Soft Potato Hamburger Bun Recipe
These Soft Potato Hamburger Buns combine riced Russet potatoes with bread flour for a fluffy, tender texture that’s perfect for burgers. This easy homemade recipe yields 10 golden buns, blending subtle potato richness with a pillowy crumb in just a few simple steps.
Servings 10 buns
Equipment
- potato ricer
- Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- Stand mixer with dough hook (optional)
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
Serving: 1bun
