Sink your teeth into these Soft Potato Hamburger Buns—fluffy, golden, and oh-so-tender thanks to riced Russet potatoes. This easy homemade recipe delivers 10 perfect buns for your juiciest burgers, blending the subtle richness of potatoes with a pillowy texture that’s tough to beat. Whether you’re grilling for a crowd or just craving a better bun, this is your go-to for elevating burger night!
Ready to transform your burger game? Let’s dive into this Soft Potato Hamburger Buns Recipe that’s as simple as it is delicious. With just a handful of pantry staples and a Russet potato, you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to craft these fluffy beauties!
This Soft Potato Hamburger Buns Recipe Is:
- Fluffy & Tender: Potatoes bring a soft, moist crumb that’s irresistible.
- Homemade Heaven: Skip the store-bought stuff—these are fresh and flavorful.
- Burger-Ready: Sturdy enough for patties, yet squishy for that perfect bite.
- Simple Joy: No fancy equipment, just classic baking fun.
Yield: 10 Standard-Size Hamburger Buns
Picture this: 10 golden, plump hamburger buns, each about 3.5 inches wide and tall enough to cradle your favorite burger. They’re the ideal size—big enough to hold a hearty stack of toppings, yet light enough to keep every bite balanced. Whether it’s a BBQ blowout or a cozy dinner, these buns steal the show!
The Beauty of Simple, Nutritious Buns
Who says delicious can’t be wholesome? These soft potato hamburger buns blend nutrition with pure comfort. Potatoes lend a natural tenderness and subtle earthy sweetness, making every bite melt in your mouth. With bread flour for structure and a touch of butter for richness, this recipe proves you don’t need complicated steps to create something extraordinary—perfect for bakers who love big flavor with little fuss.
How to Make Soft Potato Hamburger Buns
- Here’s the quick rundown to bun bliss:
- Cook and rice a Russet potato for that tender base.
- Proof active dry yeast with potato water and milk.
- Knead a soft, tacky dough with bread flour and butter.
- Let it rise twice—once as a ball, then shaped into buns.
- Brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with any toppings you’d like.
- Bake to golden perfection at 375°F for 20-25 minutes.
Soft Potato Hamburger Buns Ingredients
Here are the main players with some context on how they stack up:
- Russet potato – The MVP of this recipe! This starchy spud gets riced into the dough, bringing a boatload of moisture and that melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. Think mashed potato bread vibes, but lighter and fluffier—pure bun magic.
- Reserved potato water – Don’t toss that cooking water—it’s liquid gold! It hydrates the dough, amps up the potato flavor, and gives the gluten a cozy potato hug, making everything stretchy and soft.
- Bread flour –This isn’t your average flour—it’s the high-protein hero that holds everything together. With more heft than typical white bun recipes, it balances the potato’s wetness so your buns stay tall and structured, not floppy.
- Egg – The team player! It binds the dough, adds a touch of softness, and keeps things tender—pretty standard for enriched breads like this.
- Egg wash + seeds (optional) – The finishing touch! Brush on some egg wash for that glossy bakery shine, and sprinkle sesame or poppy seeds for a little crunch—because who doesn’t love a bun that looks as good as it tastes?
How to Cook Potatoes
- Stovetop: Boil cubed Russet potato in water for 10-12 minutes until fork-tender. Drain, reserving 2/3 cup water.
- Instant Pot Option: Add cubed potato and 1 cup water to the Instant Pot. Cook at high pressure for 6 minutes, quick release, then drain (reserve 2/3 cup of water). Rice the potato for a lump-free base—key for that soft crumb!
How to Shape Buns
You might spot wide-mouth canning rings in some of my process photos—I originally thought they’d help these buns rise taller and more uniform. Spoiler alert: they weren’t worth the fuss! After testing, I found the dough shapes up just as beautifully free-form, with no noticeable difference in height or structure. So, skip the rings (and the extra cleanup)—these soft potato hamburger buns puff up perfectly on their own.
The Skinny on Shaping
- Divide dough into 10 pieces (about 90g each).
- Roll each into a tight ball on a lightly floured surface, cupping and dragging to build tension.
- Place 2-3 inches apart on a parchment or silicone mat-lined baking sheet—no molds needed. They’ll rise plump and round naturally.
Do I Need to Use Bread Flour?
I recommend bread flour (with 12-13% protein) over all-purpose flour for this recipe. The higher protein content strengthens the dough structure, helping it hold the moisture from the riced Russet potato and potato water while maintaining a soft, chewy texture. Potato doughs can be wetter and denser, so bread flour makes sure the buns rise tall and stay light.
If you only have all-purpose flour (10-11% protein), the buns will still work but may be slightly flatter and less structured. To offset this, definitely use canning rings to keep your hamburger buns tall and proud.
This Soft Potato Hamburger Buns Recipe Is Perfect If You –
Love the subtle richness of potato-based breads.
- Crave fluffy buns that don’t crumble under a big burger.
- Prefer straightforward recipes—no fancy gear or fussy steps.
- Enjoy baking from scratch with pantry staples.
More Hamburger Bun Recipes
What sets this soft potato hamburger buns recipe apart? It’s the potato-powered tenderness—sturdier than white buns and simpler than pretzel dough. Craving variety? Check out these:
- Pretzel Hamburger Buns – Perfect for that pretzel flavor.
- Classic White Hamburger Buns – A timeless go-to.
- Garlic Rosemary Dinner Rolls – Perfect for sliders with a herby twist.
Let’s Hear From You!
I’d love to know if you try this soft potato hamburger buns recipe—or any of my bun creations! What’s your favorite burger topping to pair with these? Drop a comment below, rate the recipe, or share your bake on Pinterest—I can’t wait to see!
Soft Potato Hamburger Bun Recipe
Description
Ingredients
For the Potato Component:
- 1 medium Russet potato, 250-300g, yielding ~150g riced
- ⅔ c. potato cooking water, cooled to between 90°F – 110°F
For the Dough:
- 4 c. bread flour, 480g
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- 1 ½ tsp 9g salt
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened, 28g
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ¼ c whole milk, warmed to 110-115°F / 43-46°C, 60g
- Additional flour, up to 50g as needed during kneading
For Topping (Optional):
- 1 egg + 1 Tbsp water, egg wash
- desame seeds, poppy seeds, or coarse salt
Instructions
- Boil the cubed Russet potato until fork-tender (10-12 minutes). Drain, reserving 2/3 cup of potato water. Cool to between 90° and 110°F. Rice the potato and measure out 150g.
- In a small bowl, mix the warm potato water, warm milk, and sugar. Sprinkle yeast over top, stir, and let sit 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- In a large bowl (or stand mixer), combine 480g bread flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture, riced potato, butter, and egg.
- Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead (by hand 10-12 minutes or mixer 6-8 minutes). If too wet (sticking excessively), add flour 1 tablespoon at a time, up to 50g total. Aim for a soft, slightly tacky dough that holds shape and passes the windowpane test.
- Shape into a ball, place in a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and rise in a warm spot for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until doubled.
- Punch down the dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 10 equal pieces (about 90g each).
- Roll each piece into a tight ball by cupping it with your hand and rolling it against the counter to build surface tension. Place the balls on a lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2-3 inches apart to allow for expansion.
- Cover loosely with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise for 30-45 minutes, until puffy and nearly doubled. The buns should look plump and spring back slowly when poked lightly.
- Preheat oven to 375°F about 20 minutes before the second rise is complete.
- Brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with seeds or salt if desired.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190-200°F.
- Cool: Transfer the buns to a wire rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition
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