Cheesy mashed potato casserole with a crispy cornflake topping! Party potatoes are a perfect make ahead side dish for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and potluck gatherings.
Table of Contents
Looking for other great potato side dishes? You’ll love my great grandmother’s potato pancakes, Aunt Bee’s 3-ingredient easy potato casserole, scalloped potatoes and ham, sweet potato casserole with pecans, and this classic baked potato with crispy skin.
You may have heard of “funeral potatoes,” which are a popular potato casserole typically made with frozen hash browns. I don’t love the idea of a dish named after a funeral gathering, so while this dish is similar to classic funeral potatoes, I prefer to call them party potatoes! After all, you can serve them at any potluck, Sunday supper, or special holiday — including Easter and Christmas. No need to wait until a funeral!
A Few Notes Before You Get Started
- Make sure that your cream cheese, milk, and sour cream are at room temperature. This will help them blend smoothly into the warm potatoes.
- I prefer to use sharp cheddar cheese from a block that I grate by hand (rather than a package of pre-shredded cheese). The block cheddar melts smoother into the potatoes.
- You can prepare party potatoes up to 2 days ahead of time, making them perfect for hosting dinner parties, holidays, and funeral luncheons.
How to Make these Cheesy Potatoes
This cheesy mashed potato casserole is always a crowd-pleaser, and pairs nicely with almost any entree. You’ll find step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Boil peeled, diced russet potatoes until they’re fork-tender. Drain the potatoes and make sure they’re really dry.
- Add the potatoes to a large bowl, along with the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, milk, melted butter, garlic salt, and chives.
- Beat the potato mixture until well blended and fluffy. I use a hand-held electric mixer for this, but you can also use a stand mixer if you prefer.
- Transfer the potatoes to a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
- Sprinkle the buttered Corn Flakes over top.
- Bake for about 30-35 minutes.
- Sprinkle with paprika and garnish with fresh parsley, chives, or green onions just before serving! They’re delicious alongside this fried chicken tenders recipe, smothered chicken, pan fried pork chops, or bourbon glazed ham, too.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: Assemble according to the recipe instructions, cover, and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. When ready to bake, remove the cover and allow the dish to sit on the counter for about 30-60 minutes before baking. If the dish is still cold when it goes in the oven, you may need to extend the baking time slightly.
- How to Freeze Before Baking: Assemble the casserole as instructed, but do not add the Corn Flake topping. Cover tightly and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Allow the dish to sit on the counter for about 30-60 minutes before baking. If the dish is still cold when it goes in the oven, you may need to extend the baking time slightly. Add the topping just before baking.
- How to Store: Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- How to Reheat: Warm individual portions on a covered plate in the microwave for about 30-60 seconds. To reheat a larger dish of potatoes, cover and bake in a 350°F oven for about 20-25 minutes. I like to remove the cover during the final 5 minutes to get the topping crispy again.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Party Potatoes
Prep: 45 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
0 minutes
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
A fluffy, creamy, and cheesy mashed potatoes casserole with a crunchy Corn Flakes topping.
Ingredients
- 6 russet potatoes (about 3 ½ – 4 lbs.), peeled and cubed
- 1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 1 cup (4 ounces) grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces sour cream, at room temperature
- ½ cup milk, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons melted butter, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 2 teaspoons dried minced chives
- 1 cup crushed Corn Flakes cereal (about 1 ¾ cups cereal before crushing)
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh chives, chopped fresh parsley, or sliced green onions
Instructions
- Place potatoes in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain really well, making sure that the potatoes are dry. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. Add cream cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, milk, 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, garlic salt, and chives.
- Beat the potatoes until well blended and fluffy. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as necessary. Transfer the potatoes to a 3-quart baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, toss together Corn Flakes crumbs and remaining 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Sprinkle over top of the potatoes.
- Bake, uncovered, at 350°F for 30-35 minutes, or until the edges are bubbly and the potatoes are heated through. Sprinkle paprika over top, garnish with chives, parsley, or green onions if desired, and serve!
Notes
- Make Ahead: Assemble according to the recipe instructions, cover, and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. When ready to bake, remove the cover and allow the dish to sit on the counter for about 30-60 minutes before baking. If the dish is still cold when it goes in the oven, you may need to extend the baking time slightly.
- How to Freeze Before Baking: Assemble the casserole as instructed, but do not add the Corn Flake topping. Cover tightly and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw in the fridge overnight. Allow the dish to sit on the counter for about 30-60 minutes before baking. If the dish is still cold when it goes in the oven, you may need to extend the baking time slightly. Add the topping just before baking.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/10 of the casseroleCalories: 327.9kcalCarbohydrates: 35.4gProtein: 10.2gFat: 17.3gSaturated Fat: 10.7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.6gMonounsaturated Fat: 3.9gCholesterol: 55.1mgSodium: 364.1mgPotassium: 738.4mgFiber: 2.3gSugar: 4.7g
Recipe Variations
- Serving a smaller family? If you don’t need a big pan of these potatoes for a party, you can cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the casserole in an 8-inch square dish. The rest of the cooking instructions remain the same.
- For even more flavor, add about 4 slices of cooked, crispy, crumbled bacon to the top of your casserole just before serving.
- Use frozen shredded hash brown potatoes to make a similar cheesy hash brown casserole with cream of chicken soup (sometimes called funeral potatoes). That dish is even quicker and easier since you don’t have to boil the potatoes.
- Swap out the Corn Flakes topping and use coarsely crushed potato chips instead.
More Potato Recipes to Try
This recipe was originally published in March, 2020. It was updated in October, 2024.
OMG these look heavenly!! Comfort food for sure! Thanks 🙂
Total comfort food! Thanks, Tess!