My Irish Soda Bread recipe gives you a rustic and simple homemade loaf with an incredibly easy dump-and-mix list of ingredients. It’s the easiest homemade bread you can make! With no need to wait for your dough to rise, this recipe is done from start to finish in less than one hour.
Homemade bread is one of life’s greatest treats. It makes your house smell heavenly, and your tummy happy. I know I’m not supposed to eat bread when it’s still hot, but I can enjoy it warm, right? Something about slicing into a loaf of bread and feeling the warmth still lingering from the oven is hypnotizing.
This homemade bread recipe calls for just a few ingredients and absolutely no rising time. You’ll feel like you’ve been bestowed with the luck of the Irish from how easy this recipe is to make! Okay, now that I’ve gotten that lame joke out of my system, let’s get started.
What is Irish soda bread?
Bread making doesn’t get any easier! The Irish really got it right with this one. No, there’s not soda mixed into this bread; We’re talking baking soda to give this bread light airiness. It’s the perfect bread to whip together if you’re in a pinch.
No use for yeast, rising time, and tons of kneading in this recipe! Gone are the days of anxiously waiting to see if your yeast is good or not. This style of quick bread lets you simply mix the ingredients together, give it a few kneads, and toss it into a skillet to bake away.
Ingredients
- Flour – All purpose flour works best. You can use gluten-free flour for this recipe as well.
- Sugar and salt – You can add a bit less or more as you see fit.
- Baking soda – Arguably the most important ingredient in the recipe. Make sure you’re using baking soda and not baking powder.
- Raisins – You can use other mix-ins like nuts or dried cranberries.
- Egg – I used a large egg.
- Buttermilk – You can make your own buttermilk with 1 1/2 cup milk and 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar.
- Butter – I like to use unsalted butter so I have full control over the sodium. Margarine or lard can be used instead.
How to make Irish soda bread
- Prep the dry ingredients: Preheat the oven to 425F. Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the raisins to coat them well with flour.
- Make the dough – In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, and butter. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and stir well to combine with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Bake the bread – Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead by hand a few times to form a smooth ball. Dust the dough ball with a bit of flour and place it in an un-greased cast iron skillet or baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to carve an X on the top of the dough, going an inch deep. Bake for 35-45 minutes.
How do I know my bread is done baking?
You’re looking for a nice, light golden brown color on the crust. Carefully turn the loaf upside down, and give it a knock on the bottom. Use a clean dish towel or two to protect your hands from the heat. It should sound hollow when it’s fully cooked. You can also use an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the loaf. It’ll read 200F when the bread is done.
What to serve with homemade bread
With just a touch of sweetness, this bread can be enjoyed for breakfast with a nice hot cup of coffee or tea (with a splash of Irish cream, of course). You can also serve it alongside some of these fantastic dinner recipes:
- Skillet Chicken and Mushrooms
- Garlic Butter Baked Salmon
- Steak and Mushroom Pie
- Chicken Piccata Pasta
- Honey Garlic Pork Chops
How to store homemade bread
Since there isn’t much for gluten formation in Irish soda bread, it can dry out pretty quickly. Wrap it well with plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container. You can also keep it on a cake plate with a dome. It’ll last 3-4 days at room temperature.
Can I freeze Irish soda bread?
To avoid freezer-burn, wrap your loaf well with both plastic wrap and foil. You can pre-slice it before freezing to make thawing faster. Grab a slice or two as needed! It’ll last 3 months in the freezer.
To thaw, leave it at room temperature for an hour or two. You can also use your microwave if it has a bread defrosting function.
Did you love this recipe? Try these!
- Garlic Parmesan Skillet Rolls
- Quick Cinnamon Bread (No Yeast)
- Honey Rolls
- Starbucks Lemon Loaf (Copycat)
- Buttermilk Parmesan Biscuits
- Chocolate Banana Bread
- Amish White Bread
Craving More? Follow Along:
Irish Soda Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup raisins or currants
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 2 tablespoon butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F degrees.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir in the raisins.
- In a smaller bowl whisk together the egg, buttermilk and butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine using a spatula or a wooden spoon.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand until the dough forms a smooth ball. Dust the outside with a bit of flour and place onto an ungreased cast iron skillet or baking sheet.
- Use a sharp knife to score the top of the dough into an "X" shape about an inch deep. This is to help heat get into the dough as it bakes.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes. To check if the bread is done, when you tap the bottom of the bread it should sound hollow.
Tips & Notes:
- Wrap it well with plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container. You can also keep it on a cake plate with a dome. It’ll last 3-4 days at room temperature.
- To avoid freezer-burn, wrap your loaf well with both plastic wrap and foil. You can pre-slice it before freezing to make thawing faster. It’ll last 3 months in the freezer.
- To thaw, leave it at room temperature for an hour or two. You can also use your microwave if it has a bread defrosting function.
I had a slightly different recipe for this bread without an egg and with added baking powder, which I make for Christmas Eve and my husband likes. When I made this one today, though, he said that this is the best one. It certainly didn’t smell as if there is too much soda and baking powder and it is much softer. He just loved it. Thank you.
My pleasure, glad you guys liked it!
I made it and it came out really nice. Round and aromatic. Can I use wheat flour or non-gluten flour and have the same rising effext.
I’m pretty sure gluten free flour will work, but it might not rise as beautifully as using regular flour.