mohamed shili This Simple Soda Bread is a crusty and quick recipe, which uses a hearty mix of wholemeal flour and tangy buttermilk. It’s a straightforward recipe, ready in about an hour, and is the perfect accompaniment for soup.
Simple soda bread Ingredients
A simple, classic list for a traditional no-yeast bread.
- 250g wholemeal flour
- 100g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 50g pinhead oatmeal
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 large free-range egg
- 1 x 300ml tub buttermilk
How To Make Simple soda bread
A step-by-step guide to this wonderfully simple and quick bread.
- Prep Oven and Mix Dry Ingredients: Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. In a large bowl, place the wholemeal flour, plain flour, oatmeal, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, and sea salt. Mix everything together well.
- Combine Wet and Dry: In a separate bowl, use a balloon whisk to beat the egg and buttermilk together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg mixture. Use a fork to stir everything together, then switch to your hands to pat and bring the mixture together into a soft dough.
- Shape the Loaf: On a lightly floured baking tray, shape the dough into a ball. Use your hands to flatten the dough slightly so you end up with a disk that’s roughly 6 to 7cm thick.
- Score and Bake: Score a deep cross into the top of the bread with the blunt edge of a knife. Bake in the center of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes. The bread is cooked when a firm crust has formed and it sounds hollow when you tap it on the bottom. Let it cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Recipe Tips
For a perfect, crusty soda bread every time.
- How to get a good rise without yeast? The magic of soda bread is the chemical reaction between the acidic buttermilk and the alkaline bicarbonate of soda. This reaction creates the gas bubbles that make the bread rise.
- Can I make soda bread without buttermilk? Yes! The classic substitute for buttermilk is regular milk with an acid. For this recipe, mix 300ml of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it slightly curdles, then use it as a direct replacement.
- How do I know my soda bread is cooked? The traditional and most reliable test is to turn the loaf over (using an oven glove!) and give the bottom a firm tap with your knuckles. If it sounds hollow, like a drum, it’s cooked through.
- Why shouldn’t I knead soda bread too much? As the recipe tip states, a light touch is crucial. Unlike yeast breads, where you want to develop gluten, over-mixing or over-kneading soda bread will result in a tough, dense loaf. Mix it just enough to form a cohesive dough.
What To Serve With Soda Bread
Classic accompaniments for this versatile loaf.
Soda bread is famously delicious and best eaten on the day it’s made, especially when it’s still slightly warm. It’s perfect for:
- Slathering with good quality salted butter
- Serving with a hearty bowl of soup (like leek and potato) or a beef stew
- A nice wedge of a sharp, crumbly cheese like a mature Cheddar
- Serving with smoked salmon and cream cheese for a simple lunch
How To Store Soda Bread
Keeping your delicious bread fresh.
- Room Temperature: Soda bread is at its absolute best on the day it is baked. To store leftovers, wrap the cooled loaf in a clean tea towel or place it in a bread bin. It will keep for 1-2 days.
- Toasting: Day-old soda bread is fantastic when sliced and toasted.
Simple soda bread Nutrition Facts
An estimated guide per slice.
- Calories: 160 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Fat: 2 g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
What is pinhead oatmeal?
Pinhead oatmeal, also known as steel-cut oats, are whole oat groats that have been chopped into smaller pieces. They provide a lovely, nutty texture to the bread. As the recipe tip suggests, if you can’t find them, you can briefly blitz regular rolled oats in a food processor.
Why is my soda bread dense and heavy?
A dense loaf is almost always the result of over-mixing or over-kneading the dough, which makes it tough. It could also be that your bicarbonate of soda was not fresh and active.
Can I use all wholemeal or all plain flour?
A mix is best for a balanced texture. Using all wholemeal flour will result in a much denser, heavier loaf. Using all plain flour will create a lighter loaf, more like a scone.
Try More Recipes:
- Tear ‘n’ share garlic bread Recipe
- Brilliant gluten-free bread sauce Recipe
- Vegan bread & butter pudding Recipe
Simple soda bread Recipe
Course: Side DishCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy12
servings10
minutes1
160
kcalA classic, rustic, and incredibly easy Irish-style soda bread made with a hearty blend of wholemeal flour and pinhead oatmeal. No yeast and no kneading required!
Ingredients
250g wholemeal flour
100g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
50g pinhead oatmeal
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp sugar
1 large egg
300ml buttermilk
Directions
- Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5.
- In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients: both flours, oatmeal, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and buttermilk together.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and use a fork, then your hands, to bring it all together into a soft dough. Do not over-mix.
- Shape the dough into a round disk, about 6-7cm thick, and place it on a lightly floured baking tray.
- Score a deep cross into the top.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the loaf is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
- The key to a light soda bread is to handle the dough as little as possible. Do not over-knead!
- The cross cut into the top is traditional and helps the center of the loaf cook through.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding 1 tbsp of lemon juice to 300ml of regular milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
- This bread is best enjoyed on the day it is made, slathered with good butter.