Traditional Irish Soda Bread (vegan)

overview shot of Irish soda bread with sliced pieces on the side
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St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner and this insanely EASY Irish soda bread is the perfect side for your green dinner. This is a traditional Irish soda bread, not like the Americanized versions that have added sugars , butter, or fruit to it. True traditional Irish soda bread only has 4 ingredients: flour, salt, baking soda, and buttermilk (I used a vegan/DIY buttermilk).

I know bread making can be intimidating, but this bread recipe is as easy as it gets! No kneading, no yeast, no proofing time…literally mix, shape, and place in the cast iron skillet to bake. I used a cast iron skillet to cook the bread in to get the crispy bottom crust, but you can also use a dutch oven, cookie sheet, or a pizza stone. If the bread gets too brown too quickly (around 25 minutes), just tent a piece of foil over it until it is cooked through completely. This traditional Irish soda bread is so delicious, warm, fluffy on the inside, and perfectly crusty on the outside.

I love pairing a slice of this warm bread with some vegan butter or jam. It’s so comforting and a quick option for fresh homemade bread. Serve it with your St. Patrick’s Day dinner or any day really! If you make this, tag me @nutsaboutgreens on Instagram so I can see your creations! 

overview shot of entire loaf of bread side view of the whole loaf of traditional Irish soda bread picture of slices of Irish soda bread on top of each other overview shot of Irish soda bread with sliced pieces on the side close up of loaf of bread and 3 slices of bread close up of buttered slice of traditional Irish soda bread overview shot of sliced bread with butter on one slice

Traditional Irish Soda Bread

An easy Irish soda bread for St. Patrick's Day that doesn't require any yeast or kneading. It's fluffy, warm, crusty, and so delicious!
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overview shot of Irish soda bread with sliced pieces on the side

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for hands and surface)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 3/4 cup vegan buttermilk (Mix 1 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk with 2 Tbsps of apple cider vinegar, set aside for 10 minutes)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. If using a dutch oven, place it inside the oven to heat up while it is preheating.
  • Make homemade buttermilk by combining the almond milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle.
  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt with a spatula. Gradually stir in the buttermilk until the dough comes together in a slightly sticky ball.
  • Turn dough onto a floured piece of parchment paper and knead gently a few times. Form the dough into a ball (resembling like a large disk).
  • Cut an X into the dough with a sharp knife, about 1/4 of an inch deep. Place dough on your cast iron skillet with the parchment underneath. If using a dutch oven, place dough (with parchment paper underneath) in the hot dutch oven and cover with the lid. Or place on a cookie sheet or pizza stone.
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes if using a cast iron skillet. If using a dutch oven, bake for 25-30 minutes, covered, then remove the lid and bake uncovered for about 10 minutes more or until the crust is dark golden brown.
  • Let it cool for about 15 minutes before cutting into it. Enjoy warm with soup, jam, butter, etc.
  • Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag for 2-3 days on the counter or a week in the refrigerator… if it even lasts that long!
Servings: 1 loaf
Author: valeria.chao