Vegan Funeral Potatoes

Church potlucks. Family gatherings. The perfect cheesy potatoes to bring over to a neighbor going through something. That’s right, I’m talking about funeral potatoes (or in this case, vegan funeral potatoes!). And this vegan funeral potatoes recipe has it all–cornflakes, a homemade vegan cheesy sauce, and hash brown potatoes. It’s hearty, savory, and delicious. It would work awesome as a side dish for Thanksgiving or any time you’re in the mood for a vegan cheesy potato casserole.

It is so easy to put together, but does take some time to bake (40-45 minutes). If you don’t have access to a high speed blender (like a Vitamix or Ninja), you can still make this recipe. Just soak the raw cashews in water for 4-6 hours, drain off the water, and use them in a regular blender.

So, what are funeral potatoes? They’re a crowd-pleasing cheesy hash brown casserole that got their name, because they are often served at after-funeral gatherings. It is especially popular with folks in the U.S. Midwest and Intermountain West.

Whether it’s your first time or ten thousandth time, I really appreciate you visiting Ugly Vegan Kitchen, and hope you enjoy this vegan cheesy potato casserole recipe 💚

Love casseroles? Check out more UVK recipes, like Vegan Green Bean Casserole, Vegan Southwestern Casserole with Soy Curls, Sweet Corn and Hash Browns, or Vegan Spinach Mushroom Wild Rice Casserole. And don’t miss tasty cheesy recipes, like Vegan Cheesy Grits or Vegan Cheesy Potato and Bacon Pierogi.

Vegan Funeral Potatoes

2 cups chopped sweet onion

4 garlic cloves, chopped

8 Tbsp vegan butter

⅔ cup chopped carrots

2 cups fake chicken broth

1 cup raw whole cashews

¼ cup nutritional yeast

1 tsp white miso

1 tsp lemon juice

½ tsp dijon mustard

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp garlic powder

32 ounce package of frozen cubed hashbrowns

3 cups gluten free cornflakes

Salt, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Grease a 9″ X 13″ casserole dish. Set aside.

2. Let’s start with making the cheesy sauce for the vegan funeral potatoes. In a large pot, add onions, garlic, 2 Tbsp vegan butter and a dash of salt. Sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until the onions become golden. Add the carrots, and sauté another 2 minutes.

3. Add the broth to the pot, cover with a lid, and simmer for 5 minutes. Then, add the contents of the pot to a high speed blender (like a Vitamix).

4. Add raw cashews, nutritional yeast, white miso, lemon juice, dijon, onion powder, and garlic powder to the high speed blender. Blend everything together until completely smooth. Taste the vegan cheesy sauce, and adjust seasonings, if needed (more salt?).

5. Pour the vegan cheesy sauce into a large mixing bowl, and then, add the frozen cubed hash brown potatoes. Mix together.

6. Spread the vegan funeral potatoes mixture across the casserole dish in an even layer (see photo above).

7. Melt the remaining 6 Tbsp of vegan butter. Add to a mixing bowl, then add the cornflakes. Mix together until the cornflakes are coated. Not quite coated enough? Add a little more melted vegan butter and mix again.

8. Layer the cornflakes over the vegan funeral potatoes mixture in the casserole dish (see photo above). Bake at 350º F for 40-50 minutes. Remove the vegan funeral potatoes from oven, and serve.