Traditional Irish Soda Bread

If you’ve never baked bread, start here. Traditional Irish soda bread is just flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk — no yeast, no rising and no kneading. The buttermilk reacts with the soda for lift, and the whole thing goes from bowl to oven in about 10 minutes.

Handle the dough as little as possible and cut a deep cross in the top before baking. The result is a craggy, golden crust and a soft, slightly tangy crumb that’s perfect with salted butter or a bowl of stew.

Tips for the best traditional irish soda bread

• Mix with a fork or your fingertips and stop as soon as the dough comes together.
• Wrap the warm loaf in a clean tea towel for a softer crust.
• Toast day-old slices — they’re even better.

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Traditional Irish Soda Bread

A four-ingredient, no-yeast Irish soda bread with a craggy crust and tender crumb.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 8 slices

Course: Bread

Cuisine: Irish

Calories: 250

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 4 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ¾ cups buttermilk cold
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, for brushing, optional

Method

 

1. Heat the oven to 425°F and dust a baking sheet with flour (or line it with parchment).
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
3. Pour in most of the buttermilk and mix with a fork or your fingers, working from the center outward, until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Add the rest of the buttermilk if dry flour remains.
4. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and shape it gently into a round about 1½ inches thick — don’t knead it, or the bread will be tough.
5. Set it on the baking sheet and cut a deep cross in the top with a floured knife, almost to the edges.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 400°F and bake 20 to 25 minutes more, until deep golden and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Brush with melted butter if you like and cool on a rack.

Notes

Soda bread is best the day it’s baked. Toast leftovers and serve with plenty of salted Irish butter.