Easy Leftover Mashed Potato Bread Recipe: Homemade Comfort

This delicious recipe evolved from my original sweet potato sandwich bread, undergoing significant changes that warranted its own unique space. The result is incredibly satisfying! By incorporating ¾ cup of slightly dry, seasoned leftover mashed potatoes into the dough, the potatoes’ flavor infuses beautifully into the bread. Since discovering this recipe, I find myself making mashed potatoes more frequently, just to bake this bread.

Leftover mashed potatoes baked into a 9x5 inch loaf of sandwich bread.

Mastering the Potato Dough

For the best results, I highly recommend using a stand mixer equipped with a dough hook for this recipe. Kneading by hand might prove challenging due to the dough’s characteristics – soft yet strong, thanks to the bread flour, egg, and protein from the milk powder. It’s also advisable to try the recipe as written at least once before making any alterations. While I’m all for experimentation, this particular loaf was such a success with the specified ingredients and measurements. Unfortunately, my hands were too covered in dough to capture many photos, but here are a few to give you an idea of what the dough should look like.

Mashed potato bread dough in a greased bowl ready to rise.

Here’s the dough in the loaf pan, ready for its second rise. I opted for a 9×5 inch pan instead of an 8 ½ by 4 ½ inch one to create a wider, more robust loaf. I initially had concerns about the bread’s structural integrity for sandwich fillings, but it turned out wonderfully strong and held everything perfectly.

White bread dough in a black loaf pan greased with butter.

Essential Notes for Perfect Mashed Potato Bread

For the mashed potatoes, I use Day Before Mashed Potatoes. These potatoes are packed with flavor thanks to onion powder and sour cream, which likely contributes to the bread’s deliciousness.
Since the potatoes are leftover, they will be cold and slightly drier. If you use fresher, softer, or whipped potatoes, you may need to adjust the dough’s consistency. Aim for about 150 grams of slightly dry mashed potatoes.
Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature, as indicated in the recipe. This promotes optimal yeast activity and dough development.
I used active dry yeast, but SAF instant yeast should work fine. The active dry yeast yielded great results in my experience.
Milk powder is a staple in my bread baking because it adds protein, enhancing the structure. While I prefer milk powder, you can substitute regular milk; the egg and bread flour also contribute protein.
I used 390 grams of bread flour. As a best practice, I recommend adding the flour gradually. This allows you to adjust based on your flour’s absorbency or your potatoes’ moisture content.
If you’d like to explore a sweet potato variation, check out my Sweet Potato Yeast Bread recipe.

Sweet Potato Naan
Basic Baked Chex Mix Recipe
Sturdy Gingerbread People Cookies
Cakey Sweet Potato Bars
Sweet Potato Pie Bars

Recipe: Leftover Mashed Potato Bread

Leftover Mashed Potato Bread

Anna

Enjoy a flavorful, fluffy, and sturdy white bread – perfect for sandwiches and toast. This recipe is a fantastic way to use leftover mashed potatoes.

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Prep Time

20
minutes

Cook Time

25
minutes

Rising and Cooling

2
hours

Total Time

2
hours

45
minutes