Sweet Potato Cheese Salt Bread

Name: Sweet Potato Cheese Salt Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 29 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1 batch salt bread recipe (egg vr.) + 2 tbsp black sesame seeds, optional; 3 oz (90 g) cheese of choice, cut into 6 pieces, 15 grams each (gouda, mozzarella, white cheddar, brie even cream cheese are great choices); 1/4 cup (60 g) salted butter, cut into 6 pieces, 10 grams each; 3 tbsp (42 g) butter for lining; rock salt, pearl salt, flaky salt or pretzel salt, for topping; 2-3 (210-240 g) small japanese sweet potatoes, cooked; honey stewed japanese sweet potatoes 2 small (180 g) Japanese sweet potatoes; 1 tbsp salted butter; 1 1/2 tbsp (30 g) honey; 1 1/2 tbsp (18 g) sugar; 2-3 tbsp water

Soft, buttery Japanese Sweet Potato Cheese Salt Bread with a golden, lightly fried bottom. Filled with butter, melty cheese and sweet potato, these rolls are perfect for breakfast, snacks, or holiday dinners!

sweet potato cheese salt bread on parchment paper and serving tray

Japanese Sweet Potatoes and Cheese Bread
Ingredients and Substitutions
How to Make Sweet Potato Cheese Salt Bread
VIDEO: Watch How to Make It
Lisa’s Recipe Tips
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Recipe FAQ
More Japanese Sweet Potato Recipes
Sweet Potato Cheese Salt Bread Recipe

Japanese Sweet Potatoes and Cheese Bread

Japan is all about seasonal ingredients, and Japanese sweet potato season is my favorite time of year!! Japanese sweet potatoes are harvested from late summer through fall, but they’re at their peak after a period of curing and storage, when they become sweeter and creamier — usually from late December through winter. So as we head into peak season, I’m extra excited to share a series of Japanese sweet potato recipes.

I’ve been eating Japanese sweet potatoes for as long as I can remember, and after trying them in just about every form, my favorites have always been sweet-and-savory combinations — especially sweet potato with cheese or salted butter. My mom used to make us sweet potato grilled cheese, sweet potato cheese mochi and cheesy sweet potato “boats” topped with honey and nuts, and those flavors are what inspired today’s recipe.

You’ll also see Japanese sweet potato and cheese baked into all kinds of pastries, cakes, and breads at Japanese cafes and bakeries during this time of year — it’s a really popular combination. Another classic you’ll see everywhere is Japanese sweet potato and salted butter, which is ridiculously simple but so good!!

So today, I’m sharing a recipe that brings four very good things together in one roll: Japanese sweet potato, cheese, butter, and bread — made easy by using salt bread as the base.

black sesame bread stuffed with butter, cheese and sweet potato

Ingredients and Substitutions

Before we get into the step-by-step, here’s what you’ll need:

Salt bread dough: I used the egg version of my semi hard salt bread recipe but you can use the eggless version, no knead salt bread or hard crust salt bread! The exterior of these rolls are softer, naturally because of the moisture from the potatoes but the base gets crispy if you add a layer of butter before baking.
Black sesame seeds: Optional, but adds nuttiness.
Cheese: My favourites to pair with Japanese sweet potatoes is gouda, mozzarella, white cheddar or cream cheese!
Salted butter: We’re adding butter both inside and on the base. Because sweet potatoes will absorb a lot of the melted butter inside the dough, add a layer of butter underneath the dough to get that crispy bottom. The more you add the more ‘fried’ it will be.
Salt: Rock salt, pearl salt, flaky salt, or pretzel salt for topping
Japanese sweet potatoes: If they’re in season, they’re sweet enough that you can add it whole, just as it is. Bake them in the oven or in the rice cooker. If you find your sweet potatoes not really sweet, you can mash it and mix in a little sugar and milk so it becomes a paste. Another option is to dice them and cook them in some sugar which also gives a different texture to the rolls.

How to Make Sweet Potato Cheese Salt Bread

Here’s a quick overview before the detailed steps:

Prepare one batch of salt bread: The dough takes about 2 hours (mostly hands off, proofing time) to prepare.
Prepare sweet potatoes: While the dough is proofing, cook the sweet potatoes either by baking them in the oven, cooking them in the rice cooker or on the stove top.
Prepare the pan: Rub butter onto the pan where the dough will sit for a crispy fried bottom.
Shape: Roll each pre-shaped dough into a long teardrop, about 35–40 cm in length. Add butter, cheese and sweet potato, and then roll down.
Second proof: Cover and proof until double in size.
Bake: Mist with water, top with salt and bake until golden!

VIDEO: Watch How to Make It

Lisa’s Recipe Tips

Build enough gluten: Be sure that the dough is stretchy before letting it proof and to proof sufficiently so that it can rise at its highest potential for best crumb texture.
Cool the sweet potatoes: Be sure that the sweet potatoes are completely cooled before rolling it inside or it can cause the dough to be too warm or create steam and moisture inside.
Add butter under the dough: Sweet potatoes will absorb a lot of that melted butter so it makes it difficult for it to seep out and fry the bottom. I used a bit less butter because I wanted a lighter crisp but for a thick crispy bottom you can add some more.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

These sweet potato cheese buns are best enjoyed fresh, ideally on the same day.

To store:

Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.
For longer storage, freeze for up to 1 month.

To reheat:

Oven or air fryer: Preheat to 350°F (175°C) and warm for 4–7 minutes.
Microwave: Once thawed, wrap in a damp paper towel and heat for 15–20 seconds.

Recipe FAQ

Can I use orange sweet potatoes?

Of course! Orange sweet potatoes tend to be a bit more watery so I recommend microwaving it to remove some of the moisture.

sesame bread filled with butter, cheese, japanese sweet potato split in half on a white plate

More Japanese Sweet Potato Recipes

Enjoy! If you make this Sweet Potato Cheese Salt Bread recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and rating below, and if you share it on social media, tag me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen. I can’t wait to see your creations!