EASY IRISH SODA BREAD RECIPE WITHOUT BUTTERMILK
Easy irish soda bread recipe without buttermilk
Learn how to make the traditional irish soda bread recipe without buttermilk and only using:
- Flour;
- Bicarbonate of soda;
- Salt;
- Milk;
- Vinegar.
Read this post for the full recipe and variations.
Enjoy!
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Traditional soda bread is one of those quick breads that you will make time and time again!
Indeed this homemade bread is so easy and quick to make, that it will quickly become one of your favorite recipes.
Perfect for family events or just to entertain friends for a morning coffee or afternoon tea, this classic recipe only uses simple ingredients and it’s ready in less than 1 hour.
HOW I STARTED MAKING TRADITIONAL IRISH SODA BREAD
Hello my friend!
If you have peeked into my bio or “about me” page, you will have read that, although I’m Italian, I have been living in Ireland for the last almost 20 years!
One of the first things I did when I initially came here, was to go to my local library and borrow cooking books about traditional Irish recipes.
At the time I had never made bread before, and I was pleased to discover how easy it is to make Irish bread soda ….. And how delicious it is to eat it!
Irish soda bread is probably the easiest bread to make!
If you have some simple pantry staples such as flour and salt, you can certainly give this easy recipe a go!
This classic Irish recipe is a great way to start making bread at home if you have never tried before. In fact, this delicious homemade recipe requires no yeast and no rising time at all and you can put it together in under 10 minutes!
Read this post for the recipe and my best tips!
MORE SODA BREAD RECIPES…..
What is traditional irish soda bread?
Irish soda bread is a type of bread that is popular in Ireland and is typically made with four main ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. Some variations of the recipe may include additional ingredients such as raisins, currants, or caraway seeds.
Irish soda bread is often served as a side dish with meals such as stew and soups, and is a staple of Irish cuisine.
You can enjoy it plain, but I highly recommend you smother it in Irish butter and jam!
What makes Irish soda bread different?
Irish soda bread is a simple, rustic bread that is quick and easy to make, and has a distinct texture and flavor that sets it apart from other types of bread.
This Irish recipe is different from traditional bread in several ways:
- Leavening: Traditional bread is leavened using yeast, which takes time to rise and requires proofing. Irish soda bread, on the other hand, is leavened with baking soda, which reacts with the acidic buttermilk to create carbon dioxide and cause the bread to rise quickly.
- Texture: Because Irish soda bread does not use yeast, it has a denser texture than traditional bread. The crumb is often more compact and less airy, and the crust is usually thicker.
- Ingredients: Irish soda bread typically contains just four ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. On the contrary, traditional bread can contain a variety of ingredients, such as yeast, sugar, oil, butter, and eggs, depending on the recipe.
- Preparation: Irish soda bread is generally a quick bread, which means it can be mixed and baked in a relatively short amount of time. Traditional bread often requires kneading, proofing, and a longer baking time.
Is soda bread Healthy?
Irish soda bread is not unhealthy per se. In fact, the original recipe only calls for flour, salt, baking soda and buttermilk.
The bread is low in fat and practically cholesterol free, making it an healthy addition to your diet.
However, you can substitute the plain flour with the wholegrain version if you prefer.
Moreover, if you are concerned about calorie intake, you should not top it with high fat foods such as butter, or sugary ones like jams.
WHY IS IT CALLED SODA BREAD?
Irish soda bread gets its name from the baking soda that is used to leaven the bread, and not from the fizzy drinks ingredients.
The term “soda bread” was likely coined in the mid-1800s when baking soda was first introduced to Ireland. At that time, yeast was not always readily available or affordable, so bakers would use baking soda instead.
how is soda bread made without yeast?
According to this article:”The baking soda in this recipe is a quick acting leavening agent. The sodium bicarbonate reacts to the acid in the buttermilk mixture, creating a chemical reaction, to release carbon dioxide gas and this is what causes it to rise therefore eliminating the rising time associated with traditional homemade bread”.
easy irish soda bread recipe without buttermilk
Although I make this recipe very often, not always I have buttermilk in my fridge!
However, it is very easy to make it at home in just 10 minutes (while you are gathering the other ingredients).
You will love this recipe because it is:
- Super easy to make and ideal if you never made bread before.
- Very quick, making it perfect if you just want to make it on the spur of the moment and don’t have time to let the dough rise for hours.
- Economical, as you probably already have the few ingredients you need to make it.
- Easily customisable, as you can add ingredients such as raisins, chocolate chips and dried fruits.
- Delicious!
what are the ingredients for irish soda bread?
Let’s have a look at the main ingredients used to make traditional Irish soda bread.
I’m sure you already have them in your pantry.
Flour
The traditional recipe calls for unbleached all purpose flour. However, if you use bread flour, the final result will be richer and less crumbly.
You can also substitute for whole wheat flour.
Lastly, you can use half white flour and half whole wheat flour.
Buttermilk
Traditionally, you will need to use buttermilk in this recipe. In fact, the acidity in the buttermilk is what helps activate the baking soda.
However, if you don’t have buttermilk, I’ll show you how to make it at home easily and in under 10 minutes or so.
Milk
If you are making buttermilk, you will need full fat dairy milk.
I have never made soda bread using a plant based milk (such as almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, etc.), so I cannot recommend you use one.
In any case, I think that for this particular recipe regular milk just works better.
Vinegar
If you are making buttermilk yourself, you will have to add vinegar to the the milk in order to make it sour.
You can use plain white vinegar, apple cider vinegar or pure lemon juice for this purpose.
Bicarbonate of soda
This is the main ingredient that allows the bread to lightly levitate without using yeast.
You cannot skip it!
Salt
The recipe only calls for a little amount of cooking salt. Use plain table salt.
So, let’s get baking!
HOW TO MAKE IRISH SODA BREAD WITHOUT BUTTERMILK
Here is my tried and trusted original recipe.
I’ve made this countless times, and it works without fail.
I hope you enjoy it!
IRISH SODA BREAD RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You will need:
- 450g (or 1 and 3/4 cups) of milk;
- 2 tbsp of vinegar or lemon juice;
- 500g (or 4 cups) of all purpose flour;
- 1 1/2 tsp of salt;
- 1 1/2 tsp of bicarbonate of soda;
- A little butter to grease a cast iron skillet.
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet (or regular baking tray);
- A couple of mixing bowls;
- Wooden spoon;
- Cooling wire rack;
- Measuring cups;
- Measuring spoons.
If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, you can make this bread in a regular baking tray.
IRISH SODA BREAD RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS
Firstly, you will need to make the buttermilk.
In a large mixing bowl, add the whole milk and vinegar. Mix slowly and let them sit for roughly 10 minutes.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius and place the skillet in it to slowly warm up.
Now, gather the rest of the ingredients.
In a separate large bowl, gently add the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda. Mix the ingredients well.
After the 10 minutes have passed, gently add the the dry mix to your homemade buttermilk.
With the help of a wooden spoon (or your floured hands!), start mixing the wet and dry ingredients until well combined. Bear in mind that the dough will be very sticky to start with.
Make sure to keep mixing until the dough starts to form a ball.
It is very important you don’t overwork the dough or you will end up with a chewy bread!
To bake the bread
Once you are ready, take the skillet from the oven and place a little bit of butter on it, swirling it around in order to grease the entire surface. The melted butter will prevent the bread from sticking to the pan. In addition to that, the butter will give your bread a nice golden crust.
Next, place the dough on the skillet, making sure to form it into a round loaf.
Dust the top of the loaf with a little flour and then, with the help of a sharp knife, cut an X shape on it (like you would score a sourdough bread loaf).
Lastly, place the skillet back in the hot oven, and bake at 200 degrees Celsius for about 25-35 minutes.
To check on the cooking time
To make sure your bread is fully cooked, firstly ensure that the top of it is golden brown in colour.
You can insert a cake tester or tooth pick in the centre, and check that it comes out completely clean. Also, tap the bottom of the loaf, and if it makes a hollow sound, then it’s cooked!
Transfer to a wire cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing it.
To serve
For best results, allow the loaf to completely cool down before slicing through it.
To serve, slice it with a sharp knife, and spread butter, jam, chutney, pesto or any preserve you like on it.
You can enjoy the bread on its own as well.
This traditional irish soda bread works very well to accompany soups, chilli, stews, salads, and also tea and coffee!
Important
If you never made irish soda bread before and are unsure what to expect, remember that this bread is not the same as regular, yeast bread.
Indeed, irish soda bread is heavier and more crumbly. Its consistency is similar to scones (American biscuits) than bread.
IRISH SODA BREAD RECIPE VARIATIONS
The recipe I shared above is a traditional Irish soda bread.
However, you can certainly add a few ingredients to it if you prefer.
For example:
- Eggs: if you want a richer and less crumbly bread, add 1 beaten egg to the wet ingredients before adding the flour mixture, and mix well.
- Butter: the original recipe doesn’t use any added fat (olive oil, vegetable oil, butter, etc.). But, if want a rich and indulgent bread, feel free to add 1/2 cup of melted butter to the mix. If the dough is too wet as a result, add 1tbsp of flour at the time, until you reach the desired consistency.
- Raisins: you can add a cup of raisins, currants, caraway seeds etc. to the dough when mixing it if you like.
- Sugar: again, the original recipe doesn’t call for added sugar or sweeteners. However, if you want to make a sweeter version of it (and I have made it so many times!), simply add 1/2 cup of plain white sugar to the dry ingredients and mix well. Additionally, why not add chocolate chips as well? Your kids will love you for that!
IRISH SODA BREAD RECIPE STORAGE
This delicious irish soda bread is best served and consumed on the first day.
However, if you are lucky enough to have some left over at the end of the day, make sure to wrap it well in a cotton towel or paper bag and store at room temperature for a couple of days.
You can even freeze it for up to 6 weeks.
EASY IRISH SODA BREAD RECIPE WITHOUT BUTTERMILK: CONCLUSIONS
Dear friend, after writing this post, I really need to go back into my kitchen and make a loaf of this gorgeous Irish soda bread!
I hope you will give my recipe a try.
Please, make sure to let me know in the comment section if you do try it, and if you also opted for added ingredients like raisins or chocolate chips.
I’d love to hear from you.
Till next time, Dee.
Hi, I’m Dee!
Mom of three; printables creator, natural solutions, simple living and homemade food enthusiast; “Outlander” fanatic.
When I’m not busy writing and designing, you can always find me covered in a cloud of flour in the kitchen, playing and crafting with my children, or making up some blends with my Essential Oils. Also I’m practically obsessed with Crystals and reading during my spare time.
Come along on our crazy journey as a family living in the countryside of Ireland!
