Easy homemade Irish soda bread 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.
A traditional quick bread made with simple ingredients. Crusty outside, soft inside, a must-try for bread lovers. 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.
So that the heck is soda bread anyway? A quick bread that does not use yeast or require rising time. It produces a dense and moist loaf with a golden crust.
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.
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.
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. A must along side Guinness Irish stew.
Basic Soda Bread Ingredients
- flour
- sugar
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- butter
- buttermilk
How To Make Easy Irish Soda Bread In Minutes
You will be a pro in no time. Full instructions are in the recipe card.
- Place the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add the buttermilk.
- Mix with a spatula to combine.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface and mix until it forms a ball, adding a little more flour as you work the dough.
- Place on a baking sheet.
- Score and bake.
Suggestions / Recipe Tips
- Do not over-work the dough. It should have an uneven and shaggy appearance. This dough has more of a scone like texture. Add a bit more flour as you work it into a ball.
- Be sure to score the top of the bread before baking.
- Always 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, 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.
- Adding the salt on top before baking is optional. Course sea salt is perfect for this.
How long will it 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.
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.
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 alongside:
- 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.
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
- ¼ 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.
- Using a spatula add the buttermilk (not all at once) and mix until moist. The dough will have a shaggy texture.
- Turn dough onto floured surface and blend with your hands until it forms a round ball. Add a bit more flour to make it easier to handle. Try not to overwork it. 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!!
GiGi Eats
I want a pillow made of that bread!! lol
Chef G
Yes a pillow of bread would be great.
Carol Bryant
If I am going to have Irish soda bread I for sure want homemade. I think this is the year to try this. Looks good!
Chef G
You will love it once you make it.
Censie
I love Irish Soda Bread and it really is a great thing to make for St. Patrick’s day. Going to make sure I introduce my kids to this soon!
Chef G
I’m sure they will love it!!
Ashley Sparks Mullins
YUM! Bread is my weakness! I’ve never heard of this but it sounds good. Thanks for the recipe!
Chef G
It is so awesome and so easy….and so yummy!!
Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens
You are so right – the smell of fresh baked bread … mmmmmmmm … there’s just nothing like it! And wow! You weren’t kidding about this recipe being simple – what a total breeze! I love surprisingly easy recipes! 😀
Chef G
Me too….you can make them more often.
Christine | Vermilion Roots
I love baking bread at home, but when we don’t have enough time, soda bread is the answer!
Chef G
It sure is…I love it!!
Emma @ Supper in the Suburbs
I love soda bread but don’t think I’ve ever made it myself?! This has to change! Great recipe
Chef G
Oh my you don’t know what you are missing!!
Alicia Taylor
When I lived in Orlando, I frequented an Irish pub in Downtown Disney and they had the best Irish Soda bread. If I’d known it was so easy, I would have made it sooner!
Chef G
It is super easy!!
Rebecca Bryant
YUM!1 I am a huge fan of bread. I love when it’s warm from the oven with just a bit of melted butter. So good.
Chef G
Fresh bread rocks!!
Sherri @ Watch Learn Eat
This bread looks delicious – I just want to eat it through the screen! 😉 Anyway, such a great recipe and nice memory of your childhood!
Chef G
Well thank you very much.
Ali @ Home & Plate
There is nothing like home baked bread. This looks delicious and I think perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!
Chef G
Thank you….it is delicious.
Platter Talk
We love soda bread and this is just on time for the big green holiday coming up! Thanks for sharing!
Chef G
You are welcome…thanks for stopping by.
Chris @ SimpleFood365
There is nothing like homemade bread! That loaf looks delicious and I would love a warm sliced, covered in butter right about now! YUM!
Chef G
I know I love it too….I could eat the whole loaf.
Shadi
Love this bread so much because it’s so easy and comes together in now time! We usually have it with soup or for breakfast we have it with honey, now I’m craving some!
Chef G
Yes it really is easy and quick to make any day of the week.
Robin Rue (@massholemommy)
I haven’t had Irish soda bread since I was in the 3rd grade. Time for me to try some again 🙂
Chef G
Oh my you are really missing out.