My aunt brought this to every single family gathering for 30 years and refused to share the recipe. Turns out it only takes 3 ingredients and tastes like pure comfort.

My Aunt Louise brought these potatoes to every single church supper, funeral lunch, and baby shower for over 30 years. She guarded the recipe like it was buried treasure, shooing us grandkids out of the kitchen whenever she made it. When I finally watched closely enough to figure it out, I just about laughed—three ingredients, a slow cooker, and a little patience. What comes out is the kind of creamy, cheesy, golden-topped comfort that tastes like home, the sort of dish that sits quietly on the buffet table and somehow always disappears first.

Serve these slow cooker funeral potatoes right from the crock on potluck tables, holiday spreads, or any Sunday dinner. They’re perfect alongside ham, roast beef, meatloaf, or fried chicken, and they cozy up nicely to green beans, buttered corn, or a simple lettuce salad. A pan of warm dinner rolls or soft bread to swipe through the creamy edges never hurts. If you’re feeding a crowd, pair them with a simple protein like baked chicken and a big bowl of fruit salad and you’ll have a meal that feels like every good Midwestern gathering rolled into one plate.

Servings: 10-12

1 (32-ounce) bag frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed

Lightly grease a large slow cooker (5- to 6-quart) with nonstick spray or a little butter so the potatoes don’t stick too badly around the edges.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the thawed shredded hash brown potatoes, both cans of condensed cream of chicken soup, and 2 1/2 cups of the shredded cheddar cheese. Mix until everything is evenly coated and no dry pockets of potato remain.

Spoon the potato mixture into the prepared slow cooker and spread it out into an even layer, pressing gently so it fills the corners but without packing it down too tightly.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top. This will melt and brown a bit to give you that golden, cozy look and a lightly crisped top edge.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the potatoes are tender and the edges are bubbling and lightly browned. Avoid lifting the lid too often so the heat stays steady.

Once the center is hot and the cheese on top is melted and golden around the edges, turn the slow cooker to WARM for serving. Let the casserole sit with the lid off for about 10 to 15 minutes if you’d like the very top to dry and firm just slightly while the edges stay bubbly and cheesy.

Serve straight from the slow cooker with a big spoon, making sure to scoop down to get some of the browned, cheesy edges with each portion. Any leftovers should be cooled, then refrigerated and reheated thoroughly before serving again.

To keep this true to my aunt’s spirit, the base stays at three ingredients, but you can dress it up if you don’t mind breaking the spell. For a more traditional crispy topping, you can crush 2 cups of plain cornflakes with 1/4 cup melted butter and sprinkle it over the cheese layer before cooking; it will toast and crisp up around the edges in the slow cooker, especially if you crack the lid for the last 20 minutes on HIGH. If you’d like a little onion flavor without adding more ingredients, use a sharp cheddar or an extra-sharp cheddar, which gives more depth without complicating the recipe. You can also swap one can of cream of chicken soup for cream of mushroom or cream of celery if that’s what you have on hand; the texture will be the same, but the flavor will shift slightly. For a firmer casserole, be sure your hash browns are fully thawed and well-drained so excess ice doesn’t water things down. Food safety tips: Always keep the casserole out of the temperature danger zone—don’t leave it on the counter for more than 2 hours. When using frozen hash browns, thaw them in the refrigerator or in the microwave, not on the counter. Make sure the potatoes are heated all the way through to a safe serving temperature (165°F in the center) before turning the slow cooker to WARM. Leftovers should be cooled quickly, stored in shallow containers in the refrigerator, and eaten within 3 to 4 days, reheated until piping hot. If you’re cooking for someone who can’t have chicken, choose a different condensed cream soup that fits their needs and double-check labels for allergens like gluten or dairy.