Irish Soda Bread mixes the wonderful natural ingredients of Buttermilk and Baking Soda to give it a wonderful reaction that provides a leavening agent for the soda bread.
Irish Soda Bread is a classic recipe, especially around St. Patrick’s Day. It pairs buttermilk with baking soda, salt, and flour to give a wonderful leavening agent as opposed to traditional yeast bread.
Traditional Irish Soda Bread is typically seen in most pubs around St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s a wonderful quick bread that can be made year-round.
What can you expect Irish Soda Bread to taste like?
Irish Soda Bread is a light bread, it isn’t heavy like traditional bread, which means less bloating too. It can be made with whole wheat flour too if you prefer.
It tastes similar to a biscuit, with a hint of raisins in it too.
We find it’s best to serve at room temperature.
How do you eat Irish Soda Bread?
Irish Soda Bread is best served warm and topped with light butter or cream cheese. It can also pair as a side dish to soup or stew even corned beef on St. Patrick’s Day.
It can be served alongside Pellet Grill Smoked Corned Beef or Ninja Foodi Corned Beef too.
Is Irish Soda Bread Irish?
Yes and No! It is regularly eaten in Ireland with breakfast or lunch, paired with tea. In saying that though, most believe that it isn’t Irish even though they serve it in Ireland.
It’s believed that it became an American tradition or a twist on traditional Irish bread.
How long does Irish Soda Bread last?
Irish Soda Bread can be wrapped up and stored in an airtight container for about 4 days. If you prefer, you can wrap it in plastic wrap, place it in a freezer-safe container, and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Why is there a cross or ‘X’ on top of the Irish Soda Bread?
The legend is that it’s to ward off the devil and protect those in your home. Find out more about that legend in this article.
Tips for Making Irish Soda Bread:
Begin by combining the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
A pastry blender will be used to cut the bold butter into the dry ingredients.
Using a small bowl, combine the buttermilk and egg and then carefully combine them with the dry ingredients.
Lastly, the raisins will be folded in.
It’s very important to knead the dough on a heavily floured surface. The dough will be a little sticky, adding in a little flour at a time will help it.
It’s best to use a Dutch oven to cook the bread; however, if you do not have one a baking sheet or cast iron pan can also be used.
Be sure to either line the Dutch oven or baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
Use a very sharp knife to make the ‘X’ on top of the bread before baking. Then, the bread can be baked for up to 60 minutes in the oven or until when a toothpick is poked into the center of the loaf it comes out clean.
This bread is a great, easy bread that you can make right at home with very few ingredients.
Not only that but you likely already have the ingredients right in your pantry. Be sure to check out these St. Patrick’s Day Cookies too.
Enjoy this delicious quick bread recipe, perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any day throughout the week!
Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 4 Tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1½ tsp Salt
- 4 Tbsp 1/2 stick Cold, Unsalted Butter (Cut into Pieces)
- 1¾ Cups Cold Buttermilk Shaken
- 1 Egg Lightly Beaten
- 1 Cup Raisins
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl – flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Place raisins in a bowl and add about 2 tsp flour mixture, coat raisins. (This will help them from settling on the bottom.)
- Using a pastry blender or mixer, cut in cold butter.
- In a small bowl, combine buttermilk and egg, beat lightly with a fork.
- Add liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients.
- Fold raisins into mixture.
- On a heavily floured surface, knead dough. Work with about half of the dough, you want to add enough flour so it’s not sticky…but not too much.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Line Dutch oven with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray. (Also you can use a cast iron skillet, baking dish, or cookie sheet.)
- Form dough into a ball and place it in the pan.
- Using a sharp knife, make an X on top of the bread.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes, depending on the loaf side. When done if poked with a knife or toothpick it should come out clean.
- Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Kyle James Dunbar says
Easy recipe!!!