Soft, fluffy, and delightfully flavorful potato hamburger buns are the perfect upgrade for your homemade burgers. Adding mashed potatoes gives them a tender texture and a subtle sweetness that pairs beautifully with any filling, from juicy beef patties to fresh veggies. Plus, they're egg-free, easy to make, and versatile enough to enjoy on their own or with your favorite spreads.

Whether you're hosting a summer barbecue or just craving a gourmet burger, these buns will elevate your meal. And since you are here you are planning on making some burger buns. My Sourdough Hokkaidu buns are very popular on the blog.
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🧂Ingredients
Please find the ingredient notes for making potato hamburger buns.
- Mashed Potatoes: 1½ cups (loosely packed, about 200 grams)
For the best results, use cooked plain mashed potatoes free from butter, milk, or seasoning. If you are using cooked mashed potatoes that are left over, remember to reduce the oil in the recipe. The added butter and cream in the mashed potatoes can make the dough super rich. - Whole Milk: 340 grams (room temperature)
Ensure the milk is at room temperature to help activate the yeast. - Sugar: 14 grams (1 tablespoon)
This adds a subtle sweetness to balance the flavor and also helps the yeast thrive. - Vegetable Oil: 26 grams (2 tablespoons)
A neutral oil like canola or sunflower works best for a tender texture. You can also use butter if you like. - All-Purpose Flour: 500 grams
Measure accurately using a kitchen scale for consistent results. Or you can use cup measurements. But always remember to fluff the flour before filling and level the filled cup using something like a knife. - Salt: 10 grams (1½ teaspoons)
Enhances the flavor and regulates yeast activity. - Instant Yeast: 1½ teaspoons
There is no need to bloom the instant yeast. You can mix it directly with dry ingredients. Substitute with active dry yeast, but it requires to be bloomed first. - Sesame Seeds (optional): For the topping.
Adds a delightful crunch and aesthetic appeal. - Milk Wash: 2 tablespoons of milk
Helps to create a shiny, golden-brown finish.
🔪Instructions to make Potato Burger Buns
Step 1 Prepare potatoes
Start by microwaving or boiling a medium-sized potato. You can peel and cut the potato and cook them in a saucepan. I like to make some cuts on the whole potato with skin intact and microwave it for 5-6 minutes. Then, I let it cool a bit and then peel its skin and grate using a fine side. Alternatively, you can also mash them using a potato masher. But grating the potato yields smooth and uniformly mashed potatoes.
Step 2 Prepare the Dough
In a stand mixer:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Use a whisk to combine them. In a flask, combine room temperature whole milk, sugar, and vegetable oil. Whisk well to dissolve sugar in milk. Then, add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients.
Place the bowl on the stand mixer and attach the dough hook attachment. Knead on a low speed for 5-6 minutes or until the dough starts to come together. Then add the boiled and mashed potatoes and keep kneading. Knead until the dough incorporates all the potatoes and becomes smooth. You know that the dough is ready when it leaves the sides of the stand mixer and does not stick to your fingers on touching.
Kneading the dough with hands:
In a large mixing bowl, add flour, salt, sugar, and instant yeast. Combine well using a whisk. Then add the oil, milk, and mashed potatoes. Use the back of a ladle or a dough whisk to combine everything. Once you reach a point that the dough whisk is of no help, empty the contents of the bowl on to a floured work surface. Knead for 8-10 minutes by hand until it becomes smooth and elastic. The dough should also feel soft.
Step 3 First Rise ( Bulk Fermentation):
Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place for about 1 to 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
Step 4 Shape the Potato Buns:
Punch down the dough and divide it into 10 equal portions (approximately 115 grams each). Shape each portion into a smooth ball. Place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them apart to allow for expansion.
Step 5 Second Rise:
Cover the shaped buns loosely with plastic wrap or a towel. Let them rise for 30-40 minutes until they become puffy and jiggly.
Step 6 Milk Wash & add Topping:
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush the tops of the buns lightly with milk. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top if desired.
Step 7 Bake the shaped potato hamburger buns
Bake the buns in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Rotate the tray halfway through baking for even coloring.
Step 8 Cool and enjoy
Remove the baked potato burger buns from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack. You can apply melted butter on to the warm buns to keep their crust soft for a longer time.
🍞Serving Suggestions
- Perfect for classic beef burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, or veggie patties.
- Toast lightly and spread with butter or garlic spread for a simple snack.
- Use as breakfast rolls filled with egg, bacon, veggies, and cheese.
🫙Storage Instructions
- Room Temperature: Store the cooled potato hamburger buns in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: For freezing wrap each bun in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and reheat in the oven.
- Reheating: Warm the potato buns in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes for a freshly baked texture.
Enjoy these fluffy potato burger buns with your favorite fillings and toppings!
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Potato buns are softer and retain moisture better than regular buns. This is because potato starch absorbs liquids more effectively while maintaining its structure, unlike wheat starch, which weakens and breaks apart. As a result, burgers made with potato buns hold sauces better than those with wheat buns. Additionally, potato buns offer a sweeter aroma and enhanced flavor, making them a tastier choice.
Freshly boiled and uniformly mashed potatoes work best for any homemade potato buns. But you can certainly substitute them with potato flour, potato flakes, or potato starch.
📝Recipe notes
- The only tricky part of the potato burger buns recipe is kneading the mashed potatoes into the dough. If there are any larger chunk of the boiled potato, it will not be easily to incorporate them in the dough. So, take time to mash them evenly, or rather grate the boiled potato for the best texture.
- Stand mixer makes this task a breeze, but if you are kneading with your hands, be patient and keep kneading until the dough comes together. Don’t shy away from adding a tablespoon or more of flour while kneading to make the dough manageable.
- If you are not using a scale, use a medium-sized potato and on grating the potato becomes fluffy. Add the fluffed-up boiled potatoes to the measuring cups, without pressing them much. They should be about one and a half cups.
- You can use active dry yeast for the recipe. Just remember to bloom it in a warm milk and sugar mixture prior to adding to the dough.
- This recipe will make 10 large buns about 115 grams each. You can make more or less number of buns depending on your choice of size.
Suggested recipes
- Chocolate buns
- Sourdough Rolls | No-yeast quick dinner rolls using sourdough starter
- Tiger rolls: A foolproof Dutch crunch bread recipe
- Coffe buns
- Challah Buns
Do give these mashed potato hamburger buns recipe a try and do not forget to share your experience in the comment section below.
Till then,
Bake it Delicious!
Potato Hamburger Buns
Ingredients
- 200 g freshly boiled and mashed potatoes 1 ½ cups filled loosely
- 340 g whole milk room temperature 1 cup + ⅓ cup
- 14 g sugar 1 tbsp
- 26 g vegetable oil 2 tbsp
- 500 g all-purpose flour 3 cups + ¾ cup
- 10 g salt 1 ½ tsp
- 1 packet Instant yeast 2 ¼ tsp
- 2 tablespoon Sesame seeds optional, for topping
- 2 tablespoon milk for milk wash
Instructions
Prepare Potatoes:
- Microwave or boil a medium potato, peel, and grate finely or mash.
Prepare Dough
- Stand mixer: Combine flour, salt, and instant yeast in a mixing bowl. Mix milk, sugar, and oil in a flask, then add to dry ingredients. Knead using a dough hook for 5-6 minutes. Add mashed potatoes and knead until smooth and non-sticky.
- Kneading by Hand: Mix dry ingredients. Add oil, milk, and mashed potatoes. Knead on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth and soft.
First Rise:
- Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 1-1½ hours until doubled.
Shape Buns:
- Punch down dough, divide into 10 portions (~115g each), and shape into smooth balls.
- Place balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet with space to expand.
Second Rise:
- Cover and let buns rise for 30-40 minutes until puffy and jiggly.
Milk Wash & Topping:
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush tops with milk and sprinkle sesame seeds (optional).
Bake:
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden, rotating halfway for even baking.
Cool:
- Cool on a wire rack. Brush with melted butter while warm for a softer crust.
Notes
- The only tricky part of the recipe is kneading the mashed potatoes in the dough. If there is a larger chunk of the boiled potato, it will not be easily to incorporate in the dough. So, take time to mash them evenly, or rather grate the boiled potato for the best texture.
- Stand mixer makes this task a breeze, but if you are kneading with your hands, be patient and keep kneading until the dough comes together. Don’t shy away from adding a tablespoon or more of flour while kneading to make the dough manageable.
- If you are not using a scale, use a medium-sized potato and on grating the potato becomes fluffy. Add the fluffed-up boiled potatoes to the measuring cups, without pressing them much. They should be about one and a half cups.
- You can use active dry yeast for the recipe. Just remember to bloom it in a warm milk and sugar mixture prior to adding to the dough.
- This recipe will make 10 large buns about 115 grams each. You can make more or less number of buns depending on your choice of size.
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