French Onion Funeral Potatoes

👩‍🍳 Instructions

🔹 Prep the Casserole

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Thaw hash browns completely and pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

🔹 Make the Potato Base

3. In a large bowl, mix hash browns, melted butter, shredded cheddar, and sour cream until well combined. Set aside.

🔹 Prepare the Creamy Sauce

4. In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter until foamy.
5. Add diced onion and sauté until soft and translucent (3–5 minutes).
6. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.
7. Sprinkle flour, salt, pepper, cayenne, and mustard powder over the mixture. Stir constantly to form a roux.
8. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk until smooth.
9. Cook until thickened to a gravy-like consistency (2–3 minutes).
10. Pour sauce over potato mixture and fold gently to coat evenly.

🔹 Bake

11. Spread mixture evenly in prepared dish.
12. Bake uncovered for 45–50 minutes, until bubbly and heated through.

🔹 Make the Crispy Onion Topping

13. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
14. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 350°F.
15. Fry onion rings in batches (about 1 cup at a time) for 2–5 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden brown.
16. Transfer to paper towels and sprinkle with salt while hot. Repeat with remaining onions, letting oil return to temperature between batches.

🔹 Assemble & Serve

17. Once casserole is baked, top immediately with crispy onions.
18. Serve hot while the topping is still crunchy.

🍽️ Tips & Variations

• Make Ahead: Assemble the casserole (without topping) and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking.
• Reheating: Warm leftovers in the oven and re-crisp onions separately if needed.
• Dietary Swaps: Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, or gluten-free flour for the roux.
• Shortcut Version: Use store-bought French fried onions for a faster topping.