• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Butter & Baggage logo
  • Recipe Search
    • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Breads & Biscuits
    • Breakfast
      • Muffins
    • Casseroles
    • Desserts
      • Bars
      • Brownies
      • Cakes & Cupcakes
      • Cookies
      • Fruit Desserts
      • Pies, Cobblers & Crisps
    • Main Dishes
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Pork
      • Seafood
    • Pasta
    • Salads
    • Sauces & Dips
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Soups & Chilis
  • Kitchen Hacks
  • Portfolio
  • About
    • Contact
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Search
  • Recipe Index
  • Kitchen Hacks
  • Portfolio
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Breads & Biscuits » Irish Soda Bread Recipe

    Irish Soda Bread Recipe

    Published: Apr 18, 2020 · Modified: Mar 12, 2023 by Barbara Curry · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe
    5 from 3 votes

    Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links.

    Irish Soda Bread sliced on the counter.
    A photo of four slices of irish soda bread and the rest of the loaf is in the background.
    Irish Soda Bread in a kitchen towel.
    Irish Soda Bread in a kitchen towel.

    Irish soda bread is a dense yet soft quick bread that requires no yeast.  With just a few ingredients you have a hearty bread that’s simple and easy to make.

    A loaf of Irish soda bread in a cloth napkin

    With yeast in short supply I want to share my favorite recipe for Irish soda bread.  If you haven’t tried soda bread before, it’s a quick bread with a dense texture but still manages to be a light bread.  It’s perfect for soup or chili nights but also makes a great grilled cheese.

    What’s magical about this rustic bread, and why it’s so popular, is that it only takes a few minutes to prepare, no kneading required, and it doesn’t have to rise. You just mix the ingredients and put it in the oven. It has a crusty exterior but soft interior.

    A loaf of Irish soda bread after sliced

    The magic happens when buttermilk reacts with baking soda, this causes it to rise without yeast.  There are a lot of recipes out there for soda bread, but I like the combination of all purpose flour and cake flour in this version. It’s not as heavy as some recipes that I’ve tried.

    Some folks make Irish soda bread with raisins or caraway seeds, but I like a traditional Irish soda bread with buttermilk so that I can toast it and add butter and jam or soak up the sauce from short ribs.

    This is the perfect addition to add to a brisket for St. Patrick’s Day.

    Ingredients for traditional Irish soda bread

    Ingredients for Irish soda bread
    • all purpose flour
    • cake flour
    • baking soda
    • cream of tartar
    • butter
    • buttermilk

    Pro tip: If you’re out of buttermilk, you can make your own with just two ingredients. Here are three different methods for how to make your own buttermilk.

    • salt
    • sugar

    Adding a little sugar and butter, just two tablespoons of both, give it some flavor without making it sweet.

    How do you make this soda bread recipe

    Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.

    Step 2: Rub soft butter into the flour mixture and then add buttermilk, using a fork to combine.

    Step 3: Shape into a round ball and place in a cast-iron skillet. Cut a deep cross into the center.

    The dough for soda bread in an iron skillet

    Step 4: Bake for 4o minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

    Slices of Irish soda bread
    Irish Soda Bread

    Tips for making EASY Irish soda bread

    • Don’t overwork the dough, it’s more like a biscuit than a yeast dough so just work the butter into the flour and mix it only until the flour is incorporated.
    • Make sure you cut a deep cross on the top. This helps the bread cook in the center.
    • Use a cast-iron skillet, it will give it the crust a crispy texture. You can make this without an iron skillet but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time, it cooks quicker in a cast-iron skillet.

    Don’t think you have to be deprived of homemade bread just because you don’t have yeast.  Not only is soda bread delicious but it only takes about 15 minutes to prepare, so you can make this for a weeknight dinner! Another quick option is to make some drop biscuits, start to finish in only 30 minutes.

    You’ll need to eat this up quickly or freeze what you can’t eat because it only stays fresh for about 3 days. It’s still great for toast after that, but it gets stale pretty quick.

    Irish soda bread with slices on a napkin
    Irish Soda Bread

    What goes with soda bread

    • Strawberry jam
    • Beef bourguignon
    • Parmesan chicken meatballs
    • Sun dried tomato chicken
    • Chicken wrapped in prosciutto
    • Chili with short ribs
    • Chicken Chili

    More Quick breads

    • Cheesy pull apart bread
    • biscuits
    • Banana bread
    • Cornbread biscuits
    • Scones
    • Focaccia
    A loaf of Irish soda bread in a cloth napkin

    Irish Soda Bread

    Author: Barbara Curry
    Irish soda bread is a dense yet soft quick bread that requires no yeast.  With just a few ingredients you have a hearty bread that's simple and easy to make.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin
    PREP: 15 minutes
    COOK: 40 minutes
    Servings: 16

    Ingredients
     

    • 3 cups all purpose flour
    • 1 cup cake flour
    • 2 tablespoons sugar
    • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
    • 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
    • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
    • 2 tablespoons butter room temp
    • 1 ¾ cups buttermilk
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 400º.
    • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, soda, cream of tartar and salt.
    • Add soft butter to the flour mixture and rub it into the flour with your fingers until it is incorporated.
    • Start by adding 1 ½ cups of the buttermilk to the flour mixture. Use a fork to combine until there is no more flour at the bottom of the bowl. Add additional buttermilk if needed.
    • Place on a lightly floured surface and pat it into a 6 inch round.
    • Place dough in a 12 inch cast-iron skillet. Cut a cross on the top, 5 inches long and ¾ inch deep.
    • Bake until golden brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately brush with a tablespoon of butter. Let cool for 30 minutes before slices.
    Barbara’s Tips + Notes
    If making on a baking sheet, increase the cooking time.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 361mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 87IU | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg
    Follow Me On SocialDid you make this recipe? Mention @ButterandBaggage or tag #ButterandBaggage on Instagram!

    Explore Recipes

    Breads & BiscuitsBakedButtermilk
    « Honey Oatmeal Bread Recipe
    Peanut Butter Brownie Recipe »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Barbara Curry is the culinary adventurer of Butter & Baggage. With a dedicated enthusiasm for real butter made from happy cows she is in constant pursuit of delicious recipes and tasty dishes. She shares her experiences, ventures, and occasional misadventures because let’s face it things can get messy in any kitchen.

    More about me →

    Subscribe

    Brunch Favorites

    • A square serving of scalloped sweet poatoes.
      Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with Two Types of Potatoes
    • A brie and sausage casserole with a serving spoon.
      Overnight Sausage Casserole with Brie
    • A bowl of square biscuits.
      Old Fashioned Buttery 7 UP Biscuits
    • A group of muffins next to a cake stand of muffins.
      Mixed Berry Muffins with Streusel Topping

    Popular

    • Black bottom chocolate cupcakes on parchment paper.
      Chocolate Black Bottom Cupcakes with Cream Cheese
    • A slice of blueberry pie with whipped cream on a white plate.
      Recipe for Fresh Blueberry Pie That’s Not Runny
    • A baking dish of Queso Chicken
      Queso Chicken
    • Mini appetizers on a platter
      Mini Croque Monsieur

    Footer

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    COPYRIGHT © 2023 BUTTER & BAGGAGE | PRIVACY POLICY | WEB STORIES
    BRANDING & CUSTOMIZATION BY GRACE + VINE STUDIOS

    90 shares