World’s Best No Yeast Irish Soda Bread Recipe
Introduction
Irish soda bread is a quick and hearty bread that requires no yeast or rising time. This easy recipe combines simple ingredients to create a tender, flavorful loaf with a crisp crust, perfect for any meal.
Ingredients
- 2 cups white flour (plain / all purpose)
- 1 3/4 cups wholemeal flour (wholewheat)
- 2 – 3 tbsp extra flour (for dusting)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda (bi-carb)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups buttermilk (fridge cold)
Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat your oven to 220°C (430°F) or 200°C (390°F) if using a fan oven, and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the white flour, wholemeal flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
- Step 3: Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir with a spoon until the mixture becomes too stiff to stir.
- Step 4: Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of extra flour onto your work surface. Scrape the dough out onto the floured surface and dust the top with more flour.
- Step 5: Gently knead the dough no more than 8 times to bring it together into a ball. Avoid overworking the dough.
- Step 6: Transfer the dough ball to the prepared tray and gently pat it into a disc about 2.5cm (1 inch) thick.
- Step 7: Using a serrated knife, cut a cross about 1cm (0.3 inches) deep into the surface of the dough.
- Step 8: Bake the bread for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 200°C (390°F) or 180°C (fan) and bake for another 20 minutes.
- Step 9: The bread is done when the base sounds hollow if tapped in the middle. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack.
- Step 10: Let the bread cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing to allow the crumb to set properly.
Tips & Variations
- Use cold buttermilk straight from the fridge to ensure the dough reacts well with the baking soda.
- For a softer crust, brush the top with melted butter after baking.
- Add raisins or caraway seeds to the dough for a traditional twist.
- Wholemeal flour can be substituted with spelt flour for a nuttier flavor.
Storage
Store soda bread in an airtight container or wrapped in a clean tea towel at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, slice and freeze the bread; thaw slices at room temperature or toast directly from frozen. Reheat in the oven wrapped in foil to restore warmth and softness.
How to Serve
Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.
FAQs
Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk?
Regular milk can be used, but it’s best to add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 2 cups of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes to mimic buttermilk’s acidity. This acidity reacts with the baking soda to help the bread rise.
Why do I need to cut a cross on top of the bread?
The cross allows steam to escape during baking and helps the bread cook evenly while giving it the traditional look of Irish soda bread.
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World’s Best No Yeast Irish Soda Bread Recipe
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (approx. 8 servings) 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This recipe for World’s Best No Yeast Bread, also known as Irish Soda Bread, is a quick and easy bread that uses baking soda as a leavening agent instead of yeast. It combines white and wholemeal flours for a wholesome texture, and is moistened with cold buttermilk, resulting in a rustic, slightly dense bread with a crispy crust. Perfect for when you want fresh homemade bread without the wait for yeast dough to rise.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups white flour (plain / all purpose)
- 1 3/4 cups wholemeal flour (wholewheat)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda (bi-carb)
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 – 3 tbsp extra flour (either flour, for dusting)
Wet Ingredients
- 2 cups buttermilk (fridge cold)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 220°C / 430°F (200°C fan) to ensure it reaches the perfect temperature for baking the bread.
- Prepare Baking Tray: Line a baking tray with baking paper to prevent the bread from sticking during baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the white flour, wholemeal flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until well combined.
- Add Buttermilk: Pour in the cold buttermilk and stir the mixture until the dough becomes too stiff to stir further.
- Dust Work Surface: Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the extra flour onto your work surface to prepare for kneading the dough.
- Shape Dough: Scrape the dough out onto the floured surface, sprinkle with more flour as needed, and gently knead no more than 8 times to bring dough together into a ball. Avoid over-kneading to keep the bread tender.
- Form Disc: Transfer the dough ball onto the lined tray and pat it into a disc about 2.5cm / 1 inch thick.
- Score Bread: Using a serrated knife, cut a cross shape on the surface about 1cm / 0.3 inch deep. This helps the bread bake evenly and creates the traditional soda bread look.
- Bake First Phase: Place the bread in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes at 220°C / 430°F (200°C fan).
- Bake Second Phase: Reduce the oven temperature to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan) and continue baking for another 20 minutes, or until the base sounds hollow when tapped in the center.
- Cool Bread: Transfer the baked bread to a wire rack and allow it to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing to complete the baking process and develop texture.
Notes
- Use wholemeal flour for a denser, more nutritious loaf; white flour alone would create a lighter texture but less flavor.
- Baking soda reacts immediately with buttermilk acidity; therefore, no rising time is necessary.
- Cold buttermilk helps achieve a tender crumb and proper texture.
- Knead gently and minimally to avoid developing too much gluten, which can toughen the bread.
- Ensure the cross cut is deep enough to allow steam to escape and proper even baking.
- Cooling on a rack prevents sogginess from trapped moisture under the bread.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Irish
Keywords: Irish Soda Bread, no yeast bread, quick bread, baking soda bread, homemade bread, Irish bread
