The best Irish soda bread recipe that is perfect for any day of the week. Dense and soft with an incredible crusty exterior.
No kneading. No rising. No yeast. No waiting for HOURS! Quick, easy, and delicious. Your house will smell like a bakery.
Great for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with this quick baking soda bread recipe.
Life is busy. My sundried tomato and olive bread takes a little time to make, but worth the effort. Traditional Irish soda bread is the perfect way to enjoy homemade bread using minimal ingredients. Made in a fraction of the time.
When you can make delicious biscuit recipes in a snap, like gramma’s drop biscuits, life is good. Give these cottage cheese biscuits a try too. So much better than the famous store-bought tinned variety.
If you are new to the bread-making experience, this easy recipe is the perfect place to start. It does not require any yeast. Instead, all of its leavening comes from baking soda and buttermilk.
I bet your family will like it so much it will become your favourite side. We absolutely love it with tomato crab soup.
With St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner, it pairs perfectly with this easy corned beef and potato on the stove dinner. Made in under 30 minutes.
A must along side Guinness Irish stew. This recipe is made in the pressure cooker.
RECIPE and INSTRUCTIONS for this Irish bread recipe are at the bottom of the post.
Irish Bread Ingredients:
- flour
- sugar
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- butter
- buttermilk
What Is Soda Bread?
A quick bread that does not use yeast or require rising time. It produces a dense and moist loaf with a golden crust. Baking soda and buttermilk act as the leavening agent.
Traditionally the 4 basic ingredients include flour, baking soda, buttermilk, and salt. It can also be made with a combination of whole wheat flour and regular flour. Some recipes also include the addition of raisins.
How To Make Easy Irish Soda Bread In Minutes
You will be a pro in no time.
- Place the flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
- Add the buttermilk.
- Mix with your hands to combine.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface and mix until it forms a ball.
- Place on a baking sheet.
- Score
- Bake
I have baked it in a *(affiliate) cake pan, and a *(affiliate) cast-iron skillet. I prefer the old-fashioned way. Just plop it onto a *(affiliate) baking sheet.
I like to top it with a little *(affiliate) coarse sea salt for a nice presentation. This is completely optional. Another great choice would be *(affiliate) Himalayan Pink Salt.
Recipe Tips
- Do not over-work the dough. It should an uneven and shaggy appearance. That is perfect.
- Be sure to score the top of the bread before baking.
- Be sure to use COLD butter. The colder the butter the less sticky the dough will be.
- If you choose to bake the bread in a cast-iron skillet, be sure to add a few minutes to the baking time as it will take a little longer.
- If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, here are some great buttermilk substitutes.
Why Is There An X On Top Of Soda Bread?
Depending on where you get your facts, there are LOTS of legends people believe the X on top symbolizes.
- to let the fairies out.
- the four corners represent the four provinces of Ireland!
- often said to ward off the devil and to protect the household.
- blessing the bread and giving thanks.
From a baking perspective, cutting the dough lets heat penetrate into the thickest part of the bread. Allowing it to stretch and expand while baking.
How Long Will Soda Bread Last?
It will dry out quickly, so it is best eaten the day of baking. For longer use, wrap it tightly or place it in an airtight container. It will last for 3-4 days.
Can You Freeze It?
Yes, you can. Tightly wrapped it will freeze well for 3-4 months.
Can You Toast It?
Yes, and it is super delicious. Slather it with some jam, use it to make French toast, or top it with a fried egg. This is a worthy breakfast bread.
What is the difference between Irish soda bread and Irish brown bread?
Soda bread is slightly sweet. Think of a fresh-baked scone. It contains white flour, which gives it a mild flavor.
Brown bread is savory. It contains whole wheat flour, molasses, and oats. It has a nutty flavour.
Baking bread does not have to be time-consuming and complicated. This easy-to-make recipe makes an appearance quite often on our dinner table.
Try this recipe along side:
- Chunky Chili, the perfect comfort food that will warm you up in a hurry
- Red Wine Lamb Stew takes comfort food to a whole new level of deliciousness. Great for date night.
- Mom’s Pea Soup always needs some great bread for dunking.
Looking For More Quick and Easy Bread Recipes?
- We love Cheezy Cornbread with chili. A must for the cast iron skillet.
- Have some bananas to use up? Basic Banana Bread is always a great place for them.
- Another no yeast option is Onion Bread, perfect for soups, stews, and chilis.
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Easy Irish Soda Bread (Baking Soda Bread)
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cold butter (cubed)
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F and choose your preferred baking pan, sheet or cast iron skillet. I just used a parchment lined baking sheet.
- In a large bowl add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
- Add the butter and mix until crumbly.
- Add the buttermilk (not all at once) and mix with your hand until moist.
- Turn dough onto floured surface and blend until it forms a round ball. Flatten with your hand slightly to form a disc about 7-8 inches across.
- Place on baking sheet. Score an X on the top with a sharp knife (about ½ way through the bread.
- At this point, you can top with the coarse salt if you like.
- Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes. Check with a cake tester. The top should be browned, and the bread will have a hollow sound when you tap on the bottom.
- Remove to a wire rack to cool. At this point, I am ready to rip off a chunk!!
Shannon Doyle
Can I make the dough, cover and refrigerate to bake later?
Thank you!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
That is a great question. I have never tried, but I don’t see why not. I would let it get to room temperature before putting it in the oven. Let me know how it turns out.
Kathleen Ross
My husband is dairy free he gets sick. What if I use anything milk and add vinger?
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Well, you will have to replace the butter with a vegan product, and as for the buttermilk, perhaps a plain vegan/dairy-free yogurt? Add some water to make it similar to the consistency of buttermilk.
Trish Bozeman
I can’t believe you can make this in just an hour! No yeast. No rising. MAGIC. Perfect for dipping into soups or just eating with a bit of butter and jam. Mmmm…..
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
YES, YES and YES. This is the fastest go-to bread recipe when you need some in a hurry.