Forget those dry, crumbly vegan burger buns that ruin your burger experience! These fluffy, flavorful buns are the secret to next-level veggie burgers. Mashed potatoes (yeah, potatoes!) work their magic, making these buns unbelievably soft. Plus, they’re surprisingly easy – whether you’re a baking pro or a total newbie. Ready to upgrade your burger game? Let’s dive in!
😋 Why this recipe works?
Because potato!? The mashed potato adds a secret touch of moisture and softness, guaranteeing a pillowy bun that stands up to your juiciest burgers. The perfect level of hydration ensures a light, airy rise. This gives them the perfect texture for holding all your favourite burger toppings.. Plus, they’re incredibly easy to make, perfect for experienced bakers and newbies alike.
🌱 Some history of burger buns
The humble burger bun has a surprisingly rich history! While its exact origins are a bit hazy, the bun as we know it emerged in the early 1900s, transforming the hamburger from messy street food into an American icon. Bakers experimented with different textures and shapes, eventually creating the classic soft, a juicy burger and all its toppings.
📝 Ingredient notes
Olive oil: This adds richness and a subtle flavour to the buns. You can substitute other neutral-flavoured oils like avocado or sunflower oil.
Bread flour: Flour with high protein content is essential for creating the gluten network that gives the buns structure and helps them rise.
Yeast: Our rising agent! Yeast gives the buns their light, airy texture by consuming the natural sugars in the dough and releasing carbon dioxide.
Mashed potato: The secret ingredient for fluffy buns! The potato’s starch retains moisture and softens the dough for pillowy-soft buns that stay fresh longer.
Water: Hydrates the dough, allows the gluten to develop, and helps the yeast work its magic. The amount of water (baker’s percentage) is crucial for the texture, so adjust slightly as needed.
Salt: Essential for bringing out the natural flavours.
🥣 How to make these vegan burger buns
- Prepare the potato: Microwave a potato until fully cooked. Peel the cooked potato and mash thoroughly with a fork. Spread 100g of the mashed potato around the edge of a bowl to promote faster cooling.
- Activate the yeast: Combine lukewarm water (approximately 35 degrees Celsius/95 degrees Fahrenheit) with the yeast. Optionally, allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes to “bloom” (become foamy), though this step isn’t strictly necessary.
- Combine initial ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cooled mashed potato, salt, and the yeast-water mixture. Use a dough scraper to bring the ingredients together until mostly incorporated.
- Incorporate olive oil: Add the olive oil and work it into the dough mixture using your hands or the dough scraper. You should have a really shaggy dough like in the picture below.
- Gluten development (choose your method):
- Kneading: Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it becomes soft, supple, and smooth.
- Folding: This is what I do! To employ the folding technique: lift one corner of the dough and fold it towards the opposite corner. Repeat for all corners. Cover the bowl and repeat this folding process every 15 minutes for an hour. For the final fold, gently lift the dough and tuck the outer edges underneath to create a smooth surface.
- First rise: Allow the dough to rest, covered, for approximately one hour or until doubled in size.
- Shape dough balls: Divide the risen dough into six equal pieces (use a scale for precision, or estimate by eye). Apply the same folding technique to each piece, creating a smooth, tight surface on each dough ball. Cup your hand over each ball and gently roll it in a circular motion to further tighten the surface tension.
- Final rise: Arrange the dough balls on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Leave ample space between them for expansion during the rise. Loosely cover with a dishcloth and allow to rise for approximately one hour, or until doubled in size.
- Preheat and prepare: With about 10 minutes remaining in the second rise, preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) with the fan setting on. Brush the risen dough balls with a small amount of soy milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake: Just before placing the tray in the oven, spritz the inside of the oven with water to create a steamy environment. Bake the buns for approximately 14 minutes, or until golden brown. Oven times may vary, so monitor them closely.
- Finish and cool: Remove the baked buns from the oven. Brush the tops with olive oil or vegan butter for a soft, shiny finish. Allow the buns to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and enjoying. I just ripped some of these up and dipped them in som hummus, they would also work really well with some seitan doner.
💡 Tips for getting it right!
- Watch for doubling: Rise times are a guideline; focus on the dough doubling in size during both rises.
- Oven accuracy: Oven temperatures can vary, so use an oven thermometer and adjust baking time slightly if needed. If you don’t have one, then just make sure to watch them carefully.
🎨 Potential variations
- Seeded burger buns: Incorporate a mix of seeds like poppy seeds, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds into the dough for extra texture and flavour.
- Whole wheat burger buns: Use a portion of whole wheat flour for a heartier bun with a slightly nutty flavour.
- Flavoured burger buns: Infuse subtle flavours into the dough with additions like dried herbs, roasted garlic
🤔 Frequently asked questions
Can I substitute the mashed potato with something else?
While mashed potato is the star for fluffy texture, you can experiment with similar starchy vegetables like sweet potato or pumpkin puree. Adjust the water amount slightly as needed.
My dough seems too dry/wet. What should I do?
Hydration is key! Add a little extra water if the dough seems too dry, or a sprinkle more flour if it feels too wet. Start with small adjustments until you reach the right consistency.
I don’t have bread flour. Can I use all-purpose flour?
Yes, but your buns might be slightly less lofty. All-purpose flour has less protein, so the gluten development won’t be as strong. Still tasty though!
Do I have to knead the dough?
Not necessarily! The folding technique develops gluten beautifully. It’s a gentler method and perfect for those who prefer a less hands-on approach.
How do I store leftover burger buns?
For the first day, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. To keep them fresh longer, freeze them for up to a month and thaw before using.
Vegan Burger Buns
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 425 g Bread flour
- 7 g Yeast
- 100 g Mashed potato
- 265 g Water 63% hydration
- 7 g Salt
For coating
- 1 tbsp Soy milk
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prep potato: Microwave potato until cooked. Peel, mash, and spread around a bowl to cool.
- Activate yeast: Combine lukewarm water and yeast. Let sit briefly to bloom (optional).
- Mix dough: Combine flour, mashed potato, salt, and yeast mixture. Mix until mostly combined.
- Add oil: Knead in olive oil until incorporated.
- Develop gluten: Knead for several minutes until smooth, OR fold the dough every 15 minutes for an hour, tucking the edges under for the final fold.
- First Rise: Let dough rise, covered, until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
- Shape: Divide dough into 6 pieces. Shape into tight balls (see notes).
- Final rise: Arrange on a baking sheet, cover, and let rise until doubled (about 1 hour).
- Bake: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Brush buns with soy milk, sprinkle with seeds. Spritz oven with water and bake for 14 minutes, or until golden.
- Finish: Brush with olive oil or vegan butter and cool on a wire rack.
Notes
- Folding technique: Lift a corner of dough and fold it to the opposite corner. Repeat for all corners. This helps develop gluten for fluffy buns.
- Shaping: Cup hand over each dough piece and roll in a circular motion to create a tight, smooth surface.