These Potato Rolls use leftover mashed potatoes to make the best, most moist, soft, buttery dinner rolls you’ve ever eaten – seriously, boo! If you’re a sucker for a good roll like me and you haven’t tried making potato rolls – what’cha waiting for?
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Homemade dinner rolls are necessary in my family. My Big Mama always made the best, and she had yeast rolls down to a science. Since learning her techniques, I knew I had to develop a recipe that would live up to those high standards. I’ve played around with various ingredients to make rolls that have different textures and flavors, and that’s how this potato rolls recipe was born!
I love that you can make it with either leftover mashed potatoes or even canned potatoes in a pinch. It is really flexible. And the herby butter glaze just takes it over the top!
The Lowdown on These Potato Rolls
Cuisine Inspiration: Southern Comfort
Primary Cooking Method: Baking to golden perfection
Dietary Info: Vegetarian, can be made gluten-free with ingredient swaps
Key Flavor: Buttery and savory, with a herby garlic touch
Skill Level: Beginner-friendly! If you can roll dough and set your oven to 375, you’re good to go
Fluffy and Tender
Thanks to the mashed potatoes, these potato rolls come out extra soft and fluffy. They’ve got that perfect balance of tender on the inside, with just a little bit of a golden crust on the outside.
Make-Ahead for the Win
These rolls rise overnight, so you can prep the dough the day before and have one less thing to juggle on a busy day.
Beginner Recipe
You don’t even have to activate yeast separately, which means less time worrying and more time relaxing. Just mix everything together, let it rise, and boom! Easy potato dinner rolls.
Ingredients you’ll need to make Potato Rolls
For the Potato Rolls
- All-Purpose Flour: The base for the rolls, giving them structure and that perfect texture.
- Cane Sugar: Just a lil’ sweetness to balance the buttery goodness.
- Instant Yeast: No need to activate it, just toss it right in with the dry ingredients. This is the secret to fluffy, dreamy potato rolls.
- Kosher Salt: If you’ve only got table salt, use a bit less.
- Mashed Potatoes: Here’s where y’all can get creative! Use leftover mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, or even canned potatoes if you’re in a pinch. They all work great and add tons of moisture.
- Warm Water: Helps bring the dough together and activates the yeast without any extra steps.
- Eggs: Adds richness to the dough.
- Unsalted Butter: Melted down and mixed into the dough for extra softness.
For the Herb Butter Glaze
- Salted Butter: To brush over the rolls fresh outta the oven. It melts into every crevice and adds even more buttery goodness.
- Rosemary, Oregano, and Thyme: Dried herbs crushed up for maximum flavor.
- Garlic: Freshly minced for that fragrant, garlicky kick.
How to make Potato Rolls
What to serve with potato dinner rolls
- Soups on Deck: These fluffy potato rolls are perfect for dunkin’ in something warm and cozy like chicken noodle soup, beef stew, or even brisket chili!
- Pasta Night: Carbs on carbs, baby! Serve these rolls with a big ol’ bowl of creamy garlic pasta, baked ziti, or a cheesy baked spaghetti.
- Holiday Leftover Sliders: Got leftover turkey, ham, or prime rib from the holidays? Potato yeast rolls are perfect for making mini sliders!
- Comfort Classics: These rolls pair perfectly with classic Southern dishes like fried chicken, pot roast, or turnip greens.
Recipe Substitutions
- Flour: Swap out some of the all-purpose flour with bread flour. It’ll give the rolls a chewier, bakery-style vibe.
- Butter: Only have salted butter? Go ahead and use it, just cut back on the salt in the dough.
- Herbs: Switch ’em out for dried parsley, basil, or dill for a different flavor twist on the herb butter.
- Sugar: Cane sugar can be replaced with regular granulated sugar.
Recipe Variations and Additions
- Cheesy Garlic Bread Rolls: Add a layer of shredded mozzarella or cheddar on top before baking, and brush the rolls with some extra garlic butter. Thank me later!
- Sweet Potato Spice Rolls: If you’re using sweet potatoes as the base, sprinkle in some cinnamon, nutmeg, or a pinch of cloves to turn these into a lightly sweet, spiced dinner roll.
- Everything Seasoning: Swap the herb butter for a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning on top before baking.
- Loaded Rolls: Mix in some cooked, crumbled bacon or chopped ham to the dough.
Expert Tips and Tricks for making the best potato rolls recipe
- Room Temp Eggs: Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before mixing. Cold eggs can mess with the dough’s rise.
- Don’t Rush the Rise: Let the rolls rise until they’re visibly puffy. If your kitchen is cool, they might need a little extra time, but trust me boo, the wait is worth it for those fluffy potato rolls!
- Flour Your Hands: When rolling the dough into balls, dust your hands with a bit of flour too. It’ll make handling the dough MUCH easier.
- Keep the Dough Covered: While you’re shaping the rolls, keep the dough you’re not working with covered with a clean, damp kitchen towel. This keeps it from drying out.
How to store Potato Rolls
Once your rolls have cooled down, pop ’em in an airtight container or wrap them up tightly with plastic wrap. Keep them on the counter if you’re planning to eat them soon, or throw them in the fridge if you want them to last a bit longer.
How long will Potato Rolls last in the fridge?
At room temp, these potato rolls will stay fresh for about 2 days. In the fridge, they can last up to 5 days.
Can I freeze potato yeast rolls?
You can! Wrap them individually and stash them in a freezer-safe bag. They’ll stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the unbaked dough, just shape the rolls, freeze them on a baking sheet, and then store them in a freezer bag. When you’re ready, thaw and bake as usual!
Frequently asked questions
Well, the name gives it away! Potato rolls have mashed potatoes mixed into the dough, which makes them softer and more tender than regular rolls. Traditional recipes sometimes use whole wheat flour, but to keep things easy and accessible, I’m using all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Absolutely boo! Just make sure they’re on the thicker side so the dough doesn’t get too runny.
Refrigerating the dough gives it a slow rise, which helps develop more flavor and makes the dough easier to handle. Plus, it gives you a head start for busy days!
These Potato Rolls are gonna be the MVP of your meal, boos! Soft, buttery, and perfect for soppin’ up all the goodness on your plate. So go on, make ’em once, and I bet you’ll be looking for reasons to whip up mashed potatoes just for these rolls!
More Dinner Roll Recipes
- Garlic Cheese Stuffed Rolls
- Hawaiian Sweet Dinner Rolls Recipe (Sweet Rolls!)
- Honey Butter Dinner Rolls
- Cheddar and Rosemary Dinner Rolls
- Pizza Rolls Recipe
Potato Rolls
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the Potato Rolls
- 6 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 2 tbsp instant yeast
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 15 oz mashed potatoes about 3 medium potatoes (or you can use a can of whole potatoes drained, slightly warmed and mashed)
- 1 cup water warm
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
For the Herb Butter Glaze
- 1/2 cup salted butter melted
- 2 tsp dried rosemary crushed and finely chopped
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 4 garlic cloves finely minced
Instructions
For the Rolls
- This rises overnight so factor in when making. In the bowl of a stand electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Mix on low speed to combine, about 30-60 seconds.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the mashed potatoes and melted butter.
- Add the mashed potato mixture, along with both eggs and the warm water, to the stand mixer bowl.
- Mix on low speed until a dough forms, about 4 minutes.
- Turn up the speed to medium, then continue to mix for another 3-4 minutes. You should expect a fairly smooth but slightly sticky dough.
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, cover it with a kitchen towel, and let the dough rise at room temperature for an hour.
- Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator to rise overnight. This dough can be made up to 2 days in advance.
- Once ready to bake, remove the dough from the fridge and begin portioning (the dough is a bit more forgiving while its a little colder).
- Lightly flour a large clean surface. Carefully tear the dough into 12 evenly sized pieces (weighing 50 oz). Roll each piece into a tight ball. Transfer the tightly rounded dough into a large greased sheet pan spaced a bit apart. Cover the rolls with a clean, lightly damp kitchen towel and let them rise for an additional hour. They should be visibly puffy.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the oven racks in the middle of the oven.
- Remove the towel from the rolls and bake the rolls until golden-brown and cooked through, about 20-25 minutes. Remove the rolls from the oven and immediately brush them with the herb butter. (see below). Serve hot and fresh!
For the Herb Butter
- In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat and add in herbs and garlic. Cook on low until just melted and very fragrant, careful not to brown.
Notes
- Room Temp Eggs: Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before mixing. Cold eggs can mess with the dough’s rise.
- Don’t Rush the Rise: Let the rolls rise until they’re visibly puffy. If your kitchen is cool, they might need a little extra time, but trust me boo, the wait is worth it for those fluffy potato rolls!
- Flour Your Hands: When rolling the dough into balls, dust your hands with a bit of flour too. It’ll make handling the dough MUCH easier.
- Keep the Dough Covered: While you’re shaping the rolls, keep the dough you’re not working with covered with a clean, damp kitchen towel. This keeps it from drying out.
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I can enjoy these soft,fluffy and buttery rolls by itself at anytime of the day. Looks super soft and yummy too.
These rolls were absolute perfection! So smart to use mashed potato in them. I found my new favorite way to make potato rolls!
Okay, this is my new favorite holiday dish to bring with me! Everyone loves these potato rolls.
Homemade rolls are the best! We made these as a side dish for dinner tonight and they were light, fluffy and totally perfect!
These were absolute warm, buttery, and fluffy perfection! Totally keeping this recipe for the holidays.
Ahhhh- Bread! You are talking to me… Homemade bread is a weakness. Wonderful recipe with melt in your mouth goodness!