Easy Irish Soda Bread

There’s nothing like a slice of this freshly baked Easy Irish Soda Bread slathered with sweet cream butter. Serve it alongside soup, stew, corned beef and cabbage or any entree to complete the meal.

Easy Irish Soda Bread Recipe for St Patrick’s Day

Soda bread is made most often in the days and weeks leading up to St Paddy’s. It’s so simple to put together that, it should never be reserved to just one holiday per year. It’s notoriety has only grown since it became known world wide in the early 1800’s. That’s when the first generation of baking soda was introduced to the UK  and used to turn inexpensive pantry staples into a meal. These days, soda bread is often filled with dried currants or raisins. That said, there are savory variations with soda bread being made just as is, or filled with cheese and herbs. It’s ideal when you’re serving one of those meals that you’d like to sop up the gravy or cooking broth. You can read more about the history of soda bread here on My Recipes. How to make simple Irish Soda Bread Recipe: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

• Prepare Skillet – Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush the bottom and sides of a large 10 or 12 inch cast iron skillet with oil.
• Dry Ingredients – In a large bowl, use a whisk to sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• Butter – Add butter, cutting into the flour using a pastry blender.
• Wet Ingredients – Whisk together 1 1/2 cup buttermilk and egg.
• Combine – Add to the bowl with the dry ingredients and raisins mixing until fully moistened.
• Knead – Turn dough out onto a non stick lightly floured surface and knead lightly just until it comes together using floured hands. Form into roughly an 8 inch round and place into skillet. (You can also bake on a parchment lined baking pan.)
• Butter – Combine melted butter with reserved 1/4 cup buttermilk. Brush loaf on all sides. Use a sharp knife to cut an ‘X’ into the center to vent.
• Bake – Bake per the recipe until crusty on the outside and baked through. Check center of loaf with a toothpick to test for doneness.
• Baste – Continue to baste periodically with buttermilk and melted butter. (If butter cools and solidifies, heat in the microwave for a few seconds to melt)
• Cool in the skillet for 10 minutes then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Does Irish Soda Bread Use Yeast?

That’s the beauty of this kind of bread, it requires no proofing of yeast. Baking soda in the dough reacts with the acidity in the buttermilk, which would have been sour milk in the early days, to create its unique texture.

How to Make the Best Irish Soda Bread Recipe

• Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Irish Soda Bread: All purpose flour or bread flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, granulated sugar, cold butter, buttermilk, one large egg, raisins, melted butter for brushing on top.
• Kitchen tools you’ll need: A large bowl and a medium bowl, measuring cups and spoons, a large oven safe skillet or baking dish, pastry blender, whisk and pastry brush.
• Egg isn’t an ingredient that would have been found in classic soda bread, but I prefer it and recommend using egg in this recipe.
• If you don’t have buttermilk you can make your own. To make homemade buttermilk,  add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white distilled vinegar to whole milk using the same amount called for in the recipe. Let stand on the counter for 5 minutes, then proceed with the recipe.
• You can omit the raisins with no other adjustments made.
• Brush the exterior periodically with melted butter and buttermilk for the golden crust.
• If the butter solidifies in the basting liquid between brushing the bread, heat in the microwave to melt.
• Store this bread at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1-2 days. It’s best eaten while fresh.
• Enjoy with a big bowl of  Beef Stew, Shepherd’s Pie , Vegetable Beef Soup or classic Corned Beef and Cabbage.

More Easy Bread Recipes to Make

Bread goes with every meal and there’s no end to ways of making it. More easy bread recipes you may also like to make:

• Cheesy Garlic and Herb Bread requires no bread making at all.
• Homemade Potato Bread is dense and flavorful.
• Dutch Oven Artisan White Bread is sure to impress your family.
• Italian Herb Beer Bread is another kind of bread that doesn’t require kneading or yeast to make the dough.
• Supreme Pizza Pull Apart Bread is great for snacking, family movie night or game day eats.
• Sweet Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is an any time of day treat.

Thanks for visiting come back soon!

Disclosure ~ If  a purchase is made using one of the affiliate links on this website we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Skillet
• Mixing Bowls
• Silicone Spatulas
• Measuring Set