Lightened-Up Funeral Potatoes (Printer-friendly)

Cheesy shredded potatoes with Greek yogurt sauce and a crunchy cornflake topping for a lighter comfort dish.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Potato Base

01 - 1 (28 oz) bag frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
02 - 1½ cups reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
03 - ½ cup diced yellow onion
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
06 - ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Lightened Sauce

07 - 1½ cups plain Greek yogurt (2% or nonfat)
08 - ¾ cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
10 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
11 - ½ teaspoon onion powder
12 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder

→ Topping

13 - 2 cups cornflakes, lightly crushed
14 - 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add diced onion and cook until softened, approximately 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
03 - Sprinkle flour over the onion mixture and stir constantly for 1 minute.
04 - Gradually whisk in chicken or vegetable broth until smooth and thickened, approximately 2–3 minutes.
05 - Remove from heat and stir in Greek yogurt, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until creamy and combined.
06 - In a large bowl, combine thawed hash browns, shredded cheddar cheese, and the yogurt sauce. Stir until well mixed.
07 - Spread the potato mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.
08 - In a small bowl, toss crushed cornflakes with melted butter. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the casserole.
09 - Bake uncovered for 40–45 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown on top.
10 - Let cool for 5–10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like the comfort food you grew up with, except your body will actually thank you afterward.
  • The Greek yogurt makes the sauce tangy and creamy without any weird aftertaste or graininess.
  • You can have this ready to bake in under twenty minutes, which saves your sanity on busy nights.
02 -
  • If you don't squeeze the moisture out of the thawed potatoes, your casserole will be watery and the topping won't crisp up—I learned this the embarrassing way at a potluck.
  • Don't skip the roux step; it's what makes the Greek yogurt sauce actually coat the potatoes instead of sliding to the bottom of the dish.
  • The cornflakes only stay crispy for an hour or so after baking, so if you're making this ahead, store the topping separately and add it ten minutes before serving.
03 -
  • Crush the cornflakes by hand right before you use them instead of crushing them ahead of time; they stay crispier and don't turn to dust.
  • If your Greek yogurt is very thick, whisk it with a splash of the broth first to loosen it before adding it to the warm skillet—this prevents lumps and makes it mix in smoothly.
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