This Store-Bought Potato Roll Brand Is Popular. But What Makes It So Special?

Potatoes' pillowy, starchy pulp makes equally pillowy, hearty bread. And no brand has mastered the mighty potato roll better than Martin's potato rolls. So delicious and perfect are Martin's potato rolls that other brands and copycat home recipes try to emulate them. But what makes Martin's potato rolls so special?

To understand what makes Martin's potato rolls stand out, it's first important to understand what potato rolls really are. In the states, swap a portion of whole wheat flour with either boiled and mashed potato pulp or dehydrated potato granules. The result is a buttery, slightly sweeter crumb with the most perfect, soft squish imaginable. Just as potatoes are hearty starches, potato bread has a much longer shelf life because it holds onto moisture longer and doesn't dry out as quickly as wheat bread.

Martin's potato rolls originated in Dutch Country, using a Dutch Pennsylvania family's recipe. The original family still owns and runs the business, upholding the same standard of quality by using whole, natural, high-quality ingredients. Whereas competitor potato bread brands use potato flakes and enriched wheat flour, Martin's uses potato flour and high-protein wheat flour. High-protein wheat flour is essential for a crumb's elasticity and is probably what makes Martin's rolls so irresistibly squishy. Furthermore, real butter, sugar, and milk round out Martin's potato rolls' list of ingredients, accounting for the yellow hue and buttery, sweet, and savory flavor.

Perhaps the most famous and widespread use of Martin's potato rolls is as a vessel for hamburgers. Even famed celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain favors the humble potato roll over a more upscale brioche bun. This makes sense because the squishy, dense potato bread is much better at absorbing grease and fat while still maintaining its structure. A potato bun will only become more flavorful by absorbing all those umami-rich burger juices, bacon grease, and cheese oils, whereas a brioche bun will all but disintegrate under the weight of all that liquid gold.

Consequently, Martin's rolls have become a burger staple, not just at home, but in burger joints around the world. Shake Shack proudly uses Martin's potato rolls for their burgers in locations across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. Its success with Shake Shack created a domino effect on the brand's popularity for use in burger restaurants and barbecue joints.

Burgers aren't the only use for Martin's potato buns. Their texture and flavor go with just about anything. They're great for toasted sandwiches like grilled cheese, lobster rolls, and tuna melts. You can flatten a sheet of Martin's dinner rolls into the crust for a sheet pan pizza or repurpose old potato rolls into buttery bread crumbs. Take Martin's potato rolls in a sweet direction by transforming them into bread pudding or French toast. Of course, you can enjoy rolls just as they are, warmed up and slathered with whipped butter.