Description
A rustic, golden-crusted Irish soda bread with a soft and tender crumb. Made with simple ingredients and baked to perfection, this traditional Irish bread is a staple of Irish cuisine, best enjoyed warm with butter and jam.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted, optional for extra richness)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly flour a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually pour in the buttermilk, stirring with a wooden spoon until a rough dough forms.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and gently knead for 1-2 minutes, just until it comes together. Avoid over-kneading.
- Shape into a round loaf and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
- Using a sharp knife, cut a deep cross on top of the dough to help it bake evenly.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Let cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm with butter or jam.
Notes
- Avoid over-kneading to keep the bread tender.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by mixing 1 ¾ cups of milk with 1 ½ tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
- For a more rustic flavor, substitute half the flour with whole wheat flour.
- Best enjoyed fresh, but can be toasted the next day.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Bread, Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Irish
