This may be the perfect sandwich bread! This Potato Bread is made with mashed potatoes which make for a loaf of bread that is sturdy, yet soft and fluffy.
Homemade bread is one of my favorite things ever! From French Bread to Hawaiian Bread to Brioche Bread, I love how easy it is to make at home!
As much as I love a good loaf of traditional White Bread, I think I will always love potato bread just a little bit more.
If you’ve never had potato bread before – don’t worry. It doesn’t taste like potatoes! The potatoes make the bread moist and soft and give it the most wonderful texture. It is still a soft bread, but is not super delicate, so it is great for sandwiches and toast.
I could definitely get behind a slice of buttered potato bread toast for breakfast each day!
Ingredients
Potatoes: My favorite potatoes to use in this bread are russet potatoes. Weigh the peeled, diced potatoes – you will need about 12 oz, which will usually be 1-2 potatoes.
Water: You’ll use the water to cook the potatoes, but then you’ll save the water and use it in the bread, as well.
Salt: You’ll need salt for both boiling the potatoes and to put into the bread. I like to use kosher salt in this recipe.
Yeast: I use active dry yeast. Rapid rise should work, as well.
Flour: I usually use all-purpose flour, but for a bread with a little more chew, you can use bread flour.
Butter: You’ll just need about a tablespoon of butter. Make sure it is at room temperature so it blends in easily.
How to Make Potato Bread
1: First step is to boil your potatoes in the water, with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cook until the potatoes are tender enough to be poked with a fork.
2: Drain the potatoes, but don’t discard the water! I like to use a small strainer over a large liquid measuring cup. The mash your potatoes. I have a potato ricer which works perfectly for this recipe, since you’ll want the potatoes to be very smooth.
3: Place the potatoes in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. (For instructions on how to make by hand, read below!) Add the reserved potato water. You’ll need 3 cups of water, so if you didn’t end up with 3 cups of water left, add more water to get there. Let this cool until lukewarm.
4: Sprinkle the yeast in and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
5: Mix in 2 cups of the flour and the salt, then let the mixture sit for another 5 minutes.
6: Add another cup of flour and the butter.
7: Mix this all together to combine, then switch over to the dough hook.
8: Continue adding flour until the dough starts to come together. It will still be a bit sticky at this point, but shouldn’t be overly sticky. Let the dough knead for 6-8 minutes.
9: Flour a surface and form the dough into a large ball.
10: Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover.
11: Let it rise until doubled.
12: Once doubled, punch the dough down and turn out onto a floured surface.
13: Divide the dough in half. Roll the first piece of dough into a large rectangle or oval, about 12×5-inches.
14: Roll the dough tightly.
15: Place the dough in a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan, tucking under the edges as needed. Repeat with the second piece of dough.
16: Let the loaves rise until doubled, then bake until golden brown and cooked through.
How to Make Without a Mixer
A stand mixer will make this a bit easier, but it is definitely not required!
To make without a stand mixer, use a large bowl to mix your ingredients. I like to use a wooden spoon to start the mixing. Keep the mixture in the bowl until you have added about 5 cups of the flour. Then pour it out onto a very well floured counter.
Knead the dough, continuing to add flour, until the dough is tacky by not overly sticky. You may need to use a dough scraper to help while you are incorporating the flour. Once you have finished adding flour, knead the dough for about 10 minutes.
How to Store and Freeze
This bread is best stored at room temperature in a bread bag. You can usually find bread bags pretty easily at the grocery store or online.
You can also freeze this bread, which is great since it makes 2 loaves. I like to wrap the fully cooled loaf in foil, then place it in a freezer safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 6 months. Let the bread thaw at room temperature while still wrapped for best results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use leftover mashed potatoes?
Yes! You’ll need about 3/4 cup to 1 cup of potatoes. And it’s ok if they have milk and butter incorporated.
Can you use instant potatoes?
They should work as well. You’ll want to reconstitute them before adding them, though, and again will need about 3/4 cup of prepared potatoes.
Can you use other kinds of potatoes?
Most potato varieties should work, but because they all have different moisture levels, you may need more or less flour.
Can you use whole wheat flour in potato bread?
I have not tested this recipe with whole wheat flour, but I think you should be able to successfully replace 1/2 of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.
More Homemade Bread Recipes
Focaccia Bread Recipe
Butternut Squash Bread
Artisan Bread Recipe
Polenta Bread
Dinner Rolls Recipe
Potato Bread
Ingredients
- 12 oz potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 7 1/2 cups to 8 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with the 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then add 1 teaspoon of the salt and cook, halfway covering the pan, until the potatoes are very tender.
- Drain the potatoes, but save the water you boiled the potatoes in. Mash the potatoes well. (If you have a food mill or potato ricer, this would be a good time to use it. You want the potatoes to be very smooth.)
- Measure the reserved potato water. You’ll need 3 cups of water, so if you are short, add more water to equal 3 cups.
- Place the mashed potatoes and the 3 cups of water in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let it cool until it is lukewarm - between 70ºF and 80ºF.
- Once the potato mixture has cooled to lukewarm, stir in the yeast. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
- Stir 2 cups of flour in plus the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt, then let the mixture sit another 5 minutes.
- Add the softened butter and 1 more cup of flour. Mix to combine, then mix in another 2 cups of the all-purpose flour. Mix until fully incorporated.
- If using a mixer, switch to the dough hook and continue to add flour, letting the dough mix well, until the dough is very soft. You will need to add between 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups more flour. Knead the dough for 6-8 minutes.
- If making by hand, pour the dough out onto a generously floured surface. Knead the dough, adding flour as you do, until the dough is very soft. The dough will start out very sticky, so you may need a dough scraper to keep the surface clean. Once the dough is not too sticky to knead, knead the dough for about 10 minutes.
- Once the dough is mixed, place it in a large bowl that has been oiled. Turn to coat, then cover and let the dough rise until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
- Once risen, turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for a few minutes. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions.
- Spray 2 9x5-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll the dough out into a large rectangle or oval, about 12x8-inches. Roll the dough to form a loaf. Pinch the seams together and tuck the ends under. Place in one of the prepared loaf pans. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
- Cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and let it rise until puffy, about 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place the loaves in the oven and bake until golden brown with an internal temperature between 190º and 200ºF, about 45 minutes.
sher says
Very, very cool! This post and your bread are wonderful!
Ami says
I bow before the Potato Bread Master! Nice work!
Lesley says
Your bread looks so nice, very professional!!!
Jen Yu says
Oh wow, those look delectable. Wonderful job there – you bake like a pro 🙂
Bev and Ollie "O" says
I couldn’t remember if I had left you a message.
Your bread looks wonderful and I love your changing image at the bottom.
Jenn says
Parmesan sounds like a great topping! Great job, your bread looks beautiful !
Courtney says
wow this is beautiful, i am going to make it again since so many people have raved about it. i think the only potato bread that i had was from the store and i wasn’t a fan so you convinced me to make another loaf and try it
Nora B. says
Your breads look terrific. I will also make this again for foccacia. It’s it amazing how quickly the dough was rising?