Classic party potatoes get a major flavor boost

Sometimes they’re called party potatoes, sometimes they’re called funeral potatoes, but no matter what you call them, this underrated side dish always seems to steal the show. Who can turn down cheesy, buttery potatoes with crunchy cereal on top? Although I’d put recipes using canned soup in the same category as jello mold meals from the 70’s, there’s no denying the warm feeling these transformed frozen potatoes give me.

With the fear of screwing up this classic, I brainstormed a bunch of ways to enhance this already iconic recipe. Add more veggies? Waffle it? Then it hit me like a 32 oz bag of frozen hash browns: caramelized onions.

Jammy, flavorful caramelized onions turn this suburban potluck specialty into something that is, dare I say, gourmet? This addition pairs perfectly with the classic ingredients without being too overpowering, so even your great uncle who hates flavor will be pleasantly surprised when you bring this out during the holidays.

If you’re short for time, caramelize the onions ahead of time and store in the fridge 1-2 days in advance before baking the potatoes. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to three days (if you don’t finish it in one sitting), and simply reheat in the oven or microwave!

Caramelized Onion Party Potatoes

Serves: 6
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 75 minutes

Ingredients

Caramelized onions:

1 tbsp butter
2 onions, finely sliced into thin strips
Water
Salt

Potatoes:

32 oz bag off frozen cubed potatoes, thawed
1/2 cup of butter, melted
1 tsp salt
1 can of cream of mushroom soup (10.75 oz)
1 cup of sour cream
2 cups of yellow or white cheddar cheese, shredded
2 caramelized onions, roughly chopped

Topping:

1/4 cup of butter, melted
2 cups of corn flakes, roughly chopped/crushed

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly oil a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Caramelize onions: melt butter in a heavy-bottomed pan over high heat. Add onions and stir frequently for about five minutes, until the bottom of the pan begins to form a glaze. Add 2 tablespoons of water at a time to deglaze the pan, and continue stirring and adding water until the onions are completely softened and dark brown, about 15 minutes. Once finished cooking, season with salt and roughly chop. Set aside.

3. Combine all of the potato ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir until combined.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the topping ingredients until all the cornflakes are coated in butter.

5. Transfer the potato mix to the baking dish and spread into an even layer. Top with the corn flakes and bake for 45 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.