Go Back
A rustic loaf of freshly baked Irish soda bread with a flour-dusted crust resting on a wooden board.

Classic Traditional Irish Soda Bread

This authentic Irish Soda Bread recipe yields a dense, hearty loaf with a tender crumb and a beautiful crust, perfect for serving with butter and jam, or alongside a stew. It's a simple, quick bread that requires no yeast.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 slices
Course: Bread, Breakfast, Side Dish
Cuisine: Irish
Calories: 300
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients
  • 4 cups All-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
  • 1 tsp Baking soda
  • 1 tsp Salt fine sea salt preferred
  • 1 tbsp Granulated sugar optional, for a slightly sweeter loaf
Wet Ingredients
  • 1 ¾ cups Buttermilk approximately, may need a little more or less

Equipment

  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Baking Sheet
  • Parchment Paper
  • Sieve
  • Wooden Spoon
  • Sharp Knife

Method
 

Preparation Steps
  1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly flour a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar (if using). Use a sieve to sift the flour if desired, for a lighter texture. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
  3. Pour most of the buttermilk into the well. Using a wooden spoon or your hands, gradually mix the dry ingredients into the buttermilk until a shaggy, soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing. Add more buttermilk a tablespoon at a time if the dough is too dry, or a little more flour if it's too sticky. The dough should be soft but not wet.
  4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead for just 30 seconds to 1 minute, just enough to bring the dough together into a round, flat loaf, about 1.5 to 2 inches thick. Do not overwork the dough, as this will result in a tough bread.
  5. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, cut a deep cross (about 1/2 to 1 inch deep) into the top of the loaf. This helps the bread cook evenly and is also traditional to "let the fairies out" or bless the bread.
  6. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C) and continue baking for another 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. If the top is browning too quickly, you can loosely tent it with foil.
  7. Remove the bread from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. For a softer crust, you can wrap the hot loaf in a clean tea towel while it cools.
  8. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature with butter, jam, or alongside a hearty Irish stew.

Notes

For the most traditional texture, use Irish strong wholemeal flour (often labeled as "brown flour"), but all-purpose flour works well for a lighter loaf. If you don't have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup, then filling the rest of the way to 1 ¾ cups with regular milk. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it curdles before using. Avoid kneading the dough too much; Irish soda bread is meant to be a rustic, quick bread, and overworking the gluten will make it tough. Store leftover soda bread in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. It's best eaten fresh.