Crockpot Funeral Potatoes

Bowl of cheesy funeral potatoes on a napkin.

4.88 from 16 votes

Rich and creamy, crock pot cheesy hashbrown casserole is a popular potluck side dish. Use your slow cooker to make this delicious hash brown casserole!

Prep Time10

Cook Time3 30

Total Time3 40

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 378kcal

Author: Renae Gerhardstein

Equipment

crock pot (slow cooker)

Ingredients

½ cup melted butter
30 ounces shredded hash browns fresh or thawed from frozen
½ cup yellow onion peeled and finely chopped
12 ounces Colby jack cheese freshly shredded (3 cups shredded), divided
2 cups sour cream
4 ounces cream cheese softened
1 packet dry ranch dressing mix *See recipe Notes on making dry ranch seasoning yourself
¼ teaspoon black pepper

garnish

½ cup thinly sliced green onions green part only

Instructions

Prepare the slow cooker by spraying the liner with non-stick cooking spray.
To a very large mixing bowl, add melted butter, hash browns, yellow onion, 2 1/2 cups of shredded cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, dry ranch dressing, and pepper.
Pour the mixture into the prepared crock pot. Cover and cook on high power for 3 1/2 hours, or low power for 5-6 hours.
**Check on it every 2 hours (if possible) as some slow cookers cook hotter and faster than others.
Just before serving, garnish the top of the funeral potatoes with the remaining 1/2 cup of grated cheese and the sliced green onions.

Notes

Whether fresh or frozen, DO NOT RINSE the hash browns. Shredded potatoes will soak up the water and release moisture into your casserole. No one wants that!

Recipe Variations:

Mix in some chopped cooked bacon or crumbled sausage for a hearty breakfast casserole with ham and cheese.
Stir in a can of green chiles or diced jalapeños for a bit of spice.
Add some frozen corn, diced bell peppers, or other veggies to make it a complete meal.
Use gluten-free hash browns to make this slow cooker dish gluten-free.

Homemade Ranch Dressing Seasoning:

Add the following to a small bowl and stir well with a spoon to combine.

2 tablespoons buttermilk powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried chives
2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried dill

Storing Instructions:

For the easiest prep and reheating, we highly recommend you use a foil pan to make and freeze the casserole.
That way, you can quickly go from freezer to oven!
Make the Instant Pot cheesy potatoes casserole recipe as instructed, but do not bake. Instead, wrap the casserole with a layer or two of foil and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Bake from frozen (uncovered) in a 375°F oven as directed in the original recipe, but add another 15 minutes to the cooking time.

Make Ahead Instructions:

To make the dish in advance and freeze it for up to 3 months, we recommend that you place it in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag. About 24 hours before you want to cook it, transfer the freezer bag of funeral potatoes to the fridge to thaw.
After thawing, add the contents to the crockpot and cook according to the instructions shown above.

Alternatively, assemble the casserole as directed and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Then, follow the cooking instructions shown above.

Nutrition