Go Back
Freshly baked Irish Soda Bread on a wooden cutting board.

World's Best No Yeast Bread: Irish Soda Bread

Enjoy the heartwarming aroma and delightful flavor of homemade Irish soda bread. This simple recipe uses baking soda instead of yeast for a quick and delicious bread that's perfect for any occasion.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Bread, Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: Irish
Calories: 150
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Bread
  • 2 cups white flour (plain all-purpose)
  • 1 3/4 cups wholemeal flour (wholewheat)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons extra flour (for dusting) Used for dusting during kneading
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (bi carb) Ensure it's fresh for proper rise
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 cups buttermilk (fridge cold) Cold helps with the reaction

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 220 degrees C (430 degrees F) and line a baking tray with baking paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the white flour, wholemeal flour, baking soda, and salt until fully combined.
  3. Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir until the mixture becomes too thick to stir with a spoon.
  4. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the extra flour onto your work surface, transfer the dough from the bowl, and dust the top with a little more flour.
  5. Gently knead the dough—no more than 8 times—until it forms a ball.
  6. Transfer the dough to the lined tray and flatten it into a disc that's about 2.5cm (1 inch) thick.
  7. Use a serrated knife to cut a deep cross (1cm, or 0.3 inch) on the surface, which helps it bake evenly.
Baking
  1. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
  2. After that, reduce the temperature to 200 degrees C (390 degrees F) and bake for another 20 minutes, or until the base sounds hollow when tapped.
  3. Once baked, transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Use cold buttermilk for the best rise. Don’t over-knead the dough to keep the bread tender. Wait at least 30 minutes to slice the bread after cooling for better texture.