Irish Soda Bread
No knead Irish Soda Bread is a classic recipe with a crusty exterior and a dense, soft center. Made without yeast and optional raisins or currants, this recipe is mixed by hand using pantry staples.
Servings 12 servings
Calories 262kcal
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 1⅔ cup buttermilk cold
- 1 egg
- 4 cups flour (480g)
- 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoon baking soda (9g)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (9g)
- 4 tablespoons butter cold, diced (57g)
- 1 cup raisins optional or currants
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Whisk the buttermilk and egg together then set aside.
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl then whisk together. If you’re adding raisins or currants then mix those in now.
- Add the butter to the flour mixture then work into small pea sized pieces with your hands or a pastry cutter.
- Create a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour the buttermilk mixture in. Use a spatula to fold the mixture together until all the flour has been worked in.
- Transfer the dough to your lightly floured surface, form into a loaf and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet or seasoned cast iron pan.
- Score the top with an “X” and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the center is set. Tent the bread with foil if the top is getting too much color.
- Allow to cool then serve.
Notes
- Mix by hand and avoid overworking the dough. There is no need for an electric mixer or dough hook for this recipe. Avoid overworking the dough, as doing so can result in dry, tough, and chewy bread. The dough should be a bit shaggy, and streaks of flour can remain; you just need it to come together enough to form a ball.
- Score the bread well. Scoring the bread isn’t just for looks, this step is important to help the center of the bread bake well, so make ½-inch deep score lines in the shape of an “X” all the way across the top of the loaf.
- You don’t need a special baking vessel. This easy soda bread recipe can be baked in a cast iron pan, parchment paper-lined baking sheet, cake pan, pie dish, or other round, shallow baking dish. I don’t recommend using a loaf pan because it will constrain the bread and prevent it from baking evenly.
- Bake until the exterior is golden or the center is 200°F. The bread is done when the exterior becomes golden and is hollow-sounding when tapped. For the most accurate indicator, use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the center of the loaf and remove the loaf when it reaches 200°F.
- Tent the bread with foil if needed. If you notice that the top of the bread is taking on too much color before the center is baked, tent the top with aluminum foil.
Nutrition
Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 408mg | Potassium: 196mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 191IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg