Instant Pot Funeral Potatoes
Our Instant Pot funeral potatoes are an easy side dish made with frozen hash browns, buttery potatoes, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and a crunchy breadcrumb topping. They come together fast and are the first thing to disappear from the table!
If you’ve never had funeral potatoes, you’re missing out! They’re a really easy hash brown casserole dish that’s often served at funerals. A lot of people prefer to call them party potatoes because it’s less gloomy and depressing.
Whatever you decide to call them, they’re absolutely delicious. The hash brown potatoes get mixed with tangy sour cream, seasonings, diced onion, and cheddar cheese. Then I top them with a panko breadcrumb topping and pop it under the broiler until it gets nice and crunchy.
I like to serve them as a side dish or even a quick breakfast. They only about 30 to 35 minutes from start to finish so you can have them on the table in no time!
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.
To make the hash browns
First, set your Instant Pot to “Sauté” and add the unsalted butter. If you don’t have an Instant Pot branded device then use whatever setting allows you to sauté inside your pressure cooker.
Next, add the onions and cook them until they soften, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then, add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds. Don’t let the garlic over cook or it will become bitter.
Turn off the Instant Pot and add the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Pour in the chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to gently scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan.
Give everything a quick stir then place the steamer basket into the Instant Pot. It should set above the liquid, not in it. Pour the frozen hash browns into the steamer basket.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot, make sure the valve is set to “Sealing”, and set it on Manual/Pressure cook for one minute. Once the dish is done, open the valve do a quick release.
After the pressure has fully released, pour the hash browns into the Instant Pot liner with the onions, garlic, and chicken stock. Slowly stir in the sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.
The hash brown mixture will be creamy in texture. Transfer it to an 8×8-inch baking dish, and prepare the topping.
Make the breadcrumb topping
Preheat the broiler in your oven while you make the topping. You only need to brown the topping, so the baking dish won’t be in the oven for long.
Melt the butter and mix it with breadcrumbs. Try using a fork or even your fingers to properly combine the butter and breadcrumbs.
Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the funeral potatoes and place them under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes or until the topping is golden brown. Don’t leave it unattended at because the topping can easily burn.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or toaster oven for the best texture.
How to Video
Ingredients
Funeral Potatoes
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 26 ounces frozen shredded hash browns
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¾ cup sour cream
Topping
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
💌 Don't forget to save this recipe!
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté, and add the butter. Once melted, add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened.2 tablespoons unsalted butter1 small white onion
- Add the garlic, and cook for 30 seconds. Turn off the Instant Pot, then stir in the salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and chicken broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the liner.4 garlic cloves½ teaspoon salt¼ teaspoon black pepper⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- Place a steamer basket into the Instant Pot, making sure it sits above the liquid. Add the frozen hash browns to the steamer basket.26 ounces frozen shredded hash browns
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, and set the valve to Sealing. Cook on Manual/Pressure Cook for 1 minute. When the cook time is up, carefully open the valve for a quick release.
- After the pressure has fully released, remove the lid. Carefully transfer the hash browns from the steamer basket into the Instant Pot liner with the onion mixture.
- Stir in the sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese until the mixture is creamy and well combined. Transfer the hash brown mixture to an 8×8-inch baking dish.8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese¾ cup sour cream
- Preheat the oven broiler. In a small bowl, mix the melted butter and breadcrumbs until evenly combined.2 tablespoons unsalted butter1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the potatoes. Place the baking dish under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. Watch closely so the topping doesn’t burn.
- Serve as a side dish or for breakfast.
I don’t have a steamer basket but I’m going to try to just cook the hash browns in the instant pot pot and see how that turns out. This looks delicious though. Making it tonight
Good Morning Vanessa, thank you for coming back to comment on and rate the recipe card! Kim and I hope the dish turned out well for you. Have a lovely day 🙂
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
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 🙂
I do not have a steam basket.
What else could I use?
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 🙂
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. ????
Thank you for letting me know, Dayna! Have a lovely day 🙂
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!.
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 🙂
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!
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!.
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.
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!
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!
I love your take on funeral potatoes and even better that they’re made in the instant pot. Genius!
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!!