This Irish Soda Bread without Buttermilk is perfect for pairing with soups and stews! This simple, no-yeast no-rise bread recipe is ready in less than 45 minutes!
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You won't believe how easy and delicious this homemade bread is! I love to serve it with Guinness lamb stew or Irish cottage pie on St. Patrick’s Day.
My husband loves it with venison stew or Instant Pot ham and potato soup. I love to dip it in my split pea soup. However you serve it, I know you'll love it!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy: No need for yeast or rise time. This quick bread is ready in under an hour!
- Simple Ingredients: Uses basic pantry staples.
- Delicious: Subtly sweet with a crunchy crust and tender inside.
- Economical: Homemade bread is cheaper AND tastes better than store-bought bread.
Irish Soda Bread Ingredients
*A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the printable recipe card below.*
- Flour. Unbleached all-purpose flour works best. Whole wheat flour can make the bread too dense.
- Butter. Use cold unsalted butter.
- Milk. Use 1%, 2%, whole milk, or almond milk.
- Vinegar. White vinegar soured with milk is a great buttermilk substitute. Lemon juice works too.
- Optional Add-ins. 1-2 teaspoons of caraway seeds or 1 cup of raisins or currants.
How to Make Irish Soda Bread without Buttermilk
For more detailed instructions with measurements, jump to the recipe card.
- Step 1: Prepare Milk Mixture. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and place a cast-iron skillet in the oven to preheat. Combine milk and vinegar in a small bowl and let it sit for a few minutes.
- Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Step 3: Cut in butter. Add cold butter cubes to the flour mixture and mix with a pastry cutter or your hands until it resembles coarse sand.
- Step 4: Add Wet Ingredients. Beat an egg, add it to the milk mixture, and then pour it into the dry ingredients. Mix with a fork until just combined. D
- Step 5: Prep Skillet. With oven mitts, remove the cast iron skillet from the oven and add a tablespoon of butter (to prevent the bread from sticking). Move the pan around until the butter is melted and the bottom of the skillet is covered.
- Step 6: Shape the Dough. Place dough on a floured surface, shape it into a round loaf, and cut an X on top of the loaf. Place the dough in the preheated skillet.
- Step 7: Bake. Bake the bread for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. A toothpick should come out clean.
Step 8: Serve. Let the bread cool on a rack for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving with your favorite butter. Enjoy!
Pro Tip: Flour your hands when shaping the dough as it can be a little sticky.
What To Serve With Irish Soda Bread
This homemade bread can be sliced and served warm or at room temperature. It is delicious on its own but also pairs well with different toppings like Irish butter, jam, honey, or Brie cheese.
Leftovers are delicious in air fryer toast or grilled cheese sandwiches.
Recipe Variations
While I like this bread just the way it is, you can add:
- Raisins/Currants: Add golden raisins like the traditional recipe.
- Cheese: Mix in grated cheese.
- Herbs: Add fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme.
Top Tips
- Measuring Flour: Scoop flour into the measuring cup with a spoon and level it with a knife to avoid packing.
- Mixing: Do not overmix the dough to keep the bread tender.
- Preheat: Ensure your oven is fully preheated before baking.
- Best Fresh: For best results, enjoy the bread within the first day or two. Use a serrated knife for clean slices.
Storing Leftovers
- Room temperature: Wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container and store it at room temperature for up to three days.
- Freezer: Wrap it tightly in plastic, then aluminum foil, or place it in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to two months.
- Reheat: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, wrap the bread in aluminum foil, and bake for 10-15 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
Irish soda bread has a rustic, wholesome flavor similar to a biscuit but less sweet. It has a dense and crumbly texture with a chewy crust.
The bread may crumble if the dough is too dry, over-kneaded, or sliced before cooling.
Cutting a cross on top allows steam to escape and ensures even cooking.
Did you make this easy soda bread recipe? If you did, can you do me a big favor and leave a rating and review letting me know how you liked it? This helps my website grow so I can continue to publish free recipes. Thank you! 😊
Printable Recipe
Irish Soda Bread without Buttermilk
Equipment
- 10-inch cast-iron-skillet, baking sheet, casserole dish, or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1¾ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour scooped with a spoon into measuring cup and leveled with a knife
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 7 tablespoons cold butter unsalted
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400℉. Put the cast-iron skillet in the oven to preheat.
- Mix the milk and vinegar in a small bowl and let sit for a few minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine white flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut six tablespoons of cold butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture. Mix with a pastry cutter, your hands, or a fork until it resembles sand.
- Beat the egg with a fork or whisk, and add it to the milk mixture.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Remove the cast iron skillet from the oven with oven mitts and add a tablespoon of butter (to prevent the bread from sticking). Move the pan around until the butter is melted and the bottom of the skillet is covered.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. You don't need to knead the dough, but you need to shape it into a round loaf - about 9 inches in diameter. Place the loaf in the cast iron skillet, on a prepared baking sheet lined with parchment paper, or in a greased casserole dish or Dutch oven.
- Use a sharp knife to cut an X shape on the top of the dough - about ½-inch deep.
- Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the bread is golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Place the bread on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes, then slice and serve!
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Notes
- Measuring Flour: Scoop flour into the measuring cup with a spoon and level it with a knife to avoid packing.
- Mixing: Do not overmix the dough to keep the bread tender.
- Preheat: Ensure your oven is fully preheated before baking.
- Best Fresh: For best results, enjoy the bread within the first day or two. Use a serrated knife for clean slices.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
**This post was originally published in March 2023. It has been recently updated with more information and helpful tips, but the recipe remains the same.
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