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These Fluffy Potato Rolls are not your average yeast bread rolls! Soft and flaky dinner rolls infused with mashed potatoes and Italian seasoning for a slightly softer, sweet flavor. Bake until golden, then generously brush with melted vegan butter and serve while warm!
Table of Contents
Homemade yeast rolls for Beginner Home Cooks
If you’ve been intimidated by making homemade loaves of sandwich bread or our homemade pita bread, starting with these easy potato dinner rolls is the perfect introduction to baking yeast bread from scratch! It requires just a few basic ingredients and about 25 minutes of hands-on time. You also don’t need any fancy appliances or a bread machine. Just good ol’ dinner rolls made with hand-kneading and a lot of love!
Once you’re hooked, you have to try our Garlic Herb Dinner Rolls next. It’s hard to beat hot, fluffy rolls infused with garlic butter!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Potatoes: Unlike our favorite Vegan Mashed Potatoes recipe, we recommend using russet potatoes to make the mashed potato mixture for these dinner rolls. Russet potatoes have a drier texture compared to Yukon gold potatoes, which makes them ideal for absorbing moisture in the dough, resulting in a softer and fluffier bread roll. The higher starch content also contributes to their tall rise!
- Non-dairy milk: Any unsweetened, plain milk of choice will work. If you are using unsweetened store-bought milk, taste it before using. Some have an oddly sweet taste that will affect the final flavor of the rolls!
- Sugar: Regular granulated white sugar is best in this recipe. The sugar helps to activate the yeast and balance the savory flavors in the buttery rolls.
- Yeast: We prefer to use active dry yeast in our baking recipes because we find it to have a better depth of flavor. If you prefer to use instant yeast or rapid-rise yeast, use 1 3/4 teaspoons (about 25% less).
- Flour: We recommend using all-purpose flour instead of bread flour in our roll recipes (we like Bob’s Red Mill). It has a lower protein content than bread flour as well as less gluten, which is key for making the best light, airy, chewy bread!
- Spices: You’ll need a simple blend of salt, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder!
- Butter: We of course use vegan butter and recommend Country Crock plant butter, Earth Balance buttery sticks, Melt, or another vegan butter stick of choice. If you are using unsalted butter, add salt to taste.
Equipment Needed
- Medium pot
- Colander or fine mesh strainer
- Potato ricer or potato masher
- Mixing bowls
- Plastic wrap or a damp towel
- 9×13 baking dish
- Pastry brush
How to Make Potato Rolls
- Prepare the potatoes. Peel and chop the potatoes and add them to a medium pot filled with cold water. Set on the stovetop over medium heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook the potatoes for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- Activate the yeast. While the potatoes cook, activate the yeast. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the almond milk and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Add the yeast, then set aside to activate, about 8-10 minutes, or until the yeast is fragrant and foamy.
- Mash the potatoes. Once the potatoes are soft, drain the water and mash until very smooth (the smoother the mashed potatoes, the better the texture of the final rolls!).
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, add the remaining sugar, all-purpose flour, salt, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Mix until uniform.
- Add the wet ingredients. Pour in the activated yeast mixture, 5 tablespoons of melted butter, and 1 cup of mashed potato.
- Mix the dough. Mix the wet and dry ingredients until a smooth dough forms, then transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Knead the dough by hand for 5-10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, or until the dough is smooth and bounces back when poked.
- Rise for 1 hour. Place the kneaded dough into a lightly greased bowl, tossing once, and cover with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Set the bowl in a warm, draft-free place to rise for about 1 hour, or until the dough has sufficiently doubled in size.
- Form the bread rolls. Once the dough has doubled in size, punch the dough down to remove the air. Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces and roll them into smooth balls.
- Rise for another hour. Evenly arrange the dough balls in your greased 9×13″ baking dish and place the rolls in a warm place to rise a second time for 1 hour.
- Bake. After the second rise, bake rolls in a preheated oven, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Serve. Brush the hot golden potato rolls with the remaining butter and serve immediately while warm. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
In addition to being the perfect dinner roll recipe for holidays like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, these rolls are also easy enough to whip up for any weeknight meal that could use a fluffy, buttery bread roll.
If you’re planning to serve these potato rolls with your holiday feast, check out our easy vegan Thanksgiving and Christmas recipes. Otherwise, serve them alongside any soup, pasta, or cozy dinner recipe of choice! You can even slice them in half and turn them into mini homemade sandwiches with leftover Vegan Ham Roast or Homemade Vegan Deli Meat!
Recipe FAQs
We wouldn’t recommend it. Sweet potatoes are generally much lower in starch compared to russet potatoes and also have significantly more moisture. Replacing the russet potatoes with sweet potatoes will make the dough too wet and dense.
Yes! For the best, smooth texture, always peel the potatoes before boiling and mashing.
We don’t recommend using leftover mashed potatoes as they have extra fat and seasoning, but instant potatoes should work, just be sure to measure after they have been rehydrated.
These dinner rolls are made with all-purpose flour and active dry yeast and would be difficult to make without yeast. We wouldn’t recommend experimenting with a gluten-free version and instead recommend making a recipe developed specifically with gluten-free ingredients.
These rolls can be frozen before or after baking. If freezing before baking, follow the recipe through forming individual dinner roll dough balls. Place the dough balls in a freezer-safe dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap followed by a layer of tin foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.
If freezing after baking, let the rolls cool completely, then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen rolls at room temperature until soft again.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
If you’d like to prepare these homemade dinner rolls in advance of a holiday dinner, follow the instructions in the recipe by placing the individual dough balls in the greased baking dish. Instead of doing a second rise in a warm place, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours.
Then, when ready to bake, let the rolls warm to room temperature for about 2 hours before baking as usual.
Once baked, leftover rolls will be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Quick Baking Tips
- The temperature of the milk should be between 105 and 110F for proofing! If the water is warmer than this, the yeast could die. If the water is colder than this, the yeast may not activate correctly and will yield flat, dense rolls. If you suspect your milk was not at the correct temperature, it is best to discard it and start again.
- Use a baking scale to form the rolls. This isn’t necessary, but if you want perfect, equal-sized bread rolls, weigh the dough after the first rise and divide the total grams by 12. Then divide the dough, weighing to ensure you have the correct weight for each before rolling and transferring to the greased baking dish.
- Use a potato ricer when possible. A potato ricer will make your homemade mashed potatoes much smoother than hand mashing and the smoother the potatoes, the smoother the rolls!
More Homemade Bread Recipes You May Enjoy:
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos!
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Fluffy Potato Rolls Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 rolls
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These Fluffy Potato Rolls are not your average yeast bread rolls! Soft and flaky dinner rolls infused with mashed potatoes and Italian seasoning for a slightly softer, sweet flavor. Bake until golden, then generously brush with melted vegan butter and serve while warm!
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 small russet potatoes (for 1 cup mashed potatoes)
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon lukewarm non-dairy milk
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 1 packet (2¼ tsp) active dry yeast
- 4½ cups (540g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 5 tablespoons melted vegan butter + 2 tablespoons for brushing
Equipment
- Medium pot
- Colander or fine mesh strainer
- Potato ricer or potato masher
- Mixing bowls
- Plastic wrap or a damp towel
- 9×13 baking dish
- Pastry brush
Instructions
- Prepare the potatoes. Peel and chop the potatoes and add them to a medium pot filled with cold water. Set on the stovetop over medium heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook the potatoes for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- Activate the yeast. While the potatoes cook, activate the yeast. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the almond milk and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Add the yeast, then set aside to activate, about 8-10 minutes, or until the yeast is fragrant and foamy.
- Mash the potatoes. Once the potatoes are soft, drain the water and mash until very smooth– the smoother the mashed potatoes, the better the texture of the final rolls! We recommend using a potato ricer if possible.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, add the remaining sugar, all-purpose flour, salt, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Mix until uniform.
- Add the wet ingredients. Pour in the activated yeast mixture, 5 tablespoons of melted butter, and 1 cup of mashed potato.
- Mix the dough. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together until a smooth dough forms, then transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Knead the dough by hand for 5-10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, or until the dough is smooth and bounces back when poked.
- Rise for 1 hour. Place the kneaded dough into a lightly greased bowl, tossing once, and cover with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Set the bowl in a warm, draft-free place to rise for about 1 hour or until the dough has sufficiently doubled in size.
- Form the bread rolls. Once the dough has doubled in size, punch the dough down to remove the air. Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces and roll them into smooth balls.
- Rise for another hour. Evenly arrange the dough balls in your greased 9×13″ baking dish and place the rolls in a warm place to rise a second time for 1 hour.
- Bake. After the second rise, preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the rolls uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Serve. Brush the hot golden potato rolls with the remaining butter and serve immediately while warm. Enjoy!
Notes
- Freezing before baking: Follow the recipe through forming individual dinner roll dough balls. Place the dough balls in a freezer-safe dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap followed by a layer of tin foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Freezing after baking: Let the rolls cool completely, then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen rolls at room temperature until soft again.
- Use a potato ricer when possible. A potato ricer will make your homemade mashed potatoes much smoother than hand mashing and the smoother the potatoes, the smoother the rolls!
- Prepare in advance: Follow the instructions in the recipe by placing the individual dough balls in the greased baking dish. Instead of doing a second rise in a warm place, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, let the rolls warm to room temperature for about 2 hours before baking as usual. Once baked, leftover rolls will be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Sweet potatoes: We don’t recommend swapping russets for sweet potatoes as they are generally much lower in starch and also have significantly more moisture.
- Mashed and instant potatoes: We don’t recommend using leftover mashed potatoes as they have extra fat and seasoning, but instant potatoes should work, just be sure to measure after they have been rehydrated.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Side, Bread
- Method: Oven
