Irish Soda Bread Recipe

This Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe is incredibly simple to make and perfect for a St. Patrick’s Day meal or a cozy family dinner. If baking bread feels intimidating, this is the recipe to start with — there’s no yeast, no rising, and no special techniques required.

It’s a foolproof, budget-friendly bread made with basic pantry staples, and one your family will ask for year after year.

Trust me when I tell you that if baking bread intimidates you, this beginner-friendly Irish Soda Bread is the recipe you should start with. There isn’t any yeast, which means that you don’t have to get the water temperature perfect or wait for it to rise.

This truly is a fool proof and easy St Patrick’s Day recipe that you will come back to time and time again.

Is Irish Soda Bread really Irish?

In fact, Irish Soda bread is Irish and is eaten in Ireland on a regular basis. It is so common, that it is sometimes eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Since it doesn’t require yeast or any other specialty ingredients and it only uses basic ingredients that were regularly found in most homes, this quick bread was also very popular among the poor.

While there are a lot of different variations to the traditional Irish soda bread, soda bread all comes back to the same basic ingredients. Since it tends to be pretty basic, additions like caraway seeds and dried fruits are added to enhance the flavor so that it can be enjoyed alone.

Traditional Irish Soda Bread is a dense bread that is filling on its own. It uses baking soda and salt instead of yeast, so it is sometimes referred to as a loaf of unleavened bread.

Why We Love this Easy Irish Bread

• No yeast or rising required
• Uses simple, affordable pantry ingredients
• Family-tested and beginner-friendly
• Perfect for holidays or everyday meals

Ingredients

• White Sugar – Adds a touch of sweetness and helps balance the tang from the buttermilk. This isn’t a sweet bread, but the sugar helps enhance the overall flavor.
• All-Purpose Flour; divided – Regular all-purpose flour keeps this bread affordable and approachable. Reserving a small amount helps prevent sticking when kneading the dough. Feel free to half the flour with whole wheat flour for a healthier option.
• Baking Powder – Works alongside the baking soda to give the bread a lighter texture. Make sure it’s fresh for the best rise.
• Baking Soda – This is the main leavening agent in Irish soda bread. It reacts with the buttermilk to help the bread rise without yeast.
• Salt – Essential for flavor — don’t skip it. It balances the sweetness and enhances the overall taste of the bread.
• Raisins (optional) – A classic addition that adds natural sweetness. You can leave them out for a more traditional savory loaf or if your family prefers plain bread.
• Caraway Seeds (optional) – These give Irish soda bread its signature flavor. Use them if you like a slightly savory, earthy taste, or skip them if your family prefers mild bread.
• Large Egg, lightly beaten – Adds structure and richness to the dough, helping the bread hold together without yeast.
• Buttermilk – A key ingredient that reacts with the baking soda to create rise. It also adds moisture and a subtle tangy flavor. If you do not have buttermilk, you can substitute it for whole milk.
• Sour Cream – Keeps the bread moist and tender. This is a great budget-friendly way to add richness without needing specialty ingredients.

How to Make Irish Bread

Step 1 – Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch round baking pan or a baking sheet.

Step 2 – In a mixing bowl, combine flour (reserve 1 tablespoon in your measuring cup), sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. If you’re using raisins and caraway seeds, add them in.

Step 3 – In a smaller bowl, blend eggs, buttermilk, and sour cream.

Step 4 – Stir the buttermilk egg mixture into the flour mixture just until the flour is moistened.

Step 5 – Knead the dough in a large bowl or on a lightly floured surface for about 10 to 12 strokes. The more you knead the bread the denser your bread will come out. Note that the dough will be sticky, that is okay!

Step 6 – Place the dough in the prepared pan and pat down. Using a sharp knife, cut a 4 x ¾ inch deep slit in the top of the bread.

Step 7 – Dust the top of the bread with 1 Tbsp flour. Bake in preheated oven for 65 to 75 minutes. Let cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes)  and turn the bread out onto a wire rack.

Recipe Tips

• Baking Pan – Make sure to grease the baking pan completely with cooking spray. Feel free to bake the bread in a cast iron skillet or a Dutch oven. We recommend placing the pan on a sheet pan to prevent any messes. We recommend placing parchment paper in the loaf to easily remove the bread for slicing.
• Combining Ingredients – Whisk the dry ingredients together then add in the wet ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon.

What do you eat with Irish soda bread?

In the states, you’ll usually only see Irish soda bread one time a year, in March for St. Patrick’s Day. Irish Soda Bread is mostly served alongside other Irish-inspired foods for a St. Patrick’s Day feast, such as corned beef, cabbage, and boiled potatoes. You can also serve warm with a pat of butter, smeared with honey, lemon curd or orange marmalade.

Since Irish Soda bread is dense, it goes perfectly with stews or roasted meats. Go ahead and soak up all of the delicious juices with your slice of soda bread, no judgment here.

How We Used Leftover Irish Bread

If you’re looking for something different altogether, top a slice of soda bread with bleu cheese. The tangy flavors from the bleu cheese compliment it perfectly. When we have ended up with leftovers, it has also worked great as sandwich bread. It is so good toasted!

In traditional Ireland,  soda bread would have been eaten with cheese for lunch or enjoyed with a glass of tea in the morning as breakfast fare. At dinner time it would have been eaten as a side dish with the main entree, much like how Americans often have a slice of bread with their meal.