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This Irish soda bread recipe is an easy no yeast bread.
With just a handful of ingredients, simply mix and bake for a delicious warm bread perfect for dipping and dunking!
Irish Soda Bread Is Easy To Make
Soda bread became popular in Ireland, Scotland, and England when baking soda was introduced. Originally, it was made with Irish wheat flour and baked over an open hearth.
- While we often make this for next to Irish Stew, it can be made any time of year.
- This soda bread is very quick to make – no yeast required
- This recipe makes a free-formed loaf that requires very little kneading or rising time.
Irish soda bread can be eaten plain with butter, served with fried cabbage, or dunked into a thick and hearty bowl of stew.
Ingredients for Irish Soda Bread
- Flour – A combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour produces a traditionally dense texture and delicious flavor. You can use all-white flour if you like.
- Buttermilk – The acidity in the buttermilk helps the bread to rise.
- Egg – Egg gives this bread just the right texture.
- Salt & Sugar – Salt and sugar flavor this loaf.
- Variations – Feel free to add a ½ cup of currants or raisins.
How to Make Irish Soda Bread
This Irish soda bread recipe is full of traditional flavor and so easy to make!
- Mix the ingredients in the recipe below to form a shaggy dough.
- Form the dough into a circle and cut a cross shape into the top.
- Bake until the loaf is lightly browned and sounds hollow when tapped.
Holly’s Tips
- Let the bread rest before slicing and serving. The top will be crispy and the interior will be soft and chewy.
- Irish soda bread is best served fresh but can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Enjoy as is, or cut into cubes for croutons or process into homemade bread crumbs.
More Quick Bread Recipes
Did you love this Irish Soda Bread? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Irish Soda Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk divided, or as needed
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the egg and half of the buttermilk to the flour mixture. Stir to combine.
- Continue adding the remaining buttermilk a little bit at a time, stirring just until the dough holds together. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead it a couple of times.
- Form the dough into a 9-inch circle. Using a sharp knife, cut a cross shape ½-inch deep across the top.
- Transfer the dough to a parchment paper lined baking pan.
- Bake the bread for 45-50 minutes or until lightly browned. The bread should sound hollow when tapped.
- Allow the bread to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Replace buttermilk by adding 1 ½ tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 3/4 cups of milk and allowing the mixture to stand for 5 minutes.
- Soda bread tastes best served fresh but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This bread can be toasted or warmed in the microwave or oven.
- Optional add-ins include 1/2 cup of raisins or dried currants.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Bread, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Irish© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
This Irish Soda Bread Recipe has been adapted from The Cross Cookbook, an old church cookbook written with a typewriter. The submission was made by Sr. Ida Mary.
Sources of information for the history of Irish Soda Bread: Irish Central, Wikipedia
The BEST!!!!
Thank you so much, Ivory!
I love it rustic and tastie easy to make. Thank you so much
Thank you, Lynn! So glad you enjoyed it.
Just wondering if your Irish Soda Bread could be made with gluten free flour?
I have not tried using gluten-free flour so I can’t say for sure, Connie. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
I have used lots of your recipes so I know there is nothing wrong with the recipe. It must be me. I have tried several recipes over the years and they all come out like a rock! Hard shell! Please tell me what I’m doing wrong, I think I somehow overwork it or something…….
Soda bread does typically have a crispy outer shell Kathleen. The inside is soft. Sounds like maybe it turned out!
Hi: Could I use Buckwheat Flour as the Whole Wheat Alternative? Along with White Gluten Free?
I have not tried with buckwheat or gluten-free flour so I can’t say for sure Jennifer. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
This bread recipe is so damn good. Found it when I was looking for a low sodium alternative to corned beef for St. Patrick’s day dinner. It shocked me how good it was, as the recipe is so simple. But, now having found this recipe, Im gunna start making this bread regularly. Its absolutely divine with butter and honey, especially creamed honey.
So so happy to hear that, Michelle! ❤️
Can I use all white flour , dont have any whole wheat.
Definitely Vicki, you can sub the whole wheat flour for white flour.
I prefer my soda bread with dried raisins or currants, and caraway seed is a must!
Those all sound fabulous to me Cindy!
we made it for st. paddys day. what a nice suprise!!! ive never made an unlevened bread. this was easy to make, fresh out of the oven,with butter, we started dinner with an irish soda bread appetizer :). it was great with our meal, sopping up the pot drippings on our plates. i recommend this receipe, it’s easy to follow, inexpensive, and very tasty.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Dawn!