Easy Potato Bread

Written by
Elizabeth Yetter
Bread expert Elizabeth Yetter has been baking bread for more than 20 years, bringing her Pennsylvania Dutch Country experiences to life through recipes.
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Elizabeth Yetter
Updated 07/12/19
Potato Bread Recipe

 The Spruce
  • Total: 3 hrs 25 mins
  • Prep: 2 hrs 45 mins
  • Cook: 40 mins
  • Servings: 24 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
79 Calories
5g Fat
8g Carbs
1g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 79
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 6%
Saturated Fat 3g 13%
Cholesterol 28mg 9%
Sodium 164mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Protein 1g
Calcium 13mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Thick and moist, freshly baked potato bread tastes nothing like grocery store potato rolls. Good for soaking up the juices of pulled pork, meatballs, or stews, this tasty bread also works well in grilled cheese or nut butter and jelly sandwiches. Toast it and spread butter on it for breakfast, make French toast for brunch, or add slices of prosciutto and brie for a simple dinner.

This dough can be made into braided bread and keeps well when frozen. You can use leftover mashed potatoes or mix up a cup’s worth of instant mashed potatoes. Either way, you'll end up with two loaves of bread to enjoy.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup mashed potatoes (fresh or instant)
  • 2 eggs (beaten)
  • 1/2 cup butter (softened)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  •  2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast 
  • 1/2 cup filtered water (warm)
  • 5 cups bread flour
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • Optional: egg substitute instead of 2 eggs

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Potato Bread Recipe ingredients
     The Spruce

  2. In a large bowl, mix together the mashed potatoes, beaten eggs, and softened butter.

    Potato Bread Recipe
     The Spruce

  3. Stir in the sugar, salt, yeast, and warm filtered or bottled water. Do not use tap water; the chemicals in it can kill the yeast and disrupt the proofing (rising) process.

    Potato Bread Recipe
    The Spruce

  4. Mix in the flour until the dough can be easily kneaded by hand. Start by sifting in one cup and add the rest of the flour one cup at the time until the desired consistency is achieved.

    Potato Bread Recipe
     The Spruce

  5. Turn the dough out onto a floured board or surface and knead it until it is smooth and elastic. Kneading helps develop the gluten and create long strands, which make the end product more springy.

    Potato Bread Recipe
     The Spruce

  6. Grease a bowl with olive oil. Flip the dough over inside the bowl so the dough's top is also lightly greased. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 1 to 2 hours, until double in bulk. Putting it in the warmest place in your kitchen helps it to rise.

    Potato Bread Recipe
     The Spruce

  7. Punch down the dough by making a fist and pressing firmly in the center of the dough.

    Potato Bread Recipe
     The Spruce

  8. Fold the edges of the dough into the center of the bowl to form a ball. Turn out onto a lightly-floured board and briefly knead out bubbles.

    Potato Bread Recipe
     The Spruce

  9. Divide dough in half and make two loaves.

    Potato Bread Recipe
     The Spruce

  10. Place loaves in two greased 8 x 4 x 2-inch bread pans. Cover and let the dough rise a second time for 40 minutes or until doubled.

    Potato Bread Recipe
     The Spruce

  11. Bake at 375 F for 40 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when the top is tapped.

    Potato Bread Recipe
     The Spruce

  12. Remove ​the loaves and let them cool.

    Potato Bread Recipe
     The Spruce

  13. To freeze, let loaves cool completely before bagging and freezing.

  14. Enjoy with the toppings or your choice!

    Potato Bread Recipe
     The Spruce

Bread Flour Vs. All-Purpose Flour

Bread flour has a higher amount of gluten than all-purpose flour. This means that bread made with bread flour will rise higher than bread made with all-purpose flour. You can make your own bread flour by adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of gluten to each cup of all-purpose flour you use in your bread recipe.

Bread Crust 101

For the crust of your dreams, remember that:

  • Spraying loaves with water while they bake produces a crispy crust.
  • Brushing loaves with egg whites before baking produces a shiny crust.
  • Brushing loaves with milk before baking produces a dark, shiny crust.
  • Brushing loaves with butter immediately after baking produces a soft crust.