🙂
Nicole
Love this recipe! We make something similar for Christmas brunch. You cannot go wrong with potatoes and cheese! I could legit live off this dish, haha!
John
Thank you, Nicole! I know what you mean, potatoes and cheese are pretty much the ultimate combination. Have a wonderful day 🙂
John
Thank you for commenting, Kitty! I’m not sure of the origins of the dish. In fact, I had never heard of them until Kim brought it up to me. To be honest, the dish is pretty Hash brown Casserole in an instant pot lol! Have a great Sunday 🙂
Michelle
I always saw the term Funeral potatoes and always wondered why it’s called that name. I believe it is more popular in the West and not everywhere. I love how creamy this dish is, sour cream, shredded cheese, and shredded potato sound real yummy!.
John
Thank you, Michelle! I’m not too sure about the origins of the name myself. But, the more I think about it, the more it seems like another name for hash brown casserole. Either way, it’s tasty, thanks again for commenting, have a lovely day 🙂
Anne Murphy
LOL I had heard of Funeral Potatoes, but it’s not a New York Thing… I understood from friends, though, that it was the Comfort Food Dish to Pass that tended to turn up back at the house after the funeral in – some parts of the Midwest, maybe? Don’t remember clearly… All that creamy cheesy potato goodness!
John
Thank you, Anne! I had never heard of them before Kim made this dish. It makes sense and I suspected something of the sorts. It’s funny how a food is called one thing in one region of the country, while everywhere else, it’s hash brown casserole lol! Have a great day 🙂
John
Thank you, Leslie! I know what you mean, the name is strange. However, if you look at the dish, it’s pretty much hash brown casserole lol! Have a great day 🙂
Sandy
I do not have a steam basket.
What else could I use?
John
Good Morning Sandy, that’s a great question. Unfortunately, we really don’t have a good answer for you. There aren’t many substitutes for a steam basket inside an Instant Pot, that we are aware of. My only recommendation would be to search in Google and see what you find. Because, we don’t have any Instant Pot/pressure cooker alternatives that would be safe. Sorry we couldn’t assist you more. Hopefully, you’ll find an alternate kitchen tool or are able to purchase a steam basket in the future. Thank you again for coming by and leaving a comment. Have a lovely weekend 🙂
James S
These types of recipes were traditonally known as Mormon Funeral Potatoes. The more modern term is Party Potatoes. Itwas a faster method of making a cheesy scalloped potato. with a more even cook. They were commonly brought to large gatherings, not just funerals, as this recipe can be doubled or tripled when baked in an oven and feed a small army. Mormon families have passed down similar recipes for generations.
These can be baked in an oven for anybody who does not have a steamer bucket, About an hour at 350. You may need to reduce the amount of liquid
We always add more cheese when its done cooking…lol
If you would like to try deep drying them, you can substitute the broth for boullion cubes, substitute sour cream for cream cheese, coat with bread crumbs/panko and chill 30 mins, Then Deep fry
John
Good morning James, that you for providing that information. It’s really interesting to hear about the history behind a recipe. We’ve never tried deep frying, it sounds like a great way to change up formula. Thanks again for coming back to comment and rate the recipe. Have a great day 🙂