Looking for the perfect homemade bread for sandwiches and toasting? This Soft & Sliceable Potato Bread is ideal. Begin the dough in the morning and your fresh loaves will be ready by lunchtime—soft, tender, and easy to slice.
Ingredients for your Soft & Sliceable Potato Bread
- Russet potato – Peeled and cut into medium chunks. Their high starch content yields a dry, fluffy texture when cooked, which works best in this recipe.
- Milk – Whole milk is recommended for richness; reduced-fat milk also works.
- Salt – Fine table salt is fine.
- Granulated sugar – Adds a touch of sweetness and helps activate the yeast.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Use a high-quality single-source EVOO when possible.
- Instant yeast – Instant yeast can be mixed directly with the flour; check the expiration date before using.
- Flour – Unbleached all-purpose flour is used here. If measuring by volume, note that different brands weigh differently; weighing flour is more reliable.
An important note on flour measurements
Weighing flour gives consistent results. If you must use cups, gently spoon flour into the cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag. Different brands and regions report different weights per cup for all-purpose flour, so when you find a flour you like, note its weight per cup for best consistency.
Prepare the potatoes
- Add the peeled, cubed potatoes to a pot of lightly salted water.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, until tender.
- Drain and mash with a fork or masher. You will need about 1 cup (8 ounces) of mashed potato for the dough.
Alternatives: Potato flakes can be rehydrated to yield 1 cup of mashed potatoes, or you can use leftover mashed potatoes, keeping in mind very creamy mashed potatoes may alter dough texture.
Warm the milk and combine ingredients
- Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and add the salt and sugar.
- Heat over medium until bubbles form at the edges, then remove from heat and stir until salt and sugar dissolve.
- Stir in the olive oil and mashed potatoes, whisking until smooth.
- Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer and allow it to cool until just warm to the touch (use a thermometer; over 130°F may harm the yeast).
Make the dough
- Sprinkle in the instant yeast, stir to combine, then add about half the flour.
- Using the flat beater, mix on medium-high for 5 minutes—potato lumps will break down and incorporate into the dough.
- Switch to the dough hook, add the remaining flour, and knead on medium speed for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will be slightly loose and tacky but not sticky.
First rise
- Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough into it, turning once so all surfaces are lightly coated with oil.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and place in a warm spot for about two hours, until doubled in size.
Shape and second rise
- Punch down the risen dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface; knead a few times to tighten.
- Divide the dough into two equal portions and line two standard loaf pans with parchment paper (or grease them). Lining with parchment helps produce a very soft crust.
- Place each portion into a pan, gently pressing to fill the bottom, and brush the tops lightly with olive oil.
- Cover and let rise in a warm spot for about an hour, until doubled.
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle position.
- Remove the coverings from the pans and, if desired, dust the tops lightly with flour.
- Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until the crust is golden and the internal temperature reaches about 190–200°F.
- When cool enough to handle, remove loaves from pans and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Serving suggestions
- Serve warm slices with quality butter for a simple treat.
- Toast slices and turn them into excellent cinnamon toast.
- Use as the base for egg salad, tuna salad, or chicken salad sandwiches—great toasted or as-is.
- The bread’s moisture and richness make it perfect for an extra-crispy grilled cheese.
- Slice thick for delicious French toast.
Recipe summary
Soft & Sliceable Potato Bread
Adapted from Simply Recipes. This dough makes two hearty loaves of sandwich-ready bread with a soft crumb and tender crust.
Ingredients
- 1 large (or 2 small) russet potatoes, peeled & cubed (about 12 ounces)
- 2 cups whole or reduced-fat milk (488 g)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
- 5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (680 g; if using a heavier domestic flour, reduce to 4 3/4 cups by volume)
Instructions
- Cook, drain, and mash the potatoes. Reserve 1 cup (8 ounces) mashed potato.
- Warm the milk with salt and sugar until bubbling at the edges; remove from heat and dissolve. Stir in oil and mashed potato and whisk smooth.
- Cool the mixture until just warm (under 130°F). Add to the mixer bowl, sprinkle in yeast, and stir in about half the flour. Beat 5 minutes with the flat beater to incorporate potatoes.
- Switch to the dough hook, add remaining flour, and knead 8–10 minutes until the dough is tacky but not sticky.
- Oil a large bowl, place the dough inside, turn to coat, cover, and let rise in a warm spot about 2 hours or until doubled.
- Punch down, divide into two equal portions, and shape to fit two lined or greased loaf pans. Brush tops with oil, cover, and let rise about 1 hour until doubled.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove coverings, dust tops with flour if desired, and bake 40–45 minutes until golden and 190–200°F internally.
- Cool in pans briefly, then remove loaves to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Disclosure: Some images or product mentions in the original content referenced external products. This version does not include external links. If you choose to purchase baking tools or accessories, select reputable sources that meet your needs.
More homemade breads to try
Try other easy loaves like deli-style rye, no-knead artisan bread, or ciabatta for variety. Each offers different textures and flavors that pair well with the potato bread recipe above.
