A simple, easy, step-by-step recipe for homemade sourdough Irish soda bread with tangy sourdough discard (no instant yeast). The taste is slightly sweet with a hint of butter.
I’ve been baking Ina Garten’s homemade Irish soda bread since 2012. It’s the easiest, tastiest recipe I know! It’s slightly sweet, not too dense, with a hint of rich buttery flavor throughout. Over the years, I’ve tinkered with it (old habits die hard). And now? I make it with sourdough.
The recipe leans on ~1 cup of sourdough starter, which adds a mild, yet complex flavor to the dough. It also ensures a fresh, crumbly texture that’s not dry at all. Traditionally served alongside a St. Patrick’s Day feast, my homemade Irish soda bread is excellent for breakfast too. Check out the rest of my sourdough discard recipes here.
My Tested Tips For Success:
- You can use active starter or discard– it’s up to you.
- A chemical reaction takes place between the buttermilk and baking soda during baking; it makes the dough rise. For best results, I do not recommend non-dairy substitutions.
- For a sweeter, softer, cake-like version: use 400 g Tipo 00 flour (this is a fine-milled soft wheat flour from Italy that I use to make fresh homemade pasta) and the zest of 1/2 orange. Great for breakfast with coffee.
- Irish Soda bread is easier to cut into thick wedges, rather than slices- it’s too crumbly. Use a large serrated knife.
How To Make Sourdough Irish Soda Bread {Step-By-Step Recipe}
When testing this recipe, I’ve found that it’s best to use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. The dough is slightly sticky. Here are the steps!
Step 1: Mix The Dough
Start by mixing the dry ingredients together to the bowl of a stand mixer. Then add the butter a few cubes at a time (in the video, I dumped all the butter at once because I forgot. It sill worked!). Add the wet ingredients.
After mixing, the texture will be a little wet and sticky. This is normal. On a personal note, I used King Arthur All Purpose Flour which absorbs more liquid than other brands of all purpose flour. In your case, this means you might have to add more flour as needed to adjust the texture if it seems off.
Step 2: Shape The Dough
Once you’re done with the dough, shape it into a ball. It comes together very easily. Then cut a large X on top. I use a long serrated knife.
Step 3: Bake
Bake your Irish soda bread on the center rack. Bake @ 375 F/190 C for 45-55 minutes. Done! Let it cool down a bit before slicing.
Watch The Video
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Homemade Sourdough Irish Soda Bread
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 50
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 1 Loaf 1x
- Category: Sourdough Discard Recipes
- Method: Oven-Baked
- Cuisine: Irish
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A simple, easy, step-by-step recipe for homemade sourdough Irish soda bread made with tangy sourdough discard. Slightly sweet, not too dense, with a hint of rich butter flavor butter. Recipe was adapted with changes from Ina Garten.
Notes & Tips
- Volume measurements are in US cups.
- If you do not have buttermilk, use 3/4 cup milk + 1 scant tablespoon fresh lemon juice.
- My sourdough discard is 100% hydration. This means it’s made up of equal parts flour and water by weight, and has a thick, batter-like texture. Your starter might be a different hydration % which is fine.
- For the non-sourdough version of this recipe, click here.
Ingredients
- 375 g (3 cups) all purpose flour (I use KAF)
- 50 g (4 tbsp) granulated sugar
- 5 g (1 tsp) baking soda
- 7 g (1 1/2 tsp) fine sea salt
- 60 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
- 1 large egg
- 170 g (appx. 3/4 cup) buttermilk
- 200 g (appx. 1 cup) sourdough starter discard or active sourdough starter
- 150 g (1 cup) raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter, a few cubes at a time, and mix until incorporated.
- Lightly beat the egg, buttermilk, and sourdough discard together in a separate bowl.
- Woking in batches, gradually pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture.
- Add the raisins. Mix to combine; the dough will be slightly wet and sticky.
- Scoop the dough onto a well floured surface. Knead it a few times into a round ball. With a serrated knife, cut an “x” into the top. Place onto your lined sheet pan.
- Bake on the center rack for 45-55 minutes. If necessary, cover the loaf with foil at the 40 minute mark to prevent over browning. The soda bread is finished when a toothpick (or spaghetti strand!) comes out clean when inserted. The bottom should sound hollow when you give it a knock.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- With a serrated knife, cut into wedges (much easier than slices), and serve warm or at room temperature with butter. Soda bread is best enjoyed on the same day it’s made.
Comments
Sadie says
I’ve made this soda bread a few times and it’s been consistently good. It’s the best sourdough soda bread I’ve found. The crumb is moist and tender, but not crumbly. It slices cleanly. The crust is delicious. Like all soda breads, it’s not sweet. It’s a bit bland unless paired with butter or another spread. However, it’s very adaptable to tweaks and add-ins. My favourite version so far has been with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, chopped toasted walnuts, orange zest, and molasses added to the dough. I also added 1 tsp baking powder. It may not have been an authentic soda bread, but it was excellent. Thank you for posting a recipe that’s foolproof and versatile!
Katie says
I’ve made this twice now. The first time, I made it as written. It was sweet and delicious, like a scone. I liked it toasted the next day with butter and a cup of coffee.
The second time, I omitted the sugar and fruit and made the rest of the recipe as written, but I baked it in a sandwich tin lined with parchment. What resulted was a delicious, rich loaf that tasted like a southern American biscuit, which made for delicious ham sandwiches. It was lighter than traditional plain soda bread.
My next experiment will be to make it with cheddar and no sugar. I am sure it will work out great!
This recipe is a winner. Thanks for sharing with us!
Mary Lou says
Outstanding recipe. I made it twice following recipe exactly first time. It was delicious. 2nd one I made without the sugar and added dates with the raisins. Both were delicious but the majority liked the date version the best. Great toasted with extra butter! Thank you so much for all your recipes. I’ve given your book to 4 friends as its wonderful!
Emilie Raffa says
Oooo dates. I love this variation. So you did dates + raisins, right? Roughly chopped? I’m trying to picture it. Thank you!
Erin says
Wonderful recipe! Everyone loves it. I left out the sugar and raisins and spent a lot of time by hand crumbling in the butter. I will definitely make this again! Thank you o
Emilie Raffa says
This is great! I love that it still turned out well. Thanks Erin!
Julia says
This is the best soda bread I’ve ever had! I doubled the recipe. It came out perfect!
Emilie Raffa says
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Julia! Appreciate the feedback 🥰
Kellie Z says
I picked this recipe when I searched for sourdough Irish soda bread because it used more starter than the others :)
I made it for St. Patrick’s Day dinner. Though it is not the same as what my aunt has made for 50 years – and I didn’t expect it to be – it was good bread, not dry. I left it on the bottom rack of my oven a bit too long so recommend you use a rack in the middle. You do need to let it cool about an hour or so so it cuts better.
Emilie Raffa says
Yes! I recommend baking the soda bread on the middle rack. This prevents the bottom from browning too much.
Raina says
Wow, so good! I made a half recipe, baked it for about 30 minutes, perfect!
Emilie Raffa says
Raina, thanks for sharing this! I like the idea halving the recipe. Good for 4 people would you say? With some leftover? Your adjusted bake time is perfect.
Shealin says
This was so great and I’m not typically a huge fan of soda bread because it ends up dry but this was excellent. I will definitely make this again!
Emilie Raffa says
I totally agree! Or, it’s too sweet and tastes like cake 🤣 The ratio of butter, flour, sugar, and sourdough starter really enhance the final texture. Thanks Shealin!
Maureen says
Delicious!!! Made 4 loaves with discard, they did not rise at all. Tasted great but not very pretty. Made an additional loaf with active starter, it rose beautifully. I used buttermilk powder and added caraway seeds! Happy St.Patricks Day!!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Maureen! Did you add the 1 tsp of baking soda per the recipe? Or were you using discard only? Oftentimes, discard doesn’t have enough strength to leaven doughs and baked goods on it own. This is why it’s often paired with baking soda or baking powder in a sourdough discard recipe. It’s like insurance. But I’m glad you stuck with it and tried again with active starter. Caraway seeds sound delicious!
Nick says
Sundaysbare my baking day, so last night i decided that this is what was going to happen. I followed the ingredients list, but did about 1/8 cup less sugar and it turned out great. Baking was a bit of a pain, though. I did it in a lined Pyrex and it took about an hour at 375° to cook all the way through. I added a couple of ice cubes to a tray to keep it moist because of that. All in all, good recipe
Emilie Raffa says
Sounds great, Nick. Thanks for sharing!
Aly says
I used currants and added in 2 tea. caraway seeds. YUM!
Emilie Raffa says
Love currants. Perfect in this recipe! Just a touch!
Sandy Aumack says
Best soda bread ever. Made it with 00 flour
Emilie Raffa says
I’m so glad you tried it with the 00 flour. Nice texture, right? Love 00 flour.
Bev says
Hi, made this recipe and it was fantastic. I would like to make it again but make 2 loaves (1 to share with my daughter and son-in-law). What would be the cooking time for a smaller loave. Thank you for the recipe!!
Kellie Z says
Bev, I agree that two small loaves would be worth a try. I would just check every five minutes after about 15 minutes (which is similar to what I did for my one large loaf).
Nicole Guarnieri says
Can i make this ahead, refrigerate and bake freah when needed
Jackie says
I live with my younger sister and this is her favorite bread. Which works well since baking it refreshes my starter for other bread. It is quick, easy and very yummy. A staple in our house!
Mary says
We really liked the taste and texture of this Irish soda bread. I had a little problem with it not cooking all the way through. It was a bit gummy closer to the bottom. I did bake it in a CI skillet with parchment and cornmeal as someone else suggested. I want to make another loaf and hope I get a better result. Would love to know your thoughts.
Thanks.
Mary
Lucy says
Excellent recipe! I always try to sub a little Freshly ground flour and Monkfruit with Brown sugar instead of regular sugar for baking. But it was wonderfully, soft and very tasty. I ate a quarter of the cake for dinner with peanut butter and jam. It’s goig to be a regular at my house.
Sandy says
This sourdough Irish Soda bread is wonderful! My husband likes it better than the traditional because it holds together better and doesn’t crumble. I cut back on the sugar to 2 tbsp, and added 1-1/2 tbsp of caraway seed.
Susan says
Do you use whole buttermilk or low fat? Will using one over the other make a difference? Thank you
Eugene says
Hi Emilie
Have you ever tried using a cloche to bake this and then uncover for the last 15 mins?
Going to try this tomorrow once I’ve retarded it tonight.
BTW
Eugene
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Eugene! I haven’t. I’d love to hear how it turned out. Very curious!
Joan Bauer says
I cannot find the tip re yeast as opposed to sour dough starter
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Joan! For the non-sourdough version of they recipe, please scroll to the recipe card at the end of the post. You’ll find the link in the Notes & Tips section.
PK says
Will reconstituted dried buttermilk powder hive the same results as fresh buttermilk?
Emilie Raffa says
Great question. I’ve never tried it, so I’m unable to advise with specifics. But if the brand you’re using mentions that’s an even swap for fresh buttermilk, then by all means, give it a go (and then let me know!).
Sara P says
Yes! I use the dried buttermilk all the time and it’s come out the same as when I use “fresh” in everything I’ve used it in. Just be sure to store the powder in the fridge once opened!
Sarah Jean Benham says
Can I use bread flour instead of AP?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Sarah! All purpose or soft wheat flour is best for this particular recipe. Bread flour is has a higher protein content, which will make the dough drier and the final texture a bit more dense.
Brooke says
Thank you for this recipe! It’s in the oven now.
Can I cut the butter in with a cheese grater like I do for my scones?
Emilie Raffa says
Yes! You can definitely use this method instead.
Andrea says
This bread came out amazing
Emilie Raffa says
This is one of my favorite recipes- I was just thinking about it today while driving in the car. Thanks, Andrea! So glad you liked it!
Patti says
I love this bread! Thank you for sharing!
Emilie Raffa says
You’re very welcome, Patti!
Lauren says
Can you let this dough rise overnight to ferment?
Emilie Raffa says
Sure can! Make sure it’s well covered in the fridge overnight (so the surface doesn’t dry out).
Christina says
Hi there, did you try to ferment overnight? Did it work out? Did you add the raisins before or after? Thank you!
Dana says
Love this recipe. Always comes out great. Wondering if I can substitute GF flour?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Dana! Thank you 🥰 I haven’t tested it, but if you have a GF starter, using a 1:1 GF flour substitute like King Arthur brand should work. I use their 1:1 GF flour regularly and it’s very good.
Hannah says
I did everything except I halved the sugar and didn’t knead it with extra flour as I just throw them into a lined loaf pan and baked. Taste is great but bread crumbles. So I am going to try to knead it next time and add a tad more flour before putting into a loaf pan again. That said, the rise of the bread was good and it still tasted yummy!
Michaela says
I almost left this recipe because I didn’t have buttermilk, and then I saw your note : If you do not have buttermilk, use 3/4 cup milk + 1 scant tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.
Thanks for being so thorough :)) Can’t wait to make this; I have a bubbling starter waiting to be used!
Emilie Raffa says
You’re very welcome. Enjoy!
Heather says
Can I use 2 cup Whole wheat flour + 1 cup of all purpose flour instead of 3 cups of all purpose flour (like Irish Brown Bread) ? I will increase buttermilk to 1 1/2 cups simce whole wheat flour will absorber more liquid.
Kelly says
Thank you for this base recipe. I made a few alterations: added about 75 g whole wheat flour, omitted the raisins, only used 2 TBS sugar, and had to increase the buttermilk by about 2-3 TBS so it wasn’t so dry. Everything else was the same; used active sourdough. I did make two small loaves, and froze one. Baking time was about the same. Super delicious and went well with Colcannon Soup for St. Patrick’s Day! I will definitely make this again.
Kelsey says
Wonderful, everyone had seconds! Even my picky eater. I veganized it with vegan butter and a flax egg. I also used chopped dates and a teaspoon of fresh rosemary.
nikkijw says
Thanks for sharing! This was exactly what I was looking for to mark today (17/03).
I substituted sweet for savoury by adding cheese & herbs instead & made a stand-in buttermilk using natural yoghurt & milk.
Michelle Leonard says
The bread came out perfect! Thank you!☺️
Tara says
Can the dough be made ahead of time and kept in fridge? If so for how long? We are hosting a party over the weekend, and wanted to try and get some prep work done. Thanks!
Uilleog says
The dough is best used immediately as the chemical reaction is quite fast. That was the whole idea behind the development of soda bread, allowing for native people living in difficult, colonised, conditions to have fresh bread every day without the resources that other European countries had to wait for dough to rise. It was also a way to use up the discarded buttermilk from the butter making process.
You can, however, prepare the dry ingredients ahead of time, keep them in a container and add the wet ingredients right before baking. We do this a lot in Ireland, here you can even buy a bag of the dry ingredients pre-mixed… just add milk or any other wets you’re including and away you go.
The baked bread also keeps for a good few days before going stale or growing mould, unlike more refined white breads like baguette, so if you make it a day or two in advance of needing it you’ll still be eating good, fresh, bread. Even when it’s cut, only the very outer part of the cut edge goes stale overnight.
Caralee Weber says
I’m making this for some friends and wonder if they get it early, can it be frozen and thawed till they are ready to use it? Anyone have any experience? Thanks!
Cortney Fowles says
I was able to!!
Anonymous says
Anonymous says
Angi says
Silly question: When baking, did you put the loaf directly on the rack in the oven? Or is it baked in a Dutch oven? Cookie sheet?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! You place the dough onto a parchment lined sheet pan :)
Angi says
I see that now! Thank you!
Anna says
Can I drop the egg?
Celia says
Such a great recipe! I did half golden raisins and half dried cranberries because that’s what I had on hand. I can’t stop eating it.
JMcK says
How would i adapt baking instr of this recipe for a half loaf ?
Lisa Vigliotta says
I put in starter and liquids first then butter , then dry ingredients. All on a bread maker using dough setting. Then pulled out and reshaped before baking on corn meal sprinkled parchment. Delish!
Lisa says
This recipe was great! Threw everything in a bread maker on dough. Pulled out and reshaped. Cornmeal on parchment in a CI skillet , baked 375 for 45 minutes! Soft, sweet with firm crust! Delish!!!
Nancy says
Always perfect recipes!
Love reading and baking/cooking with Emilie’s recipes.
Merrill says
If I don’t have a stand mixer, what is the best way to incorporate the dry ingredients with the butter.
DKC says
You can cut it in with a pastry cutter, or “squish” it in (surely there is a more official term!) with your fingers, kind of rubbing the butter into the flour/dry ingredient mixture until it disappears.
Uilleog says
In Ireland we use our hands. (Clean hands).
Eileen Kazanjian says
Do you think I could use homemade milk kefir in place of Buttermilk?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Eileen! Yes, I do. Just check the consistency, adding a little bit at a time until the dough comes together. If it’s too sticky, add more flour.
Eileen Kazanjian says
Thank you, I did make 2 last night and they are delicious! I love being able to use my curds and whey in my bread making🤗
Jackie says
I made the fluffy pancakes this morning with discard. They were probably the very best pancakes I have ever eaten. I am looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Thank you!
Chuck says
This is a good recipe. My sourdough starter needed a place to go, & my wife asked me to make the Irish Soda bread that has become our holiday treat. I add chocolate chips but they were expensive so this year so I did M&M’s. It was cool that the colors from the candy gave the bread a rainbow running through it. I added raisins also.
The picture is on your Twitter feed.
Kim says
I made this recipe on new year’s day. Turned out great, the boyfriend loved it. Made a savory loaf to go with the corned beef and cabbage. Took out sugar and raisins. Added a little crushed caraway seeds. Didn’t have buttermilk, so I used peach flavored kefir. Will make the sweet loaf for me at a later date and use the 00 flour ;)