Irish Soda Bread (No-Yeast Bread)

Name: Irish Soda Bread (No-Yeast Bread)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: 2 cups white flour, plain or all-purpose flour; 1¾ cups wholemeal flour, wholewheat flour; 2–3 tablespoons flour, either flour, for dusting; 1½ teaspoons baking soda, also called bicarbonate of soda; 1½ teaspoons salt; 2 cups buttermilk, cold from the refrigerator

A round, flour-dusted Irish soda bread loaf with a cut cross on top. — Freshly baked Irish soda bread loaf.

A rustic Irish soda bread made with white and wholemeal flour, buttermilk and baking soda. It has a hearty crumb and crisp crust, with no yeast or rising time.

By Cookin' KitchenOctober 19, 2026

Be the first to rate it Leave a comment

Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12 servings

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Rest: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12

Jump to recipe

Recipe

Irish Soda Bread (No-Yeast Bread)

A rustic Irish soda bread made with white and wholemeal flour, buttermilk and baking soda. It has a hearty crumb and crisp crust, with no yeast or rising time.

Cookin' · https://cookin.club/recipes/irish-soda-bread-no-yeast-bread

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Rest: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12

Cook modeKeeps your screen awake while you cook.

Ingredients

12 servings

For 12 servings

2 cups white flour, plain or all-purpose flour
1¾ cups wholemeal flour, wholewheat flour
2–3 tablespoons flour, either flour, for dusting
1½ teaspoons baking soda, also called bicarbonate of soda
1½ teaspoons salt
2 cups buttermilk, cold from the refrigerator

Equipment

Oven
Baking tray
Bowl
Serrated knife
Wire rack

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 220°C/430°F (200°C fan).
Step 2: Line a tray with baking paper.
Step 3: Whisk both flours, excluding the extra flour, with the baking soda and salt in a bowl.
Step 4: Add the buttermilk and stir until the mixture becomes too hard to stir.
Step 5: Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the extra flour onto the work surface. Scrape the dough onto it and sprinkle with more flour.
Step 6: Gently knead no more than 8 times, then bring the dough together into a ball.
Step 7: Transfer the dough to the tray and pat it into a 2.5 cm/1-inch-thick disc.
Step 8: Use a serrated knife to cut a cross 1 cm/0.3 inch deep into the surface.
Step 9: Bake for 20 minutes. Turn the oven down to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan).
Step 10: Bake for a further 20 minutes, or until the base sounds hollow when tapped in the middle.
Step 11: Transfer the bread to a rack and cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Buttermilk substitute

To make a substitute, mix 1 3/4 cups (435 ml) plus 1 tablespoon full-fat milk with 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice. Let it stand for 15 minutes, then use it in place of the buttermilk.

Store the bread in an airtight container for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days, or freeze it.

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 160 kcal
Fat: 1 g
Carbohydrates: 30 g
Sugar: 2 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 5 g
Sodium: 490 mg
Cholesterol: 4 mg

Estimated values; they will vary with the exact ingredients and brands you use.

About this recipe

This rustic Irish soda bread uses baking soda instead of yeast, so there’s no rise time. White and wholemeal flour give it a hearty crumb, while buttermilk helps activate the baking soda.