Traditional Irish Soda Bread - Lion's Bread (2024)

Traditional Irish Soda Bread recipe – an easy rustic crusty loaf of bread that comes together in 45 minutes, start to finish!

*This recipe was developed in partnership with Kerrygold USA. All opinions are my own, as always.

The roots of Irish Soda Bread

Is Irish Soda bread actually eaten in Ireland? The answer is Yes! A plainer version, (like this one!), is commonly eaten in Ireland.

During the early years of European settlement of the Americas, settlers used soda or pearl ash, more commonly known as potash (pot ash) or potassium carbonate, as a leavening agent (the forerunner to baking soda) in quick breads.By 1824,The Virginia Housewife by Mary Randolph was published containing a recipe for Soda Cake.

After baking soda was developed in the US in 1846, breads, griddle cakes and scones with bicarbonate of soda, plus cream of tartar or tartaric acid, became popular in European countries as well.

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Ingredients

• unbleached all purpose flour– I use unbleached all purpose flour from King Arthur Baking Company. It has a higher protein content than most AP flours. You could use bread flour if that’s what you have.
• baking soda – baking soda is a common leavener used in most cookie and cake recipes. It helps baked goods rise, and contributes to a fluffy, light texture. However, it is unusual to see it in bread recipes, which usually contain commercial yeast or wild sourdough.
• buttermilk – Buttermilk is a fermented dairy drink. Traditionally, it was the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cultured cream. As most modern butter is not made with cultured cream but uncultured sweet cream, most modern buttermilk is cultured separately. Baking with buttermilk adds tenderness and moisture to your biscuits, muffins, quick breads, or soda bread.
• kosher salt–I use Morton’s kosher salt in all of my bread recipes. If you are using Diamond Crystal, add another 4 grams of salt.

How to make Irish Soda Bread

This recipe couldn’t be simpler! Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees F. Then, simply combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk, then make a well in the center of the bowl. Add the buttermilk, then use a wooden spoon or a Danish Dough whisk to combine, until a dough forms. Do not over mix.

The dough will be very shaggy, and that is totally normal! Pour the dough out onto a floured work surface, and use floured hand to press the dough together, kneading for a minute. Then use your hands to press the dough into a round boule shape. Using a sharp chef’s knife or a bread lame (linked below), slash a big X on the top of the loaf to let the steam escape.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then place the dough onto the parchment paper. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the crust is deeply golden brown. Let the bread cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing, then serve warm with salted butter, good cheeses, and jam.

TOOLS I USE:

• Large mixing bowl– one the most FAQ, this is my favorite bowl for mixing dough!
• kitchen scale– this is an absolutely necessary tool for baking bread. If you want consistent, professional results, weighing your ingredients with a scale is a must.
• Danish dough whisk– this is a quirky looking tool that is actually very useful for mixing up bread dough. If you make bread often, I highly recommend getting one!
• small spray bottle – This basic little tool comes in handy for adding just a little extra shot of extra steam to the oven. Sometimes I spray the tops of my bread before I place them in the oven to get a blistered crackly top.
• bread lame for slashing dough– there are many styles of bread lames, and ultimately choose the one that is most comfortable in your hand. I love this round style, and I’ve tried almost every style out there.

What makes Irish Soda Bread so special?

When I first tasted Soda bread, I immediately thought: buttermilk biscuit x crusty bread = heaven! The flavor of the bread was very familiar to me from making and eating so many buttermilk biscuits. The outer crust is crunchy, and the crumb is a bit dense and soft. It’s like the mashup I never knew that I needed.

Soda bread is a type of quick bread traditionally made in a variety of global cuisines, where baking soda is used as a leavening agent instead of the traditional yeast. The ingredients of traditional soda bread are flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. The buttermilk in the dough contains lactic acid, which reacts with the baking soda to form tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide. Other ingredients can be added, such as butter, egg, raisins, or nuts, but these ingredients are not as traditional.

The amazing thing about Irish Soda bread, and other quick breads, is that you can prepare it quickly and reliably, without requiring the time-consuming skilled labor and temperature control needed for traditional yeast breads.

Substitutions and Mix – Ins

When it comes to substitutions, I wouldn’t change the base formula. Baking is chemistry and if you change one of these four pillar ingredients, your results will not be the same.

However, you can absolutely add mix – ins! Some popular additions are currants, raisins, caraway seeds, and even grated sharp cheddar cheese.

How to Store

This delicious Traditional Irish Soda Bread is best stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or, place it in an airtight bag, and freeze them for up to 1 month. It makes amazing toast, and very delicious French toast.

I can’t wait to see your take on this Irish Soda Bread. Remember to tag me @lions.bread in your pics so I can all of the delicious things you’re making from my site. I love seeing my recipes come to life in your kitchens!

Want save this recipe for later? Just click on the “Pin It” buttons on any of the images to save it to your favorite Pinterest Board.

xo – LeAnne

If you made this recipe and loved it, please rate and comment below, it really helps! Thank you!

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