Easy Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Celebrate this St. Patrick's Day with Irish Soda Bread, an old-fashioned bread made with pantry ingredients. 

A delicious crusty quick bread that you can make any day of the year. A flavourful bread that depends on buttermilk for flavour. 

But I have always wanted to make quick bread! So this Irish soda bread it is. What I did not expect was the bread to be so very flavourful. From now on this no-yeast, oil-free bread is here to stay in my place.

We love bread and so I make them often! But all my bread is made with yeast like this Honey Oatmeal Applesauce Bread, Freshly Baked Methi Crackers.

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Make this recipe as 

• Easy
• Delicious
• Need no planning
• Uses basic ingredients

Ingredients

These are the ingredients you will need. For quantities please check the recipe card.

• Wholewheat flour
• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Butter, chilled
• Egg
• Buttermilk
• Salt 
• Oats

Method

• Preheat the oven to 215C
• Whisk the egg and buttermilk. Set aside ¼ of the liquid.
• In a big bowl mix the whole wheat flour and the all-purpose flour, salt and baking soda.
• Add the chilled butter and rub in the flour till the flour resembles breadcrumbs.
• Make a well in the of the flour and add the ¾ liquid. Mix to get a soft dough that is not sticky.
  • The reason I kept aside ¼ cup of buttermilk and egg is there are times I pour in the liquid. Some flours require less liquid you can always add more but vice versa is difficult.
• Turn the dough on a lightly floured surface and make a ball about 8 inches by 8 inches and 1.5 inches thick.
• Place on a well-dusted baking tray.
• Score the bread in the form of a cross and make some dimples at the end of each line of the cross.
• Glaze with the leftover buttermilk and egg mixture. 
• Sprinkle the oats, if using on top.
• Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes at 215C then lower the temperature and bake for 30 minutes at 200C.
• Your bread is ready when it is brown on top and sounds hollow when knocked on.

Substitutes

• I have used a combination of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. You can use just all-purpose flour.
• The egg is optional. If you wish please avoid it. I think I will avoid it next time. 

Equipment

• Measuring cups, 
• Whisk
• Large bowl
• Smaller bowl
• Baking pan
• Baking paper 
• Wire rack

How to serve

• To serve the Irish soda bread, slice it when warm and serve it with butter, and/or jam.
• How about some Soda bread with soup or stew? Tastes great!

How to store

• Soda bread dries out fast. So store it in an airtight container tightly wrapped. This way you can store the soda bread for about 3-4 days.
•  Freeze it for up to 2-3 months.

Thanks to Emma for the wonderful recipe! Like I said it will be here in my kitchen to stay.

Protips

• Take a large bowl or basin to mix the dough. This prevents over-mixing the dough and keeps the bread soft.
• When adding the baking soda, break the lumps before you measure and level the spoon.
• Excess baking soda makes the bread taste bad. So take care.
• Do not avoid the buttermilk in this recipe. The baking soda and lactic acid in the buttermilk react. This helps the bread to rise and you cannot taste it in the bread. 
• In India, we have easy access to buttermilk but in case you do not add 2 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Mix and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Your buttermilk is ready. 
• Do not be tempted to open the oven door if you want a crust, crisp crust. I know this is the most difficult part. I love to peek at my bakes.

Related Recipes

Easy Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Make Irish Soda bread, a delicious crusty quick bread on any day of the year.

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate Save Recipe Saved Recipe!

Course: Breakfast, Lunch

Cuisine: Irish

Keyword: Bread, Quick Breakfast, Snack, St. Patrick's Day

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 183kcal

Author: ArchanaPotdar

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Equipment

• Measuring cups,
• whisk
• Large bowl
• Smaller bowl
• Baking pan
• Baking paper
• Wire rack

Ingredients

• 1-¾ cups whole wheat flour
• 1-¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoon butter chilled
• 1 egg
• 1-⅔ cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon oats

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 215C
• Whisk the egg and buttermilk. Set aside ¼ of the liquid.
• In a big bowl mix the whole wheat flour and the all-purpose flour, salt and baking soda.
• Add the chilled butter and rub in the flour till the flour resembles breadcrumbs.
• Make a well in the of the flour and add the ¾ liquid. Mix to get a soft dough that is not sticky.  Add more liquid as needed from the balance ¼ cup.
• Turn the dough on a lightly floured surface and make a ball about 8 inches by 8 inches and 1.5 inches thick. Place on a well dusted baking tray.
• Score the bread in the form of a cross and make some dimples at the end of each line of the cross.
• Glaze with the leftover buttermilk and egg mixture.
• Sprinkle the oats, if using on top.
• Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes at 215C then lower the temperature and bake for 30 minutes at 200C.
• Your bread is ready when it is brown on top and sounds hollow when knocked on.

How to serve:

• To serve the Irish soda bread, slice it when warm and serve with butter, and/or jam.
• How about some of the Soda bread with soup or stew? Tastes great!

Notes

Protips:
Take a large bowl, basin to mix the dough. This prevents over-mixing the dough and keeps the bread soft.
When adding the baking soda, break the lumps before you measure and level the spoon.
Excess baking soda makes the bread taste bad. So take care.
Do not avoid the buttermilk in this recipe. The baking soda and lactic acid in the buttermilk react. This helps the bread to rise and you cannot taste it in the bread. 
In India, we have easy access to buttermilk but in case you do not add 2 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Mix and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Your buttermilk is ready. 
Do not be tempted to open the oven door if you want a crust, crisp crust. I know this is the most difficult part. I love to peek at my bakes.

Nutritional Disclaimer: I am not a certified nutritionist and make no claims to the contrary. Please check with your nutritionist for your dietary needs and restrictions. Ultimately you are responsible for your decisions.