Potato Bread

This Potato Bread recipe makes a soft and fluffy loaf of homemade bread perfect for sandwiches or serving with soup.

What is Potato Bread?

Although there are many types of potato bread, this version is similar to white bread but sturdier and perfect for gourmet sandwiches or fresh from the oven with a thick smear of homemade honey butter.

Flavor: Soft, fluffy, and slightly buttery with a hint of sweetness—perfect for sandwiches or toasting!
Recommended Tools: Stand mixer with a dough hook, loaf pans, and a kitchen thermometer to check water temp.
Serving Suggestions: Slather with butter, make a next-level sandwich, or serve alongside soup!
Yield: Makes two soft and fluffy loaves.
Freezing: Let cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 6 weeks. Thaw at room temperature and enjoy!

Ingredients to make potato bread labelled: flour, butter, salt, sugar, potatoes, yeast, and milk

Ingredient Tips For Potato Bread

Potatoes: Use Russet potatoes or baking potatoes because of their high starch content. Other varieties will work, including leftover mashed potatoes without added moisture.
Yeast: This recipe uses active dry yeast and has not been tested with other kinds of yeast.
Flour: Regular all-purpose white flour creates the best texture and flavor when paired with starchy potatoes.
Sugar/Butter/Milk: Full-fat milk and butter add in flavor, color, and help with the rise of the dough.

PRO TIP: Heat the milk until tiny bubbles form along the sides of the pot, then remove from the heat. This is called scalding and while optional, results in a better rise.

potato bread ingredients in a mixing bowl

How to Make Potato Bread

Prepare potatoes and scald the milk (full recipe below).
Whisk potato water with sugar and add yeast.
In a mixer combine potatoes, milk, butter, salt, flour, and the yeast mixture. Knead.
Cover and allow the dough to rise. Add to loaf pans and rise again.
Bake until the tops are golden brown. Cool before slicing.

Storage

Store in an airtight container on the counter. For longer storage, potato bread can be refrigerated. Freeze a cooled loaf or slices for up to 6 weeks in zippered bags. Use leftover potato bread to make homemade breadcrumbs or croutons.

More Bread Recipes

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4.88 from 33 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Homemade potato bread turns out perfectly light & fluffy every time!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Rise Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes

Servings 24 slices

Mash Potatoes

Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a saucepan and add water to cover 1-inch above the potatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until potatoes are tender. Reserve 1 cup of the potato water and let cool slightly.
Drain potatoes well and mash until very smooth, cool slightly. You’ll need 1 cup of mashed potatoes.

Scald the Milk

Meanwhile, place the milk in a saucepan and heat just until the milk forms bubbles along the side of the pot or until it reaches 181°F on a thermometer. Allow the milk to cool to 105-110°F (it should be warm but not really hot).

Prepare the Dough

Combine the reserved warm potato water (1 cup) with sugar. Sprinkle yeast over top and let sit for 10 minutes or until foamy.
In a large bowl or a mixer with a dough hook, combine mashed potatoes, warm milk, melted butter, salt, 4 ½ cups of flour, and the yeast mixture. Mix on medium-low until combined.
Continue adding flour, a bit at a time until the dough pulls away from the bowl. Allow to knead in the mixer on low until smooth and glossy, about 5-7 minutes.
Place in a greased bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Divide dough in half, place each half into a greased (or parchment-lined) 9×5 loaf pan. Allow to rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the bread until golden on top, about 45-55 minutes.

This recipe makes 2 loaves, 12 slices in each loaf.
Notes
Scalding milk means it is heated just below boiling. I use an instant-read thermometer but if you don’t have one, heat the milk just until small bubbles form along the sides of the pot. As soon as you see small bubbles on the side, remove it from the heat. Scalding the milk helps the bread rise better as it denatures some of the proteins.
If the bread begins to brown too much, loosely cover with foil.
Leftover potato bread will keep in wrapped in the refrigerator for 5 days. It can be frozen and will keep in the freezer for 6 weeks.

4.88 from 33 votes

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Bread

Cuisine American

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Recipe slightly adapted Knott, Opal. “Potato Yeast Bread”. Recipe. Favorite Eastern Star Recipes. Nashville, TN, 1968. 311. Print.