Everyone is Irish for one day in March and a loaf of this easy Irish Soda Bread is a worthy addition to any St. Patrick’s Day meal! This traditional recipe calls for mostly pantry items, with a handful of raisins and caraway seeds tossed in for a sweet and savory texture and flavor.
Ireland…I apologize.
I take back all the bad things I’ve ever felt and said about Irish soda bread.
If you’ve ever had both store-bought and homemade soda bread, you might know what I’m talking about. Tiny, dense, gummy, and chock-full of candied fruit and topped with crunchy sugar…sound familiar?
Nah, I’ve never been a fan. Not until I tried my hand at making it myself.
Night and day, my friends. Completely.
This page includes step by step instructions, as well as tips and notes. If you’d like to skip all that, feel free to scroll down to the full, printable recipe card at the bottom of the post. There is also a “jump to recipe” button at the top of the page if you’d rather not exercise your scrolling finger!
If you make anything Irish for St. Patrick’s Day, make it a loaf of this soda bread.
It doesn’t even need a main course to be enjoyed to the fullest. A little butter (or a lot of Kerrygold, if you’re anything like me) and you’re good to go! It’s also a tasty vessel for some homemade apple butter if you’re looking for something a little sweeter.
Of course, if you are intending to use it as a side, I suggest serving it alongside a hearty Irish Guinness Beef Stew or Smoked Corned Beef. It’s how ol’ Pat would want it!
What is Irish soda bread supposed to taste like?
Traditional Irish soda bread recipes call for only 4 ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and some room temperature buttermilk. This will yield you a chewy, tender loaf of quick bread. To some, this true Irish soda bread method also means dry, plain, cardboard-like.
The recipe in this post has been adapted from multiple test batches. I’ve added some butter (to give it a little extra body), a tiny bit of sugar, and raisins and caraway seeds that are completely optional. If you’re not a fan of either, a handful of black currants are another traditional mix-in you might prefer.
Those are rather hard to come by here in the States, sadly. So raisins it is!
Ain’t she a beaut?!
Ingredients
You can be enjoying this tasty treat in about an hour if you’re a quick mix artist.
- All-purpose flour – feel free to substitute a 1:1 gluten free flour here for a gluten friendly version!
- Granulated sugar
- Baking soda
- Kosher salt
- Unsalted butter – make sure it’s cold!
- Raisins – these are optional! I used golden raisins here, but you can always use regular old purple raisins if you’ve got them.
- Caraway seeds – also optional, but they add a classic, old-fashioned flavor.
- Buttermilk – like the butter, keep it cold before making the recipe!
For exact ingredient measurements and recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
Out of Buttermilk?
Go ahead and add 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar, or 2 1/2 teaspoons of cream of tartar to the milk in this recipe. Stir it up and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before proceeding with mixing the batter. The acid will curdle the milk and act as a buttermilk substitute! It works like a charm, even though it looks a little gross when you add it to the batter.
Other buttermilk substitutes include:
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- Buttermilk powder & milk (or water)
- A 3:1 ratio of sour cream & milk (or water)
- A 3:1 ratio of plain yogurt & milk (or water)
- Kefir
- Plant milks + acid of your choice
- Lactose-free milk + acid of your choice
Of course, you can always make this recipe with regular milk as well!
This buttermilk substitute works in just about any baked good, as well! I use it all the time for cakes and other quick bread. Most of the time when I buy buttermilk, either half of it goes bad, or I freeze the rest into cubes and forget about them in the back of my freezer.
How to make Irish soda bread
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly flour a 12-inch cast iron pan or a baking sheet; set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Massage in the cold butter with your fingers until a coarse meal is formed.
- Stir in the raisins and caraway seeds, if using.
- Make a well in the center of the ingredients and pour in the buttermilk. Use a large spoon to mix until a soft dough is formed. (You may need to add a bit of flour if the dough is too wet.)
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, kneading briefly before forming it into a round loaf. Place it in the prepared cast iron skillet.
- Flatten the dough slightly, then use a sharp knife to cut a cross on the top. Bake for about 35-45 minutes (the cast iron will take a bit longer), until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack, then serve warm with butter.
Need something to chow down on with this Irish soda bread? Try one of these tasty dinner recipes!
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup cold butter chopped
- 1 cup golden raisins optional
- 2 teaspoons caraway seeds optional
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly flour a 12-inch cast iron pan or a baking sheet; set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Massage in the cold butter with your fingers until a coarse meal is formed. Stir in the raisins and caraway seeds, if using.
- Make a well in the center of the ingredients and pour in the buttermilk. Use a large spoon to mix until a soft dough is formed. (You may need to add a bit of flour if the dough is too wet.)
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, kneading briefly before forming it into a round loaf. Place it in the prepared cast iron skillet.
- Flatten the dough slightly, then use a sharp knife to cut a cross on the top. Bake for about 35-45 minutes (the cast iron will take a bit longer), until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack, then serve warm with butter.
Michele says
I love your tip for making buttermilk in a pinch! The photos were making my mouth water also I just popped a loaf into the oven. It smells heavenly!
Erica says
Ooh yay, girl! It was hard not to gobble the whole loaf down in one sitting! I hope you have better self-control than I do. 🙂