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You are here: Home / Recipes and Cooking Tips / Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread

February 14, 2020 by Alea Milham 9 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.
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Irish soda bread recipe
authentic Irish soda bread recipe
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Did you know that Irish Soda Bread is made without yeast? Irish Soda Bread rises because of baking soda, thus the name.

This Irish Soda Bread recipe is perfect for any meal, but is often served on St. Patrick's Day along with corned beef and cabbage.

St. Patrick’s Day is coming up soon and all of us will embrace any Irish ancestry we can find in our lineage, even if we have to go back many generations to find it. My husband and I both have Irish ancestors. He comes from a noble line; my ancestors are Black Irish.

For us, St. Patrick’s Day is a day to pass on a little of our heritage as well as celebrate the life of St. Patrick. We read books about St. Patrick and read St. Patrick’s prayer at dinner. You can find a Free Printable St. Patrick’s Prayer here.

For dinner, we serve Corned Beef and Cabbage which is not a traditional Irish recipe, but it is a recipe that our Irish ancestors created and enjoyed after arriving in America.

This Irish Soda Bread recipe makes a lovely addition to  Corned Beef and Cabbage, but it is so easy to make that it is a great bread recipe for whenever you want to quickly make bread without yeast.

Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups flour
  • 4 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 4 Tbsp butter, cold
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1¾ cups buttermilk

Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
    2. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper – alternatively, you can use a cast iron pan.
    3. Mix the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl.
    4. With two knives or a paddle attachment on a stand mixer, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is mixed in well then mix in raisins.
    5. Create a well in the mixture and pour in your egg and buttermilk. Stir the dry ingredients into the liquid slowly with a wooden spoon until it is solid enough to kneed.
    6. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and kneed together to form a ball, careful not to over-kneed the dough. The dough should remain somewhat shaggy looking. If you are using a sheet pan the more circular the better as the bread will spread out a bit while baking.
    7. Transfer the dough to your sheet pan and use a large knife to cut an X into the dough about 1 inch deep.
    8. Bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. If you are using a cast iron pan it will most likely take 55 minutes as it takes longer to heat up than a baking sheet. The bread should sound hollow when tapped.
    9. Remove to a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Irish Soda Bread - perfect for St. Patrick's Day celebrations

Printable Recipe for Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread Recipe
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Irish Soda Bread Recipe

An easy Quick Bread recipe that does not require yeast to rise.
Course Bread
Cuisine American
Keyword Irish Soda Bread Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 8
Author Alea Milham

Ingredients

  • 4 cups flour
  • 4 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 4 Tbsp butter cold
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 1¾ cups buttermilk

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Line a sheet pan with parchment paper - alternatively, you can use a cast iron pan.
  • Mix the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl.
  • With two knives or a paddle attachment on a stand mixer, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is mixed in well then mix in raisins.
  • Create a well in the mixture and pour in your egg and buttermilk. Stir the dry ingredients into the liquid slowly with a wooden spoon until it is solid enough to kneed.
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and kneed together to form a ball, careful not to over-kneed the dough. The dough should remain somewhat shaggy looking. If you are using a sheet pan the more circular the better as the bread will spread out a bit while baking.
  • Transfer the dough to your sheet pan and use a large knife to cut an X into the dough about 1 inch deep.
  • Bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. If you are using a cast iron pan it will most likely take 55 minutes as it takes longer to heat up than a baking sheet. The bread should sound hollow when tapped.
  • Remove to a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

More St. Patrick’s Day Ideas

DIY Chenille Shamrocks

Free Printable St. Patrick’s Prayer

Shamrock Sugar Cookies

How to Make Corned Beef and Cabbage in an Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker

Thanks to Elizabeth of Frugal Mom Eh! for sharing her recipe with me. This was originally published on February 21, 2016, and updated on March 14, 2021.

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About Alea Milham

Alea Milham is the owner of Premeditated Leftovers and the author of Prep-Ahead Meals from Scatch. She shares her tips for saving money and time while reducing waste in her home. Her favorite hobby, gardening, is a frugal source of organic produce for her recipes. She believes it is possible to live fully and eat well while spending less.

Comments

  1. Laurie says

    March 3, 2022 at 5:23 am

    I have never tried making Irish soda bread. I’ve tried it when I’m Ireland, and maybe I’ll try your recipe just for fun! My bd is on St Patricks day, so this will be a fun recipe.

    Thanks for sharing this at the Homestead Blog Hop!

    Laurie
    Ridge Haven Homestead

    Reply
  2. Katie says

    February 26, 2022 at 11:50 am

    This recipe looks yummy, going to try it for St. Pat’s Day! Congrats on your feature at Happiness Is Homemade Link Party #416!

    Reply
  3. getfitchick says

    March 4, 2016 at 8:01 am

    The bread looks delish! We have a “smidgen” of Irish in us – and my mother always said it was Black Irish – most of my family has dark hair, I’m the oddball! 🙂

    Reply
  4. Marie says

    March 1, 2016 at 5:44 am

    This sounds delicious! I’ve never had soda bread before but it looks incredible. Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday this week!

    Reply
  5. Kathleen says

    February 29, 2016 at 5:50 pm

    I was always told Black Irish refers to those with dark hair and features other than fair and freckled.:) Your bread looks delicious! St. Patrick’s Day blessings to you!
    Kathleen

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      March 14, 2021 at 10:57 am

      My red-haired Grandma called herself Black Irish because she was a descendent of Spanish and French people who immigrated to Ireland. I don’t think the term is used in Ireland, but I think there was a pecking order among the Irish who immigrated to America and the term was used to distinguish some who may have been considered lesser by fellow countrymen.

      Reply
  6. Kathryn @ Family Food on the Table says

    February 28, 2016 at 5:48 pm

    This bread looks fantastic! I don’t have much Irish in me, but my husband does, so I’m always looking for some yummy recipes to try out for St. Pat’s Day. Know the whole family will love this bread!

    Reply
  7. Susy says

    February 19, 2015 at 7:05 pm

    Could you please share St. Patrick’s prayer that you referred to above?
    The soda bread us lovely!

    Reply
    • Alea Milham says

      February 19, 2015 at 10:47 pm

      Here is a link to it: http://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/st-patricks-breastplate.html

      Reply

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Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.

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