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5.0 from 27 votes

Irish Soda Bread with Walnuts

This Irish soda bread is very close to traditional with the exception of using pantry-friendly yogurt instead of buttermilk. It also includes whole-wheat flour and walnuts and has incredible flavor, keeps well, and goes with everything from soup to jam. Here's how to make it.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 224 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Irish

Ingredients

  • Mild vegetable oil for the baking sheet or pan
  • 2 cups walnut halves or pieces
  • Scant 4 cups whole-wheat flour plus more for the work surface
  • 1 tablespoon demerara or light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 to 2 1/2 cups plain full-fat or low-fat yogurt (do NOT substitute Greek yogurt), plus more as needed

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and lightly oil either a baking sheet (if you prefer to make a free-form, traditional round loaf) or a loaf pan (if you'd rather a more contemporary loaf.)
  2. Blitz half the walnuts in a food processor until you have a coarse powder. Chop the remaining walnuts into largish chunks.
  3. Place all the walnuts in a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt, and mix well to ensure the baking soda is evenly dispersed.
  4. Stir in 2 cups yogurt and gently combine, mixing first with a whisk or wooden spoon and then switching to your hands, until a soft dough forms. The dough will be a shaggy mess, but bring the ingredients together as best you can, being careful not to knead the dough as this bread benefits from being handled as little as possible.☞ TESTER TIP: Different yogurts have different moisture contents. We found that depending on the yogurt used, you may need to work the dough a little more than you expect or you may even need to add a few tablespoons or even up to 1/2 cup more yogurt.
  5. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. If you're going to bake it in a loaf tin, form the bread into a log shape and drop it into the tin. If you're going to bake it in the traditional round, form it into a ball, place it on the oiled baking sheet, and score a deep cross into the top using a sharp knife.
  6. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the loaf is well risen and browned. Let the bread cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes—if, that is, you can manage to keep your hands off it for that long.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1slice Calories 224kcal (11%) Carbohydrates 26g (9%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 12g (18%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Monounsaturated Fat 2g Cholesterol 5mg (2%) Sodium 301mg (13%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 3g (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 16servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 224

% Daily Value*

Serving 1slice
Calories 224kcal 11%
Carbohydrates 26g 9%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 12g 18%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 5mg 2%
Sodium 301mg 13%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 3g 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.