Easy White Soda Bread, a fantastic Irish recipe that is perfect for your St Patrick's Day celebrations, but also all year round. It's a delicious crusty bread that is wonderfully fluffy on the inside and has an incredible aroma. Only 4 simple ingredients, no yeast, no kneading, sheer goodness!
I have been making various bread recipes for years now, and every single time I get the same excitement at the thought of freshly-baked bread that fills the kitchen with such an incredible aroma.
Shop-bought bread might keep you full, but it doesn't give you the same satisfaction, not to mention that the quality is nowhere near as good.
And if you have been put off by the idea of waiting around for ages for the bread to be ready, this soda bread recipe is ready from scratch in just 45 minutes. And there is no back-breaking kneading involved.
There is also no need to have special white strong bread flour, just plain flour would do. The recipe is called soda bread because, unlike traditional bread, it doesn't use yeast at all , but bicarbonate of soda.
The bicarb of soda and buttermilk work their magic to get the bread rising beautifully, so you get a perfect bread that makes you happy inside and out.
There are many variations of the traditional soda bread recipe, my Irish Soda Bread uses half plain flour and half wholemeal flour, but it's based on the same recipe, as well as my soda bread rolls.
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Other variations include my delicious soda bread muffins and Guinness brown bread , which are so good, and also perfect for St Patrick's Day.
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Note!
Go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
Ingredients used
- plain flour - it doesn't really matter which brand you use, simple all-purpose flour is perfect for this recipe
- buttermilk - full-fat or low-fat buttermilk work the same way
- salt - I used regular table salt for this recipe
- bicarbonate of soda - it is important not to confuse it with baking powder, as the bread won't rise without the bicarb of soda
Step-by-step photos and instructions
- sift the flour in a large mixing bowl
- add the salt and bicarbonate of soda and give it a good mix
- add the buttermilk, and bring the dough together quickly
- flour a baking tray, add the bread and dust it generously with flour
- use a sharp knife to cut a cross on the top of the bread, but don't go all the way down
- bake in the preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius (390 Fahrenheit) for 30 minutes
- allow it to cool down completely before slicing it
Expert tips
Make sure the oven is well preheated before the bread goes in, as the bicarb of soda and the buttermilk start working straight away, so the heat will help the bread get the instant rise it needs.
The dough might look too sticky, but that's ok, it gives a bread a perfect crust and the bread is super fluffy on the inside. I find that less buttermilk makes the bread quite stodgy.
Instead of adding more flour to the dough, just dust your hands generously with flour in order to give it a shape, then dust some more flour on top of the bread.
As tempting as it might be, it is best to allow the bread to cool down completely before slicing it, as when it's hot the bread is not as perfectly springy.
What to serve with white soda bread
If you are making it for your St Patrick's Day celebrations, my Guinness Beef Stew is just perfect for it. Otherwise, at any other time of the year, we absolutely love homemade bread with my Greek bean soup, which is so delicious!
You can also use it to dip into an olive oil bread dip, cottage cheese dip, hot crab dip or a classic spinach and artichoke dip.
Other soda bread recipes
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Easy White Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 500 g plain flour (4 cups)
- 500 ml buttermilk (2 cups)
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (390 Fahrenheit).
- In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, add the salt and bicarbonate of soda and give it a good mix.
- Add the buttermilk and use your hands to bring everything together into a dough.
- Flour a baking tray, transfer the bread onto it, and dust the top of the bread with flour.
- Use a sharp knife to cut a cross on top of the bread, making sure you don't cut all the way down.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then remove it from the oven and allow it to cool down completely on a cooling rack.
Video
Notes
- Make sure the oven is well preheated before the bread goes in, as the bicarb of soda and the buttermilk start working straight away, so the heat will help the bread get the instant rise it needs.
- The dough might look too sticky, but that's ok, it gives a bread a perfect crust and the bread is super fluffy on the inside. I find that less buttermilk makes the bread quite stodgy.
- Instead of adding more flour to the dough, just dust your hands generously with flour in order to give it a shape, then dust some more flour on top of the bread.
- As tempting as it might be, it is best to allow the bread to cool down completely before slicing it, as when it's hot the bread is not as perfectly springy.
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