Authentic 4-Ingredient Irish Soda (Printable)
Rustic Irish soda bread with a soft crumb and golden crust, made from four simple ingredients.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
→ Wet Ingredients
04 - 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or dust lightly with flour.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - Create a well in the center of the flour mixture. Pour buttermilk into the well and stir gently with a wooden spoon until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
04 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead just until dough holds together—avoid overworking. Shape into a round, slightly flattened loaf about 2 inches thick. Transfer to prepared baking sheet.
05 - Using a sharp knife, cut a deep cross pattern across the top of the loaf. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
06 - Transfer baked loaf to a wire rack. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing to ensure proper texture.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- You probably have everything in your kitchen right now
- From mixing bowl to warm bread in under an hour
- No yeast, no proofing, no waiting around
02 -
- Overworking the dough makes it tough, handle it minimally and gently
- The hollow tap test is the real way to know its done inside
- Cutting into it too soon releases steam and makes the texture gummy
03 -
- Use a serrated knife for the cleanest slices without crushing the crust
- If you want a deeper flavor, replace half the flour with whole wheat