Making delicious bread has never been simpler. This Sourdough Irish Soda Bread recipe is quick, easy and makes the most tender and fluffy loaf. Have a satisfying, fresh-baked loaf of bread with the delicious flavor of sourdough in under an hour!
Made this to accompany our traditional Irish stew and it was AMAZING!!!! Doubled the recipe and added raisins to one loaf. Addicting! 😋
- JoAnne Golleher
Jump to:
What is Irish Soda Bread?
Irish Soda Bread is a type of quick bread leavened using baking soda. A traditional Irish Soda Bread recipe was made only using 4 ingredients, soft wheat flour (like all-purpose flour), baking soda, sour milk and salt. It’s usually shaped in a free-form round boule instead of being baked in a loaf pan. It's usually served with stews, soups, corned beef and a cup of tea.
This version is based on modern iterations of the recipe with the addition of buttermilk and butter for a more tender, airy texture. Expect this Sourdough Irish Soda Bread to have a tight crumb, with a light and fluffy texture similar to a scone.
Sourdough Irish Soda Bread is delicious with Homemade Cultured Butter, Homemade Honey Butter, Raspberry Preserves and Blueberry Preserves.
Why make soda bread with sourdough
When incorporated into quick breads, sourdough discard imparts a tangy flavor that’s delicious in this Sourdough Soda Bread. Due to fermentation, sourdough discard intensifies and adds a nuanced flavor which you can’t get just with flour and buttermilk.
Short on time but still want delicious freshly-baked bread? Try my recipe for Sourdough Discard Bread Rolls and Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread.
What you need:
All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour imparts a soft and fluffy texture to this bake, don’t substitute bread flour or whole wheat flour for this recipe
Baking Soda: The main leavener for this bread, it helps the bread rise keeping this loaf airy and helps with browning, do not substitute baking powder
Sourdough Starter Discard: If you don’t have any sourdough discard, add 56 grams of flour and 56 grams of water to your recipe
Buttermilk: Reacts with baking soda to tenderize the loaf
Tip
If you don't have any buttermilk in your pantry, you can substitute milk with ¼ teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar. I've heard that this trick works with plant-based milks as well.
Your loaf won't be as soft and fluffy, but it will still work!
Baking with sourdough discard
Since you’re not using it as a leavening agent, you can use your discard straight from the refrigerator. There’s no need to feed it or activate it before mixing it into your batter. Older discard will have a tangier, more acidic flavor than a freshly-fed sourdough starter. Both will work for this recipe, you’ll just get a slightly different flavor profile but your bake will still be delicious!
Variations
There are so many ways you can customize this recipe to suit the tastes of your family! Try these variations:
- Irish cheddar and bacon
- Chocolate chips
- Currants or raisins
- Rosemary and lemon zest
- Dried apricot and orange zest
Step-by-step Instructions
STEP 1. Whisk the dry ingredients together.
STEP 2. Dissolve the sourdough discard into the buttermilk.
Tip
Baking powder has a shelf life! Make sure yours is not expired before attempting this recipe.
STEP 3. Work the butter into the flour using your finger tips or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles wet sand.
STEP 4. Stir the discard mixture into the flour mixture.
Tip
Working your butter into the flour coats the particles in fat. This prevents excessive gluten from developing which results in soft and fluffy soda bread.
STEP 5. Knead the dough in the bowl, cover and let the dough rest for 15 minutes
STEP 6. Turn the dough out on a floured work surface, knead until smooth and shape into a boule
Tip
Don’t skip the rest period! This helps the flour absorb water completely and allows starches to expand, making the dough easier to handle and much less sticky.
STEP 7. Place the shaped dough on a parchment-lined skillet or baking sheet, divide the dough into quarters using a bench scraper
STEP 8. Bake the loaf at 425 F for 30 to 45 minutes
Tip
Cut all the way through, don't just make a shallow cut or score on top of the dough. Since the dough is baked at an extremely high temperature, simply making a shallow cut (like most recipes instruct) may result in your crust burning before the center is fully baked.
Baker's Tips
- Weight your ingredients instead of measuring by cups and tablespoons, it's more accurate and will help guarantee the success of your bake.
- Knead the dough until it's completely smooth. Underworking will result in a gummy and dense loaf with a scraggly crust. Building a little bit of gluten until your dough appears totally smooth will result in a taller loaf with a crisp crust with a light, tender crumb.
- Time is a great guide for baking, but measuring temperature using an instant-read thermometer is the only way to know your bread is thoroughly baked. Make sure your bread registers at 200 F when probed before pulling it out of the oven.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Simply use the same proportion of freshly fed sourdough starter in the recipe. Your starter won’t add a strong tangy flavor to your biscuits, but it will still work.
If you don’t have a starter, but still want to try out this recipe, simply add 56 grams of all-purpose flour and 56 grams of water to your dough.
Sourdough discard imparts a delicious tang and adds a deeper flavor than just using flour and buttermilk.
If you don’t have any buttermilk, use milk with ¼ teaspoon of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
White flour like all-purpose flour is best for making Sourdough Irish Soda Bread, the low protein content imparts a tender and airy texture to the bread. Bread flour would make the resulting bread too chewy while whole wheat flour absorbs more liquid and the resulting bake would be too dry and dense.
Sourdough Irish Soda Bread is delicious served with hearty stews or soups, but it tastes amazing slathered with homemade cultured butter with a sprinkling if sea salt.
You May Also Like
Did this recipe rise to the occasion?
★★★★★
Please leave a star rating and a comment. Your feedback helps me create more delicious sourdough recipes. I read and truly appreciate every message.
Don't forget to PIN this recipe on Pinterest to save it for later!
Thank you for your support!
Sourdough Irish Soda Bread Recipe
Equipment
- baking sheet
- Parchment paper
This section may contain affiliate links
Ingredients
- 300 grams all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon for dusting
- 6 grams salt
- 3 grams baking soda
- 113 grams sourdough discard
- 226 grams buttermilk
- 56 grams unsalted butter
Click US Customary to view volume measurements
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet or skillet with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt and baking soda.
- Mix wet ingredients: Stir the sourdough discard into the buttermilk until completely dissolved. Set aside. Make sure the discard has fully dissolved or you may end up with gummy spots in your bread.
- Make the dough: Rub the unsalted butter into the dry ingredients until the flour is completely coated and the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Make a well in the center of the flour and pour the discard mixture in. Using a fork or a wooden spoon stir everything together until no dry bits of flour remain. Knead the mixture using your hand until it comes together in a shaggy but cohesive dough.
- Let the dough rest: Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. This will allow the flour to thoroughly hydrate. After the rest period, the dough should feel less sticky and be easier to work with.
- Knead the dough: Dust a clean work surface with 1 tablespoon of flour (about 7 grams). Turn your dough out onto your floured surface. Knead the dough 4 to 5 times until your dough looks smooth. Make sure your dough is smooth or your bread may end up with gummy spots.
- Shape the dough: Using the edge of your palms, round the dough into a tight ball. Transfer the dough on your prepared baking sheet or skillet. With a bench scraper, cut the dough into quarters. Cutting the dough through allows your loaf to bake completely in the center. Pinch the edges together so the dough bakes into a round loaf and doesn’t separate.
- Bake: Bake the dough for 30 to 45 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown and registers at least 200 F when probed with an instant-read thermometer.
Tips
These recipes were developed and tested using grams for precise measurements. To increase your chances of success, I recommend investing in a kitchen scale. I've included rough volume estimates (in tablespoons and cups), but they might not be totally accurate.
Remember all ovens are unique, these recipes were tested in my oven which runs cooler than others. You might need to lower the temperature if your bake appears to be browning too quickly. Monitor your bake closely and make adjustments if needed.
Notes
- If you don't have any buttermilk, use milk and add ¼ teaspoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
- Do not skip the rest period or your dough will be too sticky to knead.
- Knead the dough until it's completely smooth or your bread may turn out gummy with a scraggly crust.
- Divide the dough ball in quarters and push them together to bake. Simply scoring your dough may result in a burnt crust with an under baked interior.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to measure the temperature of your bread to make sure it's fully baked, it should be about 200F.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist or dietitian, any nutrition information provided is an estimate.
Dr Gina Lewis says
cooked much faster in my oven, only 20 minutes on convection bake.
Hannah Dela Cruz says
The bread would definitely bake quicker in a convection oven. Thank you for the note!
Barb Cartwright says
Best Irish Soda Bread ever. My husband was not too excited when I told him I was making soda bread with discard. When he had his first taste he said this is delicious. He remembered soda bread being dry, bland and extremely crumbly.
Thank you for creating this delicious recipe.
Hannah Dela Cruz says
I'm so happy you and the hubby loved this bread. I get this comment all the time with this recipe. Lots of doubt at first because Irish soda bread is usually so dry! But people are so surprised when they try this version.
Jodi says
This was so easy and oh so good. Fast bread for breakfast on a weekend and tastes great!
Hannah Dela Cruz says
This bread is so delicious! I'm so glad you loved it
JoAnne Golleher says
Made this to accompany our traditional Irish stew and it was AMAZING!!!! Doubled the recipe and added raisins to one loaf.
Addicting! 😋
Hannah @ Make It Dough says
This makes make so happy!!! Glad you loved it.