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!!
Brandy
Now that brings me back to when I was a kid! We would eat this every year and I LOVED it! Thanks for reminding me about this! I think I will be making it for my kids!
Homemade & Yummy
OMG…I love making this. So fast…and so delicious.
Sues
I had no idea Irish Soda Bread was so easy to make! These are great simple-to-follow instructions 🙂
Homemade & Yummy
Hope you give it a try….and YES it is EASY!!
Rebecca Hubbell
Such a classic recipe, can’t wait to make it for St. Patrick’s Day!
Homemade & Yummy
We eat it all year long. So quick to make.
Colleen
Irish soda bread is a traditional bread in our family. Our Irish Granny’s version used whole wheat flour, oats, and never any sugar. But your version looks much lighter and fluffier. Delicious!
Homemade & Yummy
Well yes the traditional did use whole wheat flour…and NO sugar. This is a modern version LOL.
Jen
This has to be the easiest homemade bread recipe I ever did see. Thank you! I’ve been wanting to make homemade bread, but always get put off by how complicated they seem.
Homemade & Yummy
It really doesn’t get easier than this. Give it a try and you will see.
Nicole Tingwall
Even as someone who cooks all the time, making bread is so intimidating! You make it look so easy! I’m definitely testing this out soon!
Homemade & Yummy
You will see…this is easy as can be.
Jordan
True story – I have NEVER tried soda bread. But we’re having an Irish themed dinner this year so I will be using this recipe soon!
Homemade & Yummy
ENJOY…this is theme perfect.
Heather
I am with you, there is nothing better than fresh baked bread! I love how quick this recipe is…it means I can have that wonderful “bread making smell” in minutes. Plus, I get to eat bread?!? I’m in!!
Homemade & Yummy
I know, it is a win all the way around.
Meredith
My grandfather made irish soda bread every year for us… eating it with him is such a fond memory! Can you believe I have never made it before? Now I have no excuses… thank you for this easy to follow recipe!
Homemade & Yummy
Gotta love those wonderful food memories.
Traci
I don’t think I’ve ever made Irish soda bread… And I used to be a bread baker back in my college days! I am so going to add this to my “make that” list. Pinning now!
Homemade & Yummy
You will love how easy this recipe is to make. You can have freshly baked bread all the time.
Bobbi | Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen
This bread looks amazing! I will have to give it a try. I am pretty bread challenged, but I love St Patrick’s Day so I want to put this on my menu ?
Homemade & Yummy
This recipe will make you feel like a bread baking pro. Give it a try.
Jenni LeBaron
Yum! We visited Ireland last year and I could have happily spent the trip sitting in cafes eating soda bread slathered in butter. What a great recipe!
Homemade & Yummy
Yup the simple things in life are the best.
Allison hanson
This looks so god, give me some kerrygold butter and I am a happy girl!
Homemade & Yummy
Nothing beats fresh baked bread slathered in butter.
Ginny
I want to break off a big chunk of your Irish soda bread. It looks delicious and the recipe sounds quite easy. Thanks!
Homemade & Yummy
The recipe IS easy.
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
Any day I can have homemade bread is a day to celebrate! As many types of bread that I’ve made, this Irish Soda Bread is not one of them. It looks delicious and the cut is perfect. You did a terrific job Chef G. I’m going to be trying this out when I go home.
Homemade & Yummy
Well you are a bread master….so you could do this with your eyes closed. Hope you enjoy it.