Potato Flake Sourdough Garlic Herb and Cheese Bread Recipe

Potato flake sourdough garlic herb and cheese bread is a deliciously soft sub bread perfect for your next sandwich. Enjoy it’s aromatic blend of herbs and golden-brown cheese crust on top of the bread. This garlic herb and cheese sub bread is sure to elevate your sandwich game.

I’ve always loved a good sub sandwich, piled high with lunchmeat, cheese, and my favorite toppings. Most sub shops bake their bread fresh in store daily. Don’t sell yourself short, make some of this homemade bread for your next sandwich! It is so much better than just plain white bread!

Not only is this bread delicious, but it’s also better for you than the fresh bread made in the restaurant. This is because it’s naturally risen with a potato flake starter.

Why use a potato flake starter instead of commercial yeast?

You might wonder what’s the point of using a potato flake starter instead of commercial yeast ? I’m here to tell you that using a potato flake starter offers several advantages. Here are a few:

1. Flavor: The starter’s fermentation adds complex flavors to the bread that commercial yeast does not.
2. Digestibility: The fermentation process in sourdough also breaks down gluten and phytic acid. Which potentially makes the bread easier to digest for some people who are sensitive to these components. This can result in a bread that is gentler on the digestive system compared to bread made with commercial yeast.
3. Health benefits: Researchers have associated sourdough fermentation with potential health benefits. Some of which could be: improved blood sugar control and enhanced nutrient absorption. While these benefits may vary depending on factors such as fermentation time and flour type, some people choose sourdough for its possible health advantages.
4. Longer shelf life: Sourdough bread tends to have a longer shelf life compared to bread made with active or instant yeast. This is a result of the acids produced during fermentation, which act as natural preservatives.

Curious about making your own starter? I have another post that will tell you all about how to make one!

Want a potato flake starter, but don’t want to make it yourself? Check out my etsy listing where I sell portions of my live potato flake starter!

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

Tools you will need:

Stand mixer (optional, but much easier than kneading by hand)

Measuring cups & spoons

Dough cutter and scraper

3 Loaf, French bread or baguette Loaf Pans (if you don’t have this you can use parchment paper on a baking sheet to make your own, if you decide to make these often, they are worth the extra cost!)

Ingredients:

Ingredients for the dough:

Warm Water: Make sure to use warm water and not hot. Hot water can kill your starter before it has time to rise your bread.

Active Potato Flake starter: A potato flake starter is a natural leavening agent used to rise your bread. It also ferments the grains to make a more digestible bread product. Active starter is one that has been fed fairly recently, but has had time to feed on it’s recent feeding. Usually about 8-10 hours after a feeding. It can be used up to two days after a feeding and still be active enough to rise the bread. If your starter is not active you might enjoy making some of these potato flake sourdough discard recipes!

Olive oil: Using olive oil will provide moisture for the dough which will result in a softer crumb and a more tender texture. It also can help prolong the breads freshness and prevent it from drying out too quickly.

Salt: Using salt not also add flavor to the bread but strengthens the gluten, improving the dough structure and texture.

Egg: Eggs act as binders, helping to hold the ingredients together and improve the bread’s structure. They also contribute to the bread’s golden-brown crust and add a slight richness to its flavor profile. You can substitute the eggs with ground flax seed. To do this mix one tablespoon of ground flaxseed and three tablespoons of water. Mix to combine and add to the recipe.

Instant mashed potato flakes: Adds moisture and tenderness to the bread’s crumb. Potato flakes retain moisture, prolonging the bread’s freshness and preventing it from becoming stale too quickly.

Bread Flour: Contains a higher protein content necessary for gluten development, resulting in a chewier texture and better structure. All purpose flour will not give you as nice of a final product, but will do in a pinch.

Ingredients for the topping:

Dried oregano

Garlic powder

Dried parsley

Shredded Colby and Monterey Jack Cheese

How to make potato flake sourdough garlic herb and cheese bread:

Prepare the Dough:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the starter, water, oil, salt, eggs, and the mashed potato flakes. Using the dough hook, on low speed, gradually incorporate the bread flour into the wet ingredients until a dough forms.

Knead the Dough:

After adding the flour, knead for 6 minutes on low speed. This step helps develop the gluten in the dough, resulting in a better texture for the bread.

First Rise:

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container and allow it to rise until almost doubled. You can let it sit at room temperature for about 6 hours, or in a warm place such as a warm oven that is turned off with the light on for about 3 hours.

Shaping the dough:

After the first rise, transfer the dough to a clean surface and divide into three equal pieces. This can vary depending on how large you want your sub rolls.

Gently pat and roll your dough into logs. With the pan I used, it made three 14 inch logs.

Add toppings:

Mix together the oregano, garlic powder, and parsley. Spread out in a line on the clean surface. Spray the tops of the logs of dough with water to help the seasoning adhere to the dough. If you don’t have a spray bottle for water, lightly baste the tops with water.

Carefully dredge the tops of each log in the Italian herb seasoning blend. Place each log onto the loaf roll pan.

Second rise:

Cover with plastic wrap to prevent the dough from drying out. The dough should rise until a bit more than doubled. Allow it to rise at room temperature for about 8 hours or in a warm place such as a warm oven that is turned off with the light on for about 5 hours. You could allow it to sit at room temperature overnight and bake it the morning of the next day.

Preparing to bake the Potato Flake Sourdough Garlic Herb and Cheese Bread:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap from then risen dough. Sprinkle the tops of each loaf with shredded Colby and Monterey Jack Cheese.

Bake the Potato Flake Sourdough Garlic Herb and Cheese Bread:

Bake the garlic herb and cheese sub bread for 15-18 minutes at 375°F, or until it turn golden brown and sounds hallow when tapped on the bottom. If the bread is getting too brown on top before the time is up, you can tent some aluminum foil over the top to stop the browning and allow the bread to continue baking.

Cool and Slice:

Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before slicing it into desired lengths for sub sandwiches. The bread can be served warm or at room temperature, depending on your preference. To prevent squishing your bread, use a sharp bread knife for best results.

Some of the best sandwiches for Italian herb and cheese bread:

So many different sandwich combos are delicious on this bread but I have a few favorites. To make a delicious cold meat sandwich, is pretty quick! Layer turkey deli meat, provolone cheese, shredded lettuce, onion, and tomato. Don’t forget to add a bit of oil, and red wine vinegar along with some salt and oregano for the perfect sandwich.

If you aren’t a huge fan of a cold sandwich, try an Italian meatball sub instead! Make homemake Italian meatballs, or just buy some frozen from the store. Allow them to simmer in some marinara or homemade pasta sauce. Add the saucy meatballs to the sub bread, top with some provolone cheese, and toast until the cheese is melted. Voilà! You have a fancy meatball sub that took no time at all.

How to make this potato flake garlic herb and cheese bread without a stand mixer?

I’m not going to sugar coat it, it will be more difficult, but it can be done!

Instead of using a stand mixer use a large mixing bowl and a wooden spoon to initially mix the ingredients. When it becomes too difficult to mix with the spoon, use your hands to combine all of the ingredients together. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until the dough is smooth. For best results, avoid adding too much flour in the kneading process.

Once the dough has been kneaded, place in the large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.

Proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Additional Tips for making the best Potato Flake Sourdough Garlic Herb and Cheese Bread:.

• Make Ahead and Freeze: This bread freezes well, so consider making a double batch and freezing individual portions for future use. Simply wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap and inside a zip loc bag before placing it in the freezer.
• It’s better to skimp on the first rise time, rather than the second. Don’t let the first rise go for too long. If you do, the dough might not have enough strength for the second rise.
• Remember that all dough recipes might need a bit of tweaking when it comes to the amount of flour. This is because of the changes in humidity, the differences in how people scoop the flour, and even the brand of flour can cause slight differences. Don’t be afraid to tweak a tad if it doesn’t look just right.
• If you are uncomfortable with leaving eggs in the dough at room temperature to ferment, choose the egg alternative of ground flax seed and water. See above for additional info on how to do this!
• Don’t go too crazy on the cheese. I wish I had added a bit less on the tops of the bread you seen in the photos. It gave it too much of a crust and the cheese was coming off the tops of some of the bread when bitten into.
• If you don’t have Colby & Monterey jack cheese you can substitute with cheddar cheese. You can also add a bit of parmesan cheese to the tops for added flavor.
• If you have any of the bread left over and don’t want to make any more sandwiches, this bread is great turned into a garlic bread for a pasta night! You can slice the bread long ways, then cut into smaller pieces. Spread on some butter and garlic salt and parsley and bake until toasted.

Potato Flake Sourdough Garlic Herb and Cheese Bread

Garlic herb and cheese bread made with a potato flake starter is a deliciously soft sub bread perfect for your next sandwich. Enjoy it’s aromatic blend of herbs and golden-brown cheese crust on top of the bread. This garlic herb and cheese sub bread is sure to elevate your sandwich game.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings 3 14 inch loaves

Equipment

• Stand mixer (optional, but much easier than kneading by hand)
• Measuring cups/ spoons
• Dough cutter and scraper
• 1 French bread or baguette Loaf Pans (if you don't have this you can use parchment paper on a baking sheet to make your own)

Ingredients

  

Ingredients for the dough:

• 1/3 cup + ½ Tablespoon Warm Water slowly add in 1 tablespoon at time if more is needed can take up to 1/2 cup depending on the time of year.
• 1 cup Active Potato Flake starter
• 3 Tablespoons Olive oil
• 1/2 Tablespoon Salt
• 1 Egg
• 3 Tablespoons Instant mashed potato flakes
• 3 3/4 cups Bread Flour

Ingredients for the topping:

• 2 teaspoons Dried oregano
• 4 teaspoons Garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons Dried parsley
• 1/4-1/2 cup Shredded Colby and Monterey Jack Cheese

Instructions

 

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the potato flake starter, water, oil, salt, eggs, and the mashed potato flakes. Using the dough hook, on low speed, gradually incorporate the bread flour into the wet ingredients until a dough forms.
• After adding the flour, knead for 6 minutes on low speed. This step helps develop the gluten in the dough, resulting in a better texture for the bread.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow it to rise until almost doubled. You can let it sit at room temperature for about 6 hours, or in a warm place such as a warm oven that is turned off with the light on for about 3 hours.
• After the first rise, transfer the dough to a clean surface and divide into three equal pieces. This can vary depending on how large you want your sub rolls.
• Gently pat and roll your dough into logs. With the pan I used, it made three 14 inch logs.
• Mix together the oregano, garlic powder, and parsley. Spread out in a line on the clean surface. Spray the tops of the logs of dough with water to help the seasoning adhere to the dough.
• Carefully dredge the tops of each log in the Italian herb seasoning blend. Place each log onto the loaf roll pan.
• Cover with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container to prevent the dough from drying out. The dough should rise until a bit more than doubled. Allow it to rise at room temperature for about 8 hours or in a warm place such as a warm oven that is turned off with the light on for about 5 hours. You could allow it to sit at room temperature overnight and bake it the morning of the next day.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap from then risen dough. Sprinkle the tops of each loaf with shredded Colby and Monterey Jack Cheese.
• Bake the garlic herb and cheese sub bread for 15-18 minutes at 375°F, or until it turn golden brown and sounds hallow when tapped on the bottom. If the bread is getting too brown on top before the time is up, you can tent some aluminum foil over the top to stop the browning and allow the bread to continue baking.
• Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before slicing it into desired lengths for sub sandwiches. The bread can be served warm or at room temperature, depending on your preference.

Notes

• Make Ahead and Freeze: This bread freezes well, so consider making a double batch and freezing individual portions for future use. Simply wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap and inside a zip loc bag before placing it in the freezer.
• It’s better to skimp on the first rise time, rather than the second. Don’t let the first rise go for too long. If you do, the dough might not have enough strength for the second rise.
• Remember that all dough recipes might need a bit of tweaking when it comes to the amount of flour. This is because of the changes in humidity, the differences in how people scoop the flour, and even the brand of flour can cause slight differences. Don’t be afraid to tweak a tad if it doesn’t look just right.
• If you are uncomfortable with leaving eggs in the dough at room temperature to ferment, choose the egg alternative of ground flax seed and water. See above for additional info on how to do this!
• Don’t go too crazy on the cheese. I wish I had added a bit less on the tops of the bread you seen in the photos. It gave it too much of a crust and the cheese was coming off the tops of some of the bread when bitten into.
• If you don’t have Colby & Monterey jack cheese you can substitute with cheddar cheese. You can also add a bit of parmesan cheese to the tops for added flavor.
• If you have any of the bread left over and don’t want to make any more sandwiches, this bread is great turned into a garlic bread for a pasta night! You can slice the bread long ways, then cut into smaller pieces. Spread on some butter and garlic salt and parsley and bake until toasted.

You might also like to try:

Sometimes a craving hits for a classic PB&J. This is bread probably won’t hit the spot for that craving. Instead try out my original bread loaf recipe or make a whole wheat version that is so delicious!

If you like sub sandwiches, but aren’t too crazy about garlic herb and cheese, simply leave the toppings off, or you can try out my simple hoagie bun recipe that will make several small hoagie bun rolls!

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