Golden White Potatoes (Cheesy Potatoes)

The OG?

I wasn’t surprised to find this recipe in Grandma’s box. I was surprised by its name. Today, we call this dish either Cheesy Potatoes or Funeral Potatoes, a nod to their appearance at nearly every funeral luncheon in Utah. This dish also sits prominently alongside ham at large church gatherings and Easter dinners.  

The recipe in Grandma’s box is probably one of the original versions. I say this because it calls for cooked and grated potatoes instead of the frozen hash browns almost everyone uses today. Yes, I had made the vow to make every recipe in Grandma’s box as written, but I’d already decided long ago that frozen hash browns work better. They hold up firmly instead of turning to mush as the potatoes bake. 

 Grandma’s recipe was slightly different from the one I usually use. Mine calls for two cans of soup instead of one, and it’s topped with more cheese instead of buttery cornflakes. Would this recipe hold its own against the tried and true one in my digital box? That would be the test. 

How to Make Golden White Potatoes aka Cheesy Potatoes

The reason this dish has lasted so long must be because of how easy it is to make. First, I poured the frozen hash browns into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.

I then stirred together the sauce, which is these three simple ingredients plus some butter.  

While the butter melted in a saucepan, I measured the cheese and opened the other containers. 

 Over medium heat, I stirred the butter, soup, and sour cream together. 

I then added the cheese.

Once the sauce was hot and the cheese melted, I poured it over the hash browns and stirred it all together. 

I didn't add the green onions listed in the recipe because I knew that several onion haters would be attending our meal. I had some cornflake crumbs on hand so making the topping was a cinch. After mixing the crumbs with some melted butter, I sprinkled them over the top. 

The golden cornflake topping must be the reason for this dish's name. Even unbaked it looked pretty, which is a good thing because that’s the last picture I got. We hurried off to–-you guessed it-–Easter dinner as soon as the potatoes came out of the oven, and I didn’t have a chance to snap another photo. You’ll just have to trust me that they looked delicious in their hot and bubbly state. 

But what about the taste?

The Verdict

There’s a reason this dish has staying power. It's hard to beat its rich, creamy, cheesy goodness. The toasted cornflake topping added a nice crunch that a simple cheese topping just doesn’t have. Every bit of it was devoured, which pretty much says it all. 

If you don't already have a recipe for this ever-popular dish, grab this one by clicking on the link below the recipe card.