• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Cookbook
  • Work With Me
  • Subscribe

Fitty Foodlicious logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Cookbook
  • Work With Me
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Cookbook
  • Work With Me
  • Subscribe
×

Home » Recipes » Recipes

Published: Mar 7, 2022 · Modified: Jan 25, 2023 by Genevieve · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 14 Comments

Easy Soda Bread | Traditional Irish Recipe

Sharing is caring!

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Easy Irish Soda Bread is the recipe to make for the upcoming Saint Patrick’s Day Holiday. It’s delicious, simple to make, and only uses a few key ingredients. The best part is, you don’t need a stand mixer or a bread machine to make this delicious Irish Soda Bread.

A loaf or Irish Soda Bread with Butter this …
A delicious, golden loaf of buttery Irish Soda Bread with a chunk of Irish grass-fed Butter

Easy Irish Soda Bread is perfect for celebrating St. Patrick's Day, and any time of the year! This golden, buttery bread is delicious with hot tea or especially enjoyed with my Irish Cream Coffee recipe. Then you can enjoy my Healthier Shamrock Shakes for dessert.

Jump to:
  • Traditional Irish Soda Bread Only Uses A Few Ingredients
  • How To Bake This Bread In A Cast Iron Skillet
  • Savoury Soad Bread Recipes
  • Pro Tip: The Butter Does Make A Difference
  • Why Do We Add Buttermilk to Irish Soda Bread?
  • The History Behind Soda Breads
  • How To Make Easy Irish Soda Bread
  • Storage Is Key To Keeping Irish Bread Fresh And Delicious
  • 📖 Recipe
  • How To Bake This Bread In A Cast Iron Skillet
  • 💬 Comments

Traditional Irish Soda Bread Only Uses A Few Ingredients

Ingredients for Irish Soda Bread
Everything you need for this savory Irish Soda Bread Recipes. These ingredients can be found in your pantry!

Easy Soda Bread is the perfect bread recipe for Spring and it could not be more simple to make.

You’ll love this deliciously rich buttery bread. Spread with some butter and fresh jam and you’ve got yourself an easy breakfast or snack.

All you need for this delicious bread recipe is:

  • Flour
  • Buttermilk
  • Butter (Grass-fed Butter is the best option for this recipe)
  • Egg
  • Baking Powder
  • Sugar
  • Sea Salt

You can mix everything in one bowl and you don’t have to use a stand mixer which makes this Irish Soda Bread recipe super easy.

How To Bake This Bread In A Cast Iron Skillet

There are two different ways to make this phenomenal quick bread recipe. Bake it in the oven or bake it in a cast-iron skillet. The great thing about using a cast-iron skillet is the skillet makes the bread a bit crispier and frim but doesn't take away any of the moisture.

Here are easy-to-follow instructions for using a cast-iron skillet. I recommend purchasing a 10-inch skillet.

Instructions for making this divine bread in cast iron.

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a 10" UNGREASED cast iron skillet in oven to heat.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter or margarine with a pastry blender.
  • Stir in the caraway seeds and currants. (optional)
  • Stir in just until combined ½ cup buttermilk and the egg.
  • Turn dough out on a floured cutting board. The dough will be sticky. With floured hands knead the dough a few times until able to form into a disc shape.
  • Carefully remove the hot cast iron skillet from oven and lightly grease with butter. Place the round ball of dough into the skillet.
  • In desired, cut an "X" into the top of the loaf using a toothpick. Brush the top of loaf with the remaining buttermilk. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and hollow when tapped.

You could make this delicious bread recipe for your St. Patrick’s Day feast! Pair this bread with some delicious Corned Beef & Cabbage and you’ve got the perfect Saint Patty’s Day dinner!

More Saint Patrick's Day Recipes

Irish Cream Latte | St. Patrick's Day Classic

Easy Corned Beef & Cabbage

Healthier Shamrock Shakes

Savoury Soad Bread Recipes

Irish Recipe For Soda Bread, this savory Irish recipe can be made with Irish butter for an authentic Irish treat!

Pro Tip: The Butter Does Make A Difference

My favorite butter and the only one we use in our house is Kerry Gold Grass-fed Butter. Kerry-Gold is an Irish butter and there is nothing quite like it! I highly suggest using it in this recipe and using Irish Butter for all of your baking needs. Yes, it does make a difference, one you can taste!

Where Can I Purchase Grass-fed Butter?

You can find traditional Irish Butter or Grass-fed butter at your local grocery store. You can find Kerry Gold Butter for a super good deal at your local Costco.

Sliced of Buttered Irish Soda Bread
Savory slices of freshly baked Irish Soda Bread topped with thick slices of Irish Butter

Why Do We Add Buttermilk to Irish Soda Bread?

Soda Bread recipes are traditionally made with butter and buttermilk, not plain milk. Soda Irish Bread is always made with buttermilk. You can make Irish soda bread without buttermilk. If you chose to leave our buttermilk, there are a few things to note.

The Irish bread will not have that famous tang to it. The soda bread will have more of a sweet taste to it.

You could turn this bread up a notch and add currants or raisins to it. I will be updating the photos for this recipe and will be adding raisins to the updated version for an even sweeter soda bread Irish recipe treat!

There is no need to use yeast in Irish Soda bread as we use baking soda instead. Why do we use baking soda instead of years? Read on below.

The History Behind Soda Breads

Open-faced soda bread with two mugs behind it
Fresh out of the oven! Moist Irish Soda Bread ready to be enjoyed!

In Ireland, The "soft wheat" varieties are the only wheat that can grow in Ireland's climate and it doesn't make good yeast bread due to a lack of gluten.

Back in the 1800s when bread soda (baking soda) was first introduced people didn't have ovens. They would bake their bread in a "Bastible" (a giant cast-iron pot with a lid that would sit over coals over a fire.

Baking soda is not perishable (it lasts for years in our pantries) and it was cheap then and is still relatively cheap now. The buttermilk came from the cows people had in their back yards. Thus Irish Soda Bread was born!

A cheap way to make really good bread for the entire family!

We love Saint Patrick’s Day in our house. Not only because I’m part Irish, but also because of the delicious food, you get to eat! Do you guys celebrate this glorious holiday? Saint Patrick’s Day is such a fun and meaningful holiday. I even got Shamrock running shoes to celebrate this year!

three slices of Irish Soda Bread
Luck Of The Irish, this bread recipe is sure to bring you lots of luck!

How To Make Easy Irish Soda Bread

I know that bread recipes can be super intimidating to make, but they certainly don’t have to be.

I always suggest starting off with an easy bread recipe like Irish Soda Bread and then working your way up to something more complicated like Sourdough.

This is a great beginner baker's bread recipe because you combine all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl and then knead the dough on a floured surface for a few minutes, and bake it in the oven. That's it! It really is a simple bread recipe to try.

You can use bread flour for this recipe, but I use traditional flour. Either works well for making the dough for this bread.

Irish bread is usually enjoyed in the states in the month of March, but this is a recipe you can make all year long! For its richness in taste and its savory notes, it's the perfect bread recipe to be enjoyed alongside any dinner recipe.

Give my Irish Soda Bread recipe a try, you won’t be sorry.

Copyright FittyFoodlicious-1098.jpg

Storage Is Key To Keeping Irish Bread Fresh And Delicious

Since this recipe uses fresh buttermilk, you want to make sure to store any leftovers in the fridge or freeze it. I suggest wrapping it in wax paper and storing the bread in a glass, airtight container. Don’t make the mistake I did of leaving it out overnight. The bread will spoil if you do that.

Let me know if you make my delicious Irish Soda Bread recipe, I can’t wait to hear how turns out!

  • CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD BOATS WITH HOMEMADE CROUTONS
  • Zucchini Boats With Ground Turkey
  • Creamy Lemon Pasta With Chicken
  • EASY CARNE ASADA BURRITOS | FOOD PREP RECIPE
  • How To Make Pan Fried Ravioli | Easy Pasta Recipe
  • DELICIOUS HEALTHY LEFTOVER TURKEY SOUP (EASY HOLIDAY RECIPE)
  • EASY BEEF STROGANOFF
  • Easy Chicken and Rice Casserole

Be sure and follow, like, and share Fitty Foodlicious with your friends and family!

INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | TWITTER

📖 Recipe

EASY IRISH SODA BREAD

Genevieve Jerome
Easy Irish Soda Bread is the recipe to make for the upcoming Saint Patrick’s Day Holiday. It’s delicious, simple to make, and only uses a few key ingredients. The best part is, you don’t need a stand mixer or a bread machine to make this delicious Irish Soda Bread
5 from 86 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Share on Facebook GrowSaved!
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Course bread, Saint Patrick's Day, Side Dish
Cuisine Irish
Servings 6
Calories 352 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 c All purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon Baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 c Buttermilk
  • 1 Egg
  • ¼ c Butter melted
  • ¼ c Buttermilk

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
  • In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and butter. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk and egg to the dry ingredients.
  • Turn dough out on a floured cutting board. The dough will be sticky. With floured hands knead the dough a few times until able to form into a disc shape.
  • Bake in a preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Check for doneness after 30 minutes. You may continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture while it bakes.
  • Cut an "X" into the top of the loaf using a toothpick. Brush the top of loaf with the remaining buttermilk. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and hollow when tapped.

Notes

You can also make this bread in a cast iron skillet Here are the instructions for that below.

How To Bake This Bread In A Cast Iron Skillet

There are two different ways to make this phenomenal quick bread recipe. Bake it in the oven or bake it in a cast-iron skillet. The great thing about using a cast-iron skillet is the skillet makes the bread a bit crispier and frim but doesn't take away any of the moisture.
Here are easy-to-follow instructions for using a cast-iron skillet. I recommend purchasing a 10-inch skillet.
Instructions for making this divine bread in cast iron.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a 10" UNGREASED cast iron skillet in oven to heat.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter or margarine with a pastry blender.
  • Stir in the caraway seeds and currants. (optional)
  • Stir in just until combined ½ cup buttermilk and the egg.
  • Turn dough out on a floured cutting board. The dough will be sticky. With floured hands knead the dough a few times until able to form into a disc shape.
  • Carefully remove the hot cast iron skillet from oven and lightly grease with butter. Place the round ball of dough into the skillet.
  • Cut an "X" into the top of the loaf using a toothpick. Brush the top of loaf with the remaining buttermilk. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown and hollow when tapped.
Ciao! ~Genevieve 
 
All images and text © Genevieve Jerome / Fitty Foodlicious 2017-2022 

Nutrition

Calories: 352kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 11gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 663mgPotassium: 181mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 139IUCalcium: 203mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe? Follow us on InstagramMention @fittyfoodlicious or tag #fittyfoodliciousrecipes!

Thank you for stopping by Fitty Foodlicious, a website dedicated to sharing lasting, family recipes, anxiety tips and tricks, and healthy spirited mental wellness. My goal with this site is to let you know you are not alone. You can cook anything you put your mind to, and as my Italian Grandmother used to say, "Mind Over Matter" and "A good meal with a good friend, can cure almost anything!" Please don't hesitate to reach out. You can contact me at my About Me page or find me jaunting around on Instagram. Cheers! You can purchase my cookbook below

About Genevieve

I’m a spitfire Italian Irish lass who adores spending time outside with my dogs as much as humanly possible. I hope you find inspiration on this site for healthy living, mental wellness, and delicious desserts. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and get comfy. I love hearing from readers, please reach out and let’s chat. You can find out more about me here.

« Irish Cream Latte| ST. Patrick's Day Classic
Mint Chocolate Chip Milkshake »

Sharing is caring!

optin for free ebook

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Fiona Maclean says

    March 16, 2021 at 9:57 am

    I love making soda bread! great recipe

    Reply
  2. Lillie says

    March 16, 2021 at 10:25 pm

    Indeed I've always been intimidated by baking bread, but this truly looks achievable and accessible... and yummy too!

    Reply
  3. Amy says

    March 17, 2021 at 10:12 pm

    I have been on a bit of a bread making journey and always looking forward to trying new recipes. I have never tried soda bread before but love that I have found this recipe. Buttermilk just makes everything tastes better doesn't it?? Trying this on the weekend!

    Reply
  4. Sondra says

    March 18, 2021 at 1:36 am

    I've always wanted to try baking bread from scratch. Definitely will try this out!

    Reply
  5. Jessica says

    March 18, 2021 at 1:15 pm

    We made this bread for St. Patrick's Day yesterday and it was a total hit! Everyone loved it and I think I will be making it all year round!

    Reply
  6. Faith says

    March 18, 2021 at 2:14 pm

    Yum! This bread looks amazing! We are eating low carb for lent, but will have to save this for after Easter.

    Reply
  7. Leslie says

    March 18, 2021 at 7:08 pm

    This is one of the easiest bread recipes to make! Perfect recipe to enjoy for Saint Patrick's Day!

    Reply
  8. jere says

    March 18, 2021 at 11:22 pm

    I will be making this bread because my Irish hubby threw a fit that I never make this for him. Glad to have your easy recipe, it looks delicious.

    Reply
  9. Natalie says

    March 20, 2021 at 11:50 am

    One of my favorite bread. I love to make it throughout the whole year, not just around St Patrick's. I will give your recipe a try next time I'm making it. Looks delicious.

    Reply
  10. Beth says

    March 08, 2022 at 5:37 pm

    5 stars
    This is perfect for St. Patrick's day. Have a piece slathered with butter with my corned venison and cabbage.

    Reply
  11. Tara says

    March 08, 2022 at 5:41 pm

    5 stars
    Oh yum! Such a delicious way to celebrate! I love how easily this soda bread comes together. Definitely perfect for pairing with hot tea.

    Reply
  12. Patty at Spoonabilities says

    March 08, 2022 at 6:20 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is the perfect Irish soda bread recipe! It's so easy and it came out moist and flavorful! Yum!

    Reply
  13. Sharon says

    March 08, 2022 at 6:40 pm

    5 stars
    This is a super simple Irish soda bread recipe that comes out perfect every time! Great as a side for Irish main dishes.

    Reply
  14. Jeannie says

    March 11, 2022 at 3:25 am

    5 stars
    very timing for St. Patrick's day!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate This Recipe




Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Fitty Foodlicious. I created this website after naturally losing 150 pounds through healthy eating and being active. Although, I do love a good slice of chocolate cake every now and again, and I believe you cannot live life without pasta and really good coffee! I’m a Paleo Cookbook author, a spitfire Italian Irish lass who adores spending time outside with my dogs as much as humanly possible. I hope you find inspiration on this site for healthy living, mental wellness, and delicious recipes. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and get comfy. I love hearing from readers, please reach out, and let’s chat. You can find out more about me here.

More about me →

💖 Valentine's Day Recipes 💖

  • Valentine's Hot Chocolate Bombs
  • Zucchini Boats With Ground Turkey
  • Creamy Lemon Pasta With Chicken
  • French Vanilla Hot Chocolate With Sweet Cream | Valentine's Day Recipe
  • Chocolate Coffee Ganache With Raspberries
  • How To Make Pan Fried Ravioli | Easy Pasta Recipe

Check Out Our Latest Web Stories Below

How To Make Pan Fried Ravioli

☘️Saint Patrick's Day Recipes☘️

  • Chocolate Rice Krispies
  • Mint Chocolate Chip Milkshake
  • EASY CORNED BEEF & CABBAGE
  • Irish Cream Latte| ST. Patrick's Day Classic

Easy Dinner Recipes

  • Is Orange Chicken Healthy? (Recipe Included)
  • Dorito Casserole With Ground Beef
  • Beef Burrito Bowls
  • The Easiest BLT Sandwich
  • The Easiest Crispiest Fried Chicken
  • EASY LEFTOVER TURKEY SLIDERS | LEFTOVER THANKSGIVING RECIPE

Let's Connect!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Work With Me
  • Services
  • Media Kit

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 Fitty Foodlicious, All Rights Reserved