Easy Traditional Irish Soda Bread
User Reviews
5
Easy Traditional Irish Soda Bread
Description
This Irish Soda Bread combines all-purpose flour, kosher salt, and fresh baking soda with 1.5 cups of buttermilk to form a sticky dough that requires minimal mixing and no kneading. After shaping into a thick round loaf and scoring a cross on top, the bread is baked in a hot oven, traditionally in a cast iron skillet or on a baking sheet, resulting in a loaf with a golden crust and a moist, tender interior. The baking soda reacts with the acidity of the buttermilk to leaven the bread quickly.
Soda bread is a classic bread often served with Irish meals or paired with soups and stews. It requires no rising time, making it practical for quick homemade bread. The cross cut on top helps the bread expand during baking and is part of the traditional appearance.
Substitutions or adjustments include making homemade buttermilk if necessary by souring milk with lemon juice; gluten-free flour blends can replace regular flour, though liquid amounts may need adjustment; and no changes are required for high altitude baking. This bread can store a few days wrapped tightly and is best served fresh.
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour | I used organic unbleached all purpose flour, *see notes for Gluten Free
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda see post for how to make sure it is fresh
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk whole or 2%, or homemade buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F, prep a 10 inch or larger cast iron skillet with a little oil or melted butter or place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet.
- Whisk together dry ingredients (all purpose flour, salt and soda) in a large bowl (glass or ceramic are preferable, they won't react with the acidity in the dough)Make a small well in the center and pour in buttermilk.
- Using a sturdy wooden spoon stir until a shaggy dough forms. With clean hands, gently work the mixture into a sticky dough, incorporating all of the dry ingredients. You might need a little more buttermilk.
- Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment paper and pat the dough into a round disc, about 1 ½ - 2 inches in thickness.Using a sharp knife dipped in flour, score the dough in a cross pattern, then puncture each of the quarters with the tip of a knife.
- Melt a couple teaspoons of butter by placing a cast iron skillet (<-- my favorite!) in preheated oven for a few minutes, swirl around to coat bottom of pan. Place savory soda bread dough into pan and bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees F, then TURN THE TEMPERATURE DOWN to 400 degrees F and bake for 25 additional minutes.
- Maybe this part of an old wives tale, I could not find a "reason" for this step, but after baking for 25 minutes, turn it upside down (carefully) and bake for 5 more minutes. Tapping on the bottom should yield a hollow sound. Let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing and serve in wedges, slathered with Irish butter!
Notes
- If out of buttermilk, make a substitute by mixing 1 tablespoon lemon juice with 1 cup milk and letting it sit 5–10 minutes at room temperature.
- For gluten-free soda bread, replace all-purpose flour with a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend, adding extra buttermilk as needed for dough consistency.
- No high altitude adjustments are necessary for this bread recipe.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 16servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 128 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1slice | |
| Calories | 128kcal | 6% |
| Carbohydrates | 25g | 8% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.5g | 3% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.2g | 1% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.2g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 2mg | 1% |
| Sodium | 167mg | 7% |
| Potassium | 64mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 37IU | 1% |
| Calcium | 31mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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