Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe

I’m excited to share my Traditional Irish Soda Bread that uses pantry staples and a quick method, and I’ll explain why it’s not just for St. Patrick’s Day.

I don’t know about you but homemade bread is on a whole other level, and this Traditional Irish Soda Bread made me rethink what “simple” means. I first tasted it with tart raisins and that tang from buttermilk, and wow, it stayed dense and moist in a way I didn’t expect.

Folks call it an Irish Soda Bread Recipe and some insist it’s the only bread you need on St. Patrick’s Day, but honestly it’s great beside soups any night.

I’ll warn you though, it’s not fussy, it’s strangely comforting and you’ll want to try it again.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour: mostly carbs, adds structure, low fibre unless swapped for whole grain.
• Baking soda: leavening agent, reacts with buttermilk, gives rise and slight tang, not nutritive.
• Salt: enhances flavor, balances sweetness, small sodium amounts, crucial for taste.
• Sugar optional adds mild sweetness, browns crust, increases calories, not essential.
• Butter optional adds richness, makes a tender crumb, adds fat and calories.
• Buttermilk: tangy acid, reacts with baking soda for lift, adds moisture and slight sour flavor.
• Raisins or currants optional add sweetness and chew, give some fiber and small iron boost.

Ingredient Quantities

• 4 cups (about 500 g) all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional)
• 4 tablespoons (about 55 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (optional)
• 1 3/4 cups (420 ml) buttermilk
• 1 cup (150 g) raisins or currants (optional)
• extra flour for dusting (optional)

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C) and place a baking sheet or cast iron skillet in the oven to heat while you mix the dough.

2. In a large bowl whisk together 4 cups (about 500 g) all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon fine salt and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar if you’re using it.

3. Cut 4 tablespoons (about 55 g) cold unsalted butter into small pieces and rub it into the dry mix with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea sized bits left, you can also use a pastry cutter or two knives.

4. Stir in 1 cup (150 g) raisins or currants now if you want them, toss so they get coated with flour and won’t sink to the bottom.

5. Make a well in the center and pour in about 1 3/4 cups (420 ml) buttermilk, start with most of it and reserve a few tablespoons; use a wooden spoon or your hand to bring the dough together until shaggy and just holding — don’t overmix.

6. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface (use the extra flour for dusting), pat it together gently and fold it over itself 6 to 8 times, knead only briefly to bring it into a round loaf, overworking makes soda bread tough.

7. Shape into a 7 to 8 inch round, flatten slightly, place on a piece of parchment on the hot baking sheet or skillet, then score a deep cross about 1/2 inch deep on top with a sharp knife to help it cook evenly and to honor tradition.

8. Bake in the hot oven for 35 to 45 minutes until the crust is deep golden and a skewer comes out clean, or tap the bottom and it sounds hollow; if the crust browns too fast tent loosely with foil.

9. Cool on a wire rack at least 20 minutes before slicing, the crumb firms up as it cools; serve warm with butter, and store wrapped in a tea towel for a day or freeze slices for later.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven plus a baking sheet or cast iron skillet (preheat it)
2. Large mixing bowl
3. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
4. Whisk and a wooden spoon
5. Pastry cutter or two knives or just your fingertips
6. Parchment paper and a spatula or bench scraper
7. Sharp knife for scoring the top
8. Wire cooling rack

FAQ

Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All-purpose flour: swap in whole wheat (white whole wheat is milder) or use 50/50 APF and whole wheat for less dense bread, you might need a touch more buttermilk if dough feels dry.
• Baking soda: if you don’t have it use 4 teaspoons baking powder for every 1 teaspoon baking soda, but the loaf will be a bit milder and not rely on the buttermilk’s acidity as much.
• Buttermilk: make a quick substitute with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar plus milk to make 1 cup, stir and let sit 5 minutes; or thin plain yogurt with a little milk (about 3/4 cup yogurt + 1/4 cup milk).
• Raisins or currants: swap for dried cranberries, chopped dates, or chopped apricots, or omit entirely for a plain savory loaf.

Pro Tips

– Keep the butter really cold and leave little pea sized bits in the dough, they give a nicer crumb and some flakiness, if you overwork or melt the butter the bread gets dense.

– Don’t overmix, seriously, stop when the dough just comes together — fold it a few times and thats it, too much kneading makes soda bread tough and gummy.

– Get your pan or skillet screaming hot before the dough hits it, that fast burst of heat helps oven spring and crust, and score a deep cross so it cooks evenly; if the top browns too fast just loosely tent with foil.

– Let it cool at least 20 minutes before slicing, the crumb needs that time to set or it’ll be gummy, store wrapped in a tea towel for a day or freeze slices for later.