Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe (2024)

ByJenna Shaughnessy

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This traditional Irish soda bread recipe is the one I grew up eating in Ireland. It’s simple to make with a few basic ingredients and tastes delicious served warm with butter or jam.

Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe (1)

My recent trip home to Ireland was a great excuse to indulge in some of my favorite Irish foods: a full Irish breakfast (sausages, black pudding, brown bread and fried eggs), a hearty stew, some fresh farmhouse vegetable soup and my mom’s delicious soda bread.

Oh the soda bread. It’s one of my favorite snacks, breakfasts and lunches. Slathered with butter (Kerrygold is best!) or jam and accompanied by a hot cup of Barry’s Irish tea. You can’t beat it. I regularly make this quick bread for my own family, but it’s always nice when my Mom makes it for me, too.

Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe (2)
Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe (3)

With St. Patrick’s Day only a few short weeks away, I thought it would be fun to bake up another loaf to share with you. Irish soda bread requires only a few ingredients and comes together quickly.Because it’s a “quick bread”, it doesn’t have yeast or require any time to rise. Just mix all the ingredients together and bake.

Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe (4)
Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe (5)

You can either add or omit the currants (or if you can’t find them, substitute with raisins). I like it equally both ways, and both ways are just as traditional. American tastes tend to favor a sweeter soda bread than what is traditional in Ireland, so feel free to modify the recipe by adding 2 tbsps of sugar if you’d prefer.

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I also sometimes switch out the last cup of flour for whole wheat, which I did this time since I ran out of white flour (by the way – this wheat one is my favorite). You could also use all wheat flour for a brown soda bread.

You don’t have to use buttermilk (you can use whole milk or make your own buttermilk), but it really is a must for the true taste of Ireland.

Make sure you eat a warm slice of this soda bread before you start handing it out, though. Because if my household is anything to go by, it’ll be gone in a flash!

Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe (7)

I do hope you’ll enjoy my Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe. I personally think it’s the best Irish soda bread recipe!!

If you’re not a traditionalist, feel free to switch out the currants for any fruit you prefer – orange zest or dried cranberries would probably be pretty yummy! And if you decide to make it, I’d love to know what you think!

Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe (12)

This traditional Irish soda bread recipe is the one I grew up eating in Ireland. It’s simple to make with a few basic ingredients and tastes delicious served warm with butter or jam.

Jenna Shaughnessy

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Serving Size 16

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all purpose flour plus extra to dust currants
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 4 tablespoons butter cut into small cubes
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • 1 cup currants (optional)

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

  • Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is mixed into the flour.

  • In a small bowl, lightly beat the buttermilk and egg together using a fork or hand whisk. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture. Combine the currants with 1 tablespoon of flour and mix into the dough. The dough will be sticky but shouldn’t be wet. If it’s too wet to handle, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time.

  • Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface. Making sure your hands are clean, knead lightly a few times into a round loaf. Don’t be afraid to add more flour as needed. The dough should not be wet or really sticky at this point.

  • Place the loaf on the prepared sheet pan and cut a deep cross into the top with a sharp knife.

  • Bake for to 50 – 60 minutes or until the top is golden and when tapping underneath it has a hollow sound.

  • Cool on a baking rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with lots of butter!

Notes

Traditionally, I was taught to make the dough by creating a well with the dry ingredients and then pouring the wet ingredients in and mixing with bare hands. I like to avoid the mess these days so I use my mixer and it tastes just as good.

If you choose to omit the currants, you may want to add 1 tablespoon of sugar instead.

Jenna Shaughnessy

Jenna is a self-taught baker originally from Ireland, infusing Irish charm into every dish and showing you that baking can be fun and fearless.

Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is traditional Irish soda bread made of? ›

Containing just four ingredients — all-purpose wheat flour, salt, baking soda, and buttermilk — this Irish soda bread recipe is very much in line with what's eaten in Ireland. In addition to this version made with white flour, the Irish do make a whole wheat (aka wholemeal) variety as well.

Is there a difference between soda bread and Irish soda bread? ›

Sweeter Soda Bread

On this side of the Atlantic, what we call "Irish soda bread" is more rich and sweet, usually studded with raisins and caraway seeds.

Do they eat Irish soda bread in Ireland? ›

Each country has its “national” bread with recipes dating back to their forefathers. Ireland, for one, has embraced it's kind of bread – the soda bread. It is a basic staple among the Irish that they call it Irish Soda Bread. It's common to see the locals pair this famous bread with a bottle of Guinness too.

Why do Americans put raisins in Irish soda bread? ›

He explained that in some regions of Ireland, they might add dried fruit to soda bread on special occasions only. Throughout much of Irish history, dried fruit would have been considered a luxury item. Irish cooks would only be able to add raisins when they had raisins to spare, which would have been a rare occurrence.

Is Irish soda bread unhealthy? ›

Nutrition Notes

Whole-wheat soda bread is a healthy addition to your plate! One serving—a 1/2-inch-thick slice—provides complex carbohydrates for sustained energy, protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals.

Why is Irish soda bread so good? ›

Many Irish families also lived in isolated farm areas with no access to ovens, and soda bread solved this problem too. The bread was cooked in three-legged iron pots or baked on griddles over open hearths. This gave the bread its famous hard crust, dense texture, and slightly sour tang.

Why cut a cross in Irish soda bread? ›

I was always told that the cross on the top of Irish Soda Bread was to symbolize the Catholic faith of Ireland, and the Gaelic Cross. Some say it kept the Devil out, but that is what a cross is supposed to do also. Turns out that is true but more importantly, it helps in the baking of the bread.

What do the Irish call soda bread? ›

In Ulster, the wholemeal variety is usually known as wheaten bread and is normally sweetened, while the term "soda bread" is restricted to the white savoury form. In the southern provinces of Ireland, the wholemeal variety is usually known as brown bread and is almost identical to the Ulster wheaten.

What is the best way to eat Irish soda bread? ›

What's the best way to eat Irish soda bread? The slices are delicious simply spread with butter, jam, or marmalade. This bread can be toasted, too. Soda bread can be paired with any meal of the day.

Why does Irish soda bread not need yeast? ›

The baking soda does the job of yeast and makes the bread rise. Since it's not as powerful as yeast, the bread is dense rather than fluffy. It's beautiful and delicious!

Why are there caraway seeds in Irish soda bread? ›

However, the reality is that in Donegal and Leitrim there was a tradition of putting caraway seeds in bread. The likelihood is that the tradition was taken by immigrants to America.

Do you warm up Irish soda bread? ›

Serve Irish soda bread warm.

A warmer temperature complements the thick cakey texture of the bread and brings out the hearty flavors, so try serving it freshly baked or toasted. You can also warm up the bread by putting it back in the oven at 350 °F (177 °C) for 7 to 8 minutes.

What is the acid in Irish soda bread? ›

The buttermilk in the dough contains lactic acid, which reacts with the baking soda to form tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide. Other ingredients can be added, such as butter, egg, raisins, or nuts, but these ingredients are not as traditional.

What is bread soda made from? ›

Sodium bicarbonate (IUPAC name: sodium hydrogencarbonate), commonly known as baking soda or bicarbonate of soda, is a chemical compound with the formula NaHCO3. It is a salt composed of a sodium cation (Na+) and a bicarbonate anion (HCO3).

Why is my Irish soda bread gummy? ›

And finally, don't immediately cut into the Fast Irish Soda bread when you pull it out of the oven. Although this bread is best served warm, cutting into it too quickly will turn the bread gummy.

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