This rustic Irish soda bread has a crispy crust and tons of flavor from dried herbs & shredded cheese mixed into the dough. It's an easy no-knead loaf to make in about one hour, since buttermilk + baking soda leaven the dough without any yeast.
The Rustic Soda Bread I Bake Every St Patrick's Day
My crusty soda bread is an adaptation of my Granny's traditional recipe. While she made hers with just four ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk) I love adding garlic powder and dried rosemary + thyme for depth of flavor. And I switched out about a third of the all-purpose flour with rye flour, for a heartier taste and richer color. Finally, mixing an aged Irish cheese into the dough keeps it moist, so it doesn't dry out the next day. Because, seriously, cheese in bread makes everything better, like in my pull-apart cheese bread rolls.
Since there's no yeast in soda bread, it doesn't need to rest, rise, or proof before hitting the oven. Which means you can be pulling a golden, crusty loaf from your oven in less than an hour! This was one of the first breads I ever learned to bake, and I think it's a great beginner loaf.
Let's Bake Traditional Soda Bread Together!
Recipe Tips
- Mixing: Once I add the buttermilk, I mix the dough juuust until there's no visible streaks of flour. Overmixing the dough can create gummy, dense bread.
- Scoring: Don't skip cutting that big cross into your loaf, since it helps the dough expand and bake through to the center. And I found that a sharp kitchen knife (not a bread lame) works best to score this thick dough.
- Buttermilk: Sometimes I make homemade buttermilk by combining 1½ cups whole milk with 1½ tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar. It'll curdle and thicken at room temperature after about 10-15 minutes, then I add it into the dough.
No-Knead Irish Soda Bread
developed & tested by:
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups dark rye flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup shredded Irish cheese (3 ounces) (I like Kerrygold Dubliner cheese)
- 1½ cups buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper & sprinkle a little flour or cornmeal on top.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rye flour, salt, baking soda, garlic powder, dried rosemary and dried thyme.
- Stir the shredded cheese into the dry ingredients.
- Add the buttermilk and gently mix just until you don't see any pockets of dry flour. (The dough will feel a little sticky which is normal. However if it's wet, mix in a little more all-purpose flour. Be careful not to overmix the dough, which can make your bread tough.)
- Gently shape the dough into a dome that is about 6-inches in diameter. Transfer to your prepared baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to cut a big X into the top of the bread, ½-inch (1.25 cm) deep.
- Bake the bread for 40 to 50 minutes, until the crust is brown and crispy. Allow the bread to cool for at least 1 hour, then slice and enjoy!
Notes
- Don't substitute water or plain milk for the buttermilk, since baking soda needs the acidity to activate & leaven the bread.
- Make sure your baking soda is within its expiration date, since old baking soda won't react properly to give your bread a nice rise as it bakes.
- Store cooled bread at room temperature in a paper bag or clean kitchen towel at room temperature. To freeze, wrap cooled bread in plastic wrap then aluminum foil.
Lindsey says
I am rewatching Boardwalk Empire on HBO and a character makes Irish soda bread. I wanted to make a dinner with recipes from that era, and knew I needed the bread. I looked up a classic recipe and wasn't sure about it, until I found this one with cheese!! I really loved the cheese in it, even if it's not super traditional for the 1920's, but I used Kerrygold brand cheddar so I feel like that counts lol!
Maria says
I love how easy this was to make and how delicious it is. I didn't have any dried herbs, so I used fresh herbs from our garden! I love this combo of herbs with the cheese!!
Carissa Erzen says
Thank you! 🙂
Giselle says
I love the texture of this bread. It's hearty and chewy, and I have been eating it with cheese and sliced turkey for breakfast. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Carissa Erzen says
Ooh that sounds like a delicious sandwich!
Carole says
I loved reading about your Granny! And I baked a loaf of this bread last week - it was absolutely delicious!
Yum-number1 says
You have to sprinkle some luck of the Irish on there too! Looks good!!
strawberryandcream says
Of course! That is the secret ingredient! ðŸ€
Azilde Elizabeth says
This looks amazing!
strawberryandcream says
Thank you!! It was definitely more flavorful that I was expecting! ðŸž