I created a Sourdough Starter Recipe With Potato Flakes using sugar, dehydrated potatoes, and yeast, and I share my sourdough sandwich bread recipe to show how this unconventional starter works in sandwich bread.

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I never thought instant mashed potato flakes would change my sourdough game, but here we are. This Sourdough Starter Recipe With Potato Flakes sounds weird at first, but it makes a starter that’s sweeter and kinder to my tastebuds than the usual wild sourdough.

I mixed in a bit of granulated sugar and let it sit, and wow the aroma had me checking it like it was a pet. If you like soft sandwich loaves you’ll want to try the Sourdough Sandwich Bread Recipe I made with this starter.

It sorta feels like a tiny kitchen secret I cant wait for you to try.

Ingredients

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Potato flakes: mostly starch, feed the yeast and add body, low on protein.
Granulated sugar: simple carbs, sweetens starter and kinda turbocharges yeast activity, so it’s energetic.
Instant or active dry yeast: living cells, create bubbles and mild tang during fermentation.
Warm water: hydrates ingredients, helps yeast wake up quicker, it’s neutral tasting.
Overall: this starter is more about carbohydrate fuel than fibre or protein.
Healthwise: small amounts add calories; not a dietary powerhouse but functional in baking.
Flavour: expect mild sweetness early, then a subtle sourness as fermentation goes.

Ingredient Quantities

instant mashed potato flakes, 2 tablespoons (about 12 g)

granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon (about 12 g)

instant or active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon (about 3 g)

warm water, 1 cup (240 ml)

How to Make this

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1. Warm 1 cup (240 ml) water to about 100 to 110 F (38 to 43 C) — it should feel warm not hot when you put a finger in it.

2. Stir 1 tablespoon (about 12 g) granulated sugar into the warm water until mostly dissolved.

3. Add 1 teaspoon (about 3 g) instant or active dry yeast to the sugared water. If using active dry, let it proof 5 to 10 minutes until foamy; if using instant you can just stir and move on after a minute.

4. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons (about 12 g) instant mashed potato flakes into the yeast mixture and stir until smooth, no big lumps.

5. Let the bowl sit 10 minutes so the potato flakes fully hydrate, then give it another good stir to incorporate any settled bits.

6. Cover the jar or bowl loosely with a cloth or plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours, until the mixture is bubbly and has risen a bit. Warmer rooms speed this up.

7. Check texture: it should be like a thick batter. If it’s too stiff add a tablespoon of warm water, if it’s too thin add a little more potato flakes.

8. When bubbly and active it’s ready to use in your sourdough sandwich bread recipe. If you’re not using it right away, transfer to a clean jar, seal, and refrigerate.

9. To keep a portion for future bakes, save 1/4 to 1/2 cup; before using again refresh it by stirring in a pinch of sugar and a teaspoon of potato flakes, let it wake up at room temp for an hour.

10. Tip: if it smells strongly alcoholic or collapses, it’s over fermented — you can stir and try refreshing, or start a fresh batch; don’t panic if the first try isn’t perfect, it happens to everyone.

Equipment Needed

1. 1-cup liquid measuring cup (240 ml)
2. Measuring spoons, tablespoon and teaspoon
3. Medium mixing bowl or wide-mouth jar for mixing
4. Kitchen thermometer to check 100 to 110 F (38 to 43 C)
5. Small whisk or spoon for stirring, a fork works too
6. Rubber spatula to scrape the sides and incorporate settled bits
7. Clean jar with tight lid for storing the starter
8. Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel to loosely cover while it proofs, dont seal it tight

FAQ

instant mashed potato flakes, 2 tablespoons (about 12 g)

granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon (about 12 g)

instant or active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon (about 3 g)

warm water, 1 cup (240 ml)

Q: Is this the same as a traditional sourdough starter? A: No, it uses commercial yeast so its not a wild-culture sourdough starter. It gives a similar tang and lift fast, but wont replace a long fermented starter for flavor complexity.

Q: How long does it take to become active? A: Usually 1 to 2 hours at warm room temp. If it doesnt foam, your yeast may be old or the water was too hot or cold.

Q: Can I keep it in the fridge? A: Yes, you can store it in the fridge for a few days. Bring it back to room temp and stir before using. Dont expect it to behave like a refreshed wild starter.

Q: What if it smells off or is discolored? A: If it smells rotten or shows mold, toss it and start over. A yeasty or slightly tangy smell is normal.

Q: Can I use this in regular bread recipes? A: Yes, it works in many yeast breads to add a bit of potato flavor and extra rise. Adjust other yeast amounts in your recipe as needed.

Q: Do I need to "feed" it like a sourdough starter? A: Not really. This is a one-off or short-term starter. For long term use youd need a different wild-culture method.

How To Make A Potato Flake Sourdough Starter Recipe Substitutions and Variations

How To Make A Potato Flake Sourdough Starter

Ingredients

instant mashed potato flakes, 2 tablespoons (about 12 g)
granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon (about 12 g)
instant or active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon (about 3 g)
warm water, 1 cup (240 ml)

Instructions
1. Put the potato flakes, sugar and yeast in a clean jar, then pour in the warm water. Stir until mostly dissolved, the mixture will look cloudy and a little foamy.
2. Loosely cover the jar with a lid or a piece of cloth and leave it at room temperature for about 12 to 24 hours. You should see bubbles and a yeasty smell, if nothing happens give it another 12 hours.
3. Once bubbly, use right away for doughs that need a boost, or feed it if you want to keep it active. To feed: discard half, then add 1 tablespoon potato flakes, 1 teaspoon sugar and about 1/4 cup warm water, stir and wait a few hours until bubbly again.
4. Store in the fridge if you dont plan to use it daily, feed at least once a week. When using from the fridge, take it out, warm to room temp and give a feeding so it regains strength.

Notes and tips
– This is a quick, commercial-yeast based starter. It speeds up flavor development but it is not the same as a long fermented wild sourdough starter.
– Use non chlorinated or filtered water for best activity, chlorine can slow or stop the yeast.
– If it smells off in a rotten way dont use it, toss and start over.

Substitutions

instant mashed potato flakes: swap for 2 tablespoons cooked and cooled mashed potato (finely mashed) or 1 tablespoon potato starch mixed with a little water to a paste
granulated sugar: use 1 tablespoon honey or 1 tablespoon light brown sugar for a bit more flavor, either will feed the yeast
instant or active dry yeast: you can use 1/4 cup active sourdough starter (if you have one) instead of commercial yeast but reduce other feedings since it already contains microbes
warm water: use warm milk or a mix of half water half milk for a richer starter, or simply filtered lukewarm water if your tap is chlorinated

Pro Tips

1) Warm, not hot, is everything. If the liquid feels too hot it can kill the yeast, too cold and it’ll barely wake up. If your kitchen is chilly set the jar in a turned-off oven with the light on or next to a warm appliance, but dont use direct heat.

2) Whisk first then wait. Use a small whisk or fork so the flakes dissolve smooth and you dont get big globs. Let it sit a bit and give it another stir before deciding it’s done, sometimes bits settle and need a quick remix.

3) Tweak texture in tiny steps. Add water or flakes by teaspoons, not big pours, till it’s a thick batter that still flows a little. If it’s too thin your breads will be slack, too thick and fermentation slows.

4) Save, store and revive smart. Keep a portion in a clean jar in the fridge and refresh before using by feeding with a pinch of sugar and a spoon of flakes, leave at room temp to wake. If it ever smells sharply alcoholic or shows mold, toss it and start over, but a collapsed starter can often be brought back with a good feed.

How To Make A Potato Flake Sourdough Starter Recipe

Recipe by Francis Mead

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

101

kcal

Equipment: 1. 1-cup liquid measuring cup (240 ml)
2. Measuring spoons, tablespoon and teaspoon
3. Medium mixing bowl or wide-mouth jar for mixing
4. Kitchen thermometer to check 100 to 110 F (38 to 43 C)
5. Small whisk or spoon for stirring, a fork works too
6. Rubber spatula to scrape the sides and incorporate settled bits
7. Clean jar with tight lid for storing the starter
8. Plastic wrap or clean kitchen towel to loosely cover while it proofs, dont seal it tight

Ingredients

instant mashed potato flakes, 2 tablespoons (about 12 g)
granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon (about 12 g)
instant or active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon (about 3 g)
warm water, 1 cup (240 ml)

Directions

Warm 1 cup (240 ml) water to about 100 to 110 F (38 to 43 C) — it should feel warm not hot when you put a finger in it.
Stir 1 tablespoon (about 12 g) granulated sugar into the warm water until mostly dissolved.
Add 1 teaspoon (about 3 g) instant or active dry yeast to the sugared water. If using active dry, let it proof 5 to 10 minutes until foamy; if using instant you can just stir and move on after a minute.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons (about 12 g) instant mashed potato flakes into the yeast mixture and stir until smooth, no big lumps.
Let the bowl sit 10 minutes so the potato flakes fully hydrate, then give it another good stir to incorporate any settled bits.
Cover the jar or bowl loosely with a cloth or plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours, until the mixture is bubbly and has risen a bit. Warmer rooms speed this up.
Check texture: it should be like a thick batter. If it’s too stiff add a tablespoon of warm water, if it’s too thin add a little more potato flakes.
When bubbly and active it’s ready to use in your sourdough sandwich bread recipe. If you’re not using it right away, transfer to a clean jar, seal, and refrigerate.
To keep a portion for future bakes, save 1/4 to 1/2 cup; before using again refresh it by stirring in a pinch of sugar and a teaspoon of potato flakes, let it wake up at room temp for an hour.
Tip: if it smells strongly alcoholic or collapses, it’s over fermented — you can stir and try refreshing, or start a fresh batch; don’t panic if the first try isn’t perfect, it happens to everyone.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.