The accidentally vegan casserole taking over (and winning) Midwest potlucks

Last month, my cousin brought what she called "funeral potatoes" to our family reunion in Des Moines. By the time I reached the buffet table, the casserole dish was scraped clean, with three people asking for the recipe. The kicker? Nobody realized it was vegan—not even my cousin who made it. She'd simply run out of sour cream and improvised with what she had. When I told her later, she just shrugged: "Well, that explains why I felt better after eating them."

How frozen hash browns became potluck gold

This isn't your typical plant-based showpiece. No cashew cream, no nutritional yeast fanfare. It's built from ingredients that already live in most pantries—the kinds of substitutions people make without thinking when they're out of something. The magic happens when frozen hash browns meet cream of mushroom soup (Campbell's makes a plant-based version now, found at most Kroger and Walmart stores, sitting right next to the regular cans), topped with those crispy fried onions everyone hoards after Thanksgiving.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds (900g) frozen hash browns, thawed
• 1 can (10.5 oz) plant-based cream of mushroom soup (Campbell's or Pacific Foods)
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil or vegan butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 cups French's Original crispy fried onions (check label—most original varieties are vegan, avoid cheddar or bacon versions)
• Fresh chives for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Yield: One 9x13 inch pan
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves: 8-10 as a side dish (about 3/4 cup per serving)

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with oil or vegan butter.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until translucent and starting to caramelize at the edges, about 6-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
3. In a large bowl, combine the thawed hash browns (squeeze out excess moisture with a clean kitchen towel first—this prevents mushiness), cream of mushroom soup, vegetable broth, cooked onions and garlic, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Mix until everything is evenly coated but don't overmix into mush.
4. Spread the mixture evenly in your prepared baking dish. Don't pack it down—you want some texture variation for crispy bits.
5. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes until the edges start turning golden.
6. Top with crispy fried onions and bake for another 15 minutes until the top is golden brown and the edges are bubbling. The center should feel set but creamy when you insert a knife—not liquid, not stiff.
7. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving (this helps it set and makes it easier to serve intact portions). Garnish with fresh chives if they're handy.

The finished casserole delivers everything people expect from funeral potatoes: creamy interior, crispy top, and that particular comfort that makes people return for seconds before asking what's in it.

Why this works at every table

The genius isn't in hiding the vegan aspect—it's that this casserole never needed dairy to begin with. The cream of mushroom soup provides richness, the starchy potatoes create their own creamy texture when baked, and those fried onions deliver the crunch everyone fights over. At roughly $8 to make the entire pan (often less than versions using sour cream and cheese), economics alone keep people interested.

My neighbor Sharon, who proudly serves ham at Easter and turkey at Thanksgiving, now makes this for every church potluck. She discovered the plant-based soup was often cheaper than regular and hasn't looked back. Her husband doesn't know. Her church friends don't know. They just know they like Sharon's potato casserole better than the four other versions that show up.

Making it your own

Some successful variations I've witnessed in the wild: adding frozen corn and diced jalapeños for a southwestern version, stirring in leftover roasted vegetables, or mixing in a cup of shredded vegan cheese if you want to be obvious about it. For breakfast, reheat a square and top with hot sauce and everything bagel seasoning—surprisingly perfect with coffee. The base is forgiving—treat it like a blank canvas for whatever needs using up.

Storage: Keeps covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat covered at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through, about 20 minutes. The top won't be as crispy, but nobody seems to mind leftovers for breakfast.

Make-ahead tip: Assemble everything except the fried onion topping, cover and refrigerate overnight. Add 10 minutes to the baking time if going straight from fridge to oven.

Finding ingredients: Campbell's Well Yes! Plant-Based Cream of Mushroom soup is available at most major grocery chains. Pacific Foods and Amy's also make vegan versions. For the fried onions, French's Original is vegan, but always check labels—avoid flavored varieties.

The thing about accidental classics

Sometimes the best dishes aren't trying to prove anything. This casserole wins potlucks not because it's vegan, but because it's the one people go back for seconds on. It just happens to be made without dairy—a detail that matters to some and goes completely unnoticed by others. Either way, everyone gets to eat it. And maybe that's the whole point—when food is good enough, categories stop mattering.