Need a bread recipe that doesn’t use yeast and doesn’t need to rise? Here it is! No yeast. No kneading. No rising. No kidding.
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Irish soda bread is a miracle. You can make homemade, savory bread with just 10 minutes of work and 30-40 minutes of bake time, and it’s okay if you’re missing some very important bread baking staples – like yeast, or oil, or sweetener.
It tastes different from your classic yeasted bread – because let’s face it, it’s miracle quick bread. And it’s perfect when you’re in pinch. The Irish are brilliant.
Homemade Irish Soda Bread – Bread without Yeast
Serve Irish Soda Bread with soup or stew, for toast in the morning, broiled with cheese, whatever you like.
If you want to watch a video demo, I made it live on Facebook and shared a whole bunch of tips throughout the video.
Do I have to say this too? Soda bread is the perfect quarantine #stayathome #coronavirus recipe as we’re all trying to stay home, avoid the grocery stores as much as possible, and are probably eating at home more meals than ever.
Irish Soda Bread is also perfect to feed the kids who are home 24/7 and require 5,286 snacks a day.
Irish Soda Bread
Need a bread recipe that doesn’t use yeast and doesn’t need to rise? Here it is! No yeast. No kneading. No rising. No kidding. This recipe is based on one from an old cookbook, Irish Bread Recipes.
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole wheat flour*
- 2 cups white flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup yogurt**
- 3/4 cup water or milk**
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 F.
- Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add liquid, stirrring well.
- When mixture is too thick to stir, turn dough onto the floured surface, and use your hands to gently mix it until the dough is smooth and uniform. This should take less than 1 minute.
- Place the dough on a greased baking sheet and pat the bread into a smooth round circle, about 2 inches high. Using a sharp knife, cut a large criss-cross across the top (this gives the steam a place to escape while baking).
- Bake the bread at 450 F for 15-20 minutes. Decrease the temperature to 400 F and turn the pan 180 degrees (ovens are always hotter at the back, so turning the pan helps the bread bake evenly). Bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the bread sounds hollow when you knock on it with your knuckles (carefully - it will be hot).
- Allow bread to cool slightly, then slice and serve. Tastes best served fresh.
Notes
*Flour
If using all whole wheat flour, you may need to increase the liquid to 2 cups total. If using all white flour, use 1 1/2 cups liquid.
**Yogurt & Milk
Traditionally, Irish soda bread calls for buttermilk. But I usually have yogurt on hand, not buttermilk. If you don't have yogurt, try these alternatives. Each one yeilds a slightly different result, but all work just fine!
- buttermilk
- sour cream thinned with milk
- creme fraiche
- Mix 1 1/2 cups milk with 2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before using.
Dairy-Free
Mix 1 1/2 cups dairy-free milk with 2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before using.
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information
Yield 5 Serving Size 1 gramsAmount Per Serving Calories 480Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 7mgSodium 778mgCarbohydrates 96gFiber 9gSugar 4gProtein 19g
Please note: The actual calories and nutrition of this dish will change depending on what ingredients you use. Nutrition information is not always accurate.
Kid-Friendly Homemade Bread
Bonus: This is the perfect bread to teach your kids to bake! They’re at home learning all kinds of life skills anyway.
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More Simple Bread Recipes:
- Easiest (Yeast) Bread You Will Ever Bake
- Non-Crumbly Whole Grain Sandwich Bread
- Easiest Make-Ahead Sandwiches
- 1-Bowl Pumpkin Bread (or sweet potato!)
- Mookies (easy muffins – no clean-up!)
- Healthier Banana Bread
- Cinnamon Rolls (instructions in this baking haul post)
- Garlicky Pizza Crust (for 70 cents!)
- Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole
What You Can Do Now:
Do you ever make your own bread?
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What kind of flour do you use on a regular basis? Organic wheat or einkorn, spelt? Just curious 🙂
It depends on the recipe. I love spelt though! Haven’t found an affordable source for einkorn yet.