Irish Soda Bread: Yeast-free!

This non-traditional Irish Soda Bread recipe comes together in the time it takes for your oven to preheat. You will fall in love with this thick crusted yeast-free bread. 

You might be wondering why a Canadian-born, Italian-raised gal from Montreal is making an Irish bread recipe.

Well, March 17th is St.Patrick’s Day and as they say, everyone is Irish on St.Patrick’s day! 

Seriously though, the main reason I love to make this bread is that it is quick to make.

It is so quick that by the time your oven is preheated, you are done combining the ingredients and placing the pan in the oven.

This no yeast bread with caraway seeds is a great compliment to any thick soups like this White Bean Soup. 

It is also great with Veal Stew.

I’ve always been intrigued by soda bread recipes, especially with buttermilk.

What I’ve learned is that there are two versions to this type of bread:

Traditional Irish soda bread has only four ingredients:

• flour
• salt
• buttermilk and
• baking soda

…hence the name.

Apparently, that’s the way the Irish made it back in the 1800s (in Ireland). Over the years, this bread became a base for all sorts of add-ins like raisins, cranberries, herbs, and so on.

In its transition, it became a sweet quick bread as sugar and eggs were also added-hence the reference to a Non-Traditional Irish Soda Bread.

There is no yeast, no kneading – heck there isn’t even a mixer required to make this bread.

You won’t believe how quickly this recipe comes together…

Are you ready?

Ingredients

• Flour. All-purpose.
• Sugar. Just a touch to create a slightly sweet Irish soda bread.
• Baking soda. This allows the bread to rise.
• Baking powder. Always check to make sure the dates are still good.
• Salt. Just a pinch.
• Caraway seeds. These contribute an earthy flavor.
• Eggs. Just a couple.
• Sour cream. Preferably a low-fat version. 
• Buttermilk. Yes, this is an Irish soda bread with buttermilk!

As far as accessories are concerned, all you need is two bowls, a whisk, a wooden spoon and a knife to ward off the evil spirits-more on this old Irish superstition a little later.  You also need a 9-inch springform pan. 

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, sift or whisk together all of the dry ingredients. These include flour, sugar, baking soda/powder, salt and caraway seeds.

Set it aside for a minute, while we whisk the wet ingredients together.

In another bowl, we are going to whisk a couple of eggs with sour cream and buttermilk.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine with a wooden spoon. You will quickly notice that this is a very sticky and thick dough.

Do not over mix this batter. Just like making muffins, over mixing will toughen the texture of this Irish bread.

Transfer to a 9-inch springform pan which has been coated with a non-stick spray. With lightly floured fingertips or a spatula, gently spread out the batter to the edges of the pan.

Whether you are making the traditional or non-traditional version, you should always score a deep “X” on the top of your bread before baking it. Not only does it help the baking process (allowing better heat distribution) but it protects your household by warding off the evil spirits.

How’s that for efficiency!

The only thing left to do is to bake your Irish soda bread!

Tips

• Preheat your oven to the right temperature, this is crucial to obtain a good rise.
• Properly whisking the dry ingredients ensures even distribution of the baking soda and baking powder, which in turn ensures a uniform rise in your caraway bread.
• Do not over stir; simply combine the wet with the dry ingredients and bake.
• Score the top of the bread before baking to improve heat distribution throughout the bread.

Can I add raisins to the batter? Yes, simply add ½ cup if you prefer a recipe for Irish soda bread with raisins.

I don’t have buttermilk, what do I do? You can easily make buttermilk by adding lemon juice or vinegar to regular milk, stirring and allow to rest for 5 minutes before using. For this recipe, add 1 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice to 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon of milk.

How long does this baking soda bread last? If properly wrapped in plastic film, this bread can be stored at room temperature for 3-4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Yeast-free bread recipes

If you are looking for more no yeast bread recipes, you are going to love this Honey Wheat Bread. Did I mention it is also a no-knead bread recipe? Two other examples of easy bread recipes without yeast are this Quick Flatbread and Piadina recipe.

Recipe origins

There is no lack of recipes whether you are looking for a traditional or non-traditional Irish soda bread.

I’ve adapted this easy recipe from one I found on this site.

Over the years, I have made a couple of changes to the recipe: decreased the amount of sugar and salt found in the original recipe; I replaced 1 cup of sour cream with ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon of buttermilk.

I also exclude raisins because they are not very popular in my household. Feel free to throw in a handful if you like them in your bread.

Overall, this quick bread has a very light texture and is really easy to put together. I definitely plan on making it throughout the year…aiming for the luck of the Irish on this one 😉

I would like to share with you one of my favorite Irish blessings:

For each petal on the shamrock
This brings a wish your way.
Good health, good luck, and happiness
For today and every day.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.

Ciao for now,

Maria

★★★★★ If you have made this yeast-free Irish loaf recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

This post was originally published on March 6, 2015 and republished on February 25, 2019 with updated content, pictures and a video. Thanks for watching and sharing.