How to Make Bread Without Yeast – Easy Irish Soda Bread
If you’re all out of yeast but in need of a crusty artisan loaf of bread, learn How to Make Bread without Yeast with this easy Soda Bread Recipe.
What Is Soda Bread?
A Soda Bread—or “Irish” Soda Bread as we call it here in the United States—is a quick bread that is made without yeast. Instead of yeast, you use baking soda as the ingredient that will help your bread to rise. You simply mix all your ingredients together and move right to the baking phase with no wait time necessary for the dough to rise as with traditional yeast breads.
A Close Second to a Yeast-Risen Artisan Loaf
If you find yourself at home and need bread, but you can’t leave home for one reason or another, or if you find your grocery store is simply out of bread (or yeast), then a soda bread that you bake yourself can save the day. This recipe is as close as you are going to get to a crusty artisan loaf of traditional yeast-risen bread.
A Few Simple Ingredients
For this soda bread, all you need is a few simple ingredients. And the ingredients can be very flexible. You can use:
- Any type of flour you want (or have on hand)
- Buttermilk (or a buttermilk substitute)
- Salt
- Baking soda
Very Little Work Creates a Delicious Reward
Once you gather your ingredients, you’ll mix everything until the flour is moistened and forms a ball. All it takes is a gentle hand. No kneading required. (As a matter of fact, you don’t want to mix this dough too much.) Your dough will be wet and sticky, but all you need to do is shape it into a round, then pat it down, and pop it in the oven. It really couldn’t be easier!
So watch the recipe video, print out the recipe, and let’s get baking. In about 30 minutes, you’ll take a gloriously light and deliciously fresh home-baked bread out of your oven. Eat it plain, or slather it with butter and jam. Either way, it’s going to be scrumptious!
More Bread Recipes
Whether you want to bake bread with or without yeast, with sourdough, with all-purpose flour or whole grains…or even sprouted flour…I have you covered with my complete video collection of bread baking videos. Enjoy!
- Traditional Irish Brown Soda Bread Recipe for St. Patrick’s Day (made in a cast iron pan)
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Easy Irish Soda Bread
Equipment
- Baking Sheet, Cast Iron Frying Pan, or Cake Pan
- Additional options include a Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 3 cups All-purpose flour Whole grain flour may be substituted
- 1 teaspoon Fine ground salt
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda If using baking powder in place of baking soda, add 1 tablespoon
- 1 1/2 cups Buttermilk or buttermilk substitute If you are using all whole grain flour, increase buttermilk (or buttermilk substitute) by an additional 1/4 cup for a total of 1 3/4 cups.
- 2 tablespoons Butter, unsalted and cold See "Notes" below.
- 2 tablespoons Old-fashioned rolled oats See "Notes" below.
- 1 cup Dried fruit, optional See "Notes" below.
- 1 Egg, optional See "Notes" below.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, and baking soda together.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add buttermilk.
- Mix the ingredients gently with an open hand until the mixture comes together. (See video.) Do not over mix.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a floured surface.
- With a few turns, shape the dough into a round.
- Transfer the dough to the baking sheet (or another piece of equipment being used for baking bread).
- Flatten dough to 1 1/2 inches.
- Take a sharp knife and make a cross on top of the flattened dough.
- Next, use the tip of the knife to make four small indentations on top of each quarter of the dough. (See video.)
- Add a small bit of water to the measuring cup that had held the buttermilk and brush this mixture across the top of the dough.
- Transfer the baking sheet with the dough to the middle rack of the preheated oven.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
- Transfer bread to a cooling rack and allow to cool before slicing.
Video
Notes
Shop for items used in this blog post or video
Favorite Quick Bread Making Supplies
- Baking Apron
- 10-Piece Glass Bowl Set
- Metal Loaf Pans
- Glass Loaf Pans
- Cast-Iron Dutch Oven
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
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**Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, a medical professional, a dietician, or a nutritionist. All content found on the MarysNest.com website, including text, images, videos, eBooks or eGuides, social media, or other formats, were created solely for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or proper nutritional advice. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have watched in a video or read on this website. Use caution when following the recipe in this video. The creator and publisher of this video and website will not be held responsible for any adverse effects that may arise from the use of this recipe and method or any other recipe and method on this website or corresponding video channel.
need the exact measurements for a 1 1/2 cup substitution for buttermilk , amt of vinegar or lemon juice, ???? please , always shows for 1 cup on all sites i see, appreciate it, i have 2% milk so assist me pleae Mary all your recipes are just great
Hi Miriam, Don’t worry – it really isn’t an exact science. I would add about a tablespoon or so of vinegar or lemon juice to your 1 1/2 cups of liquid and see if it thickens. If not, you can always add more. Thanks for the kind words!! Love, mary
Hello Mary,
I am interested in making this bread (ran out of yeast 2-weeks ago and miss homemade bread). Would it change anything in its rising process if I added sugar or honey to balance out the salt?
Thank you for all that you do with sharing your traditional cooking!
Hi AIM,
Thanks for your comment. That’s no problem at all. You can add a sweetener to your Irish Soda Bread.
Thanks for your kind words. I’m so happy that you’re here and on this traditional foods journey with me!
Love and God bless,
Mary