5 from 24 votes
Easy Traditional Irish Soda Bread
Easy Traditional Irish Soda Bread is a rustic loaf made by mixing flour, salt, baking soda, and buttermilk into a sticky dough, then baking it scored with a cross on top. The bread produces a tender crumb with a slightly crisp crust and a tang from the buttermilk. It's a straightforward bread using no yeast, relying on baking soda for leavening.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings:
16
servings
Calories:
128 kcal
Course:
Bread
Cuisine:
American, Irish
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!
Cup of Yum
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
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%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 16 servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 128
% 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.