Sourdough Irish Soda Bread
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This simple St. Patrick's Day bread is an easy no rise bread recipe! This simple Irish Soda Bread uses sourdough discard and is known for its dense texture and crusty top. This is the perfect easy no rise bread for St. Patrick’s Day or for anytime you want a delicious and quick homemade bread.
If you’re looking for more easy bread recipes, check out my Sourdough Lemon Rosemary Bread, Honey Butter Dinner Rolls, or my Sourdough Discard Guinness Bread.
Table of Contents
This recipe is another byproduct of my ongoing collaboration with my friend Hannah at Make It Dough! While I am not Irish, I did grow up in a very Irish community. Living on the South side of Chicago, St. Patrick’s Day is a big deal!
I think I was the only non-Irish person I knew growing up. While everyone was celebrating with Corned Beef and Cabbage, green beer, and Irish Soda Bread — I was just happy to partake in the celebrations that included food, desserts and seeing the Chicago River dyed green.
This Sourdough Irish Soda Bread is an easy no rise bread! That makes this an incredibly simple homemade bread recipe. This classic St. Patrick’s Day bread can be served with the traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage or you can eat it any night of the week with a big slab of butter with any dinner you’re making.
While this is a traditional St. Patrick’s Day bread, it also is a super easy no rise bread that you can make any night. This recipe allows you to have homemade fresh bread in under 2 hours! This easy no rise bread also makes amazing French toast. Try my recipe for Vanilla Bean Buttermilk French Toast using leftover bread.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy AF: I love this recipe because it is so easy! You can mix this all up in your mixer
Quick Homemade Bread: This homemade bread is incredibly quick to make. In under 2 hours, you can have fresh bread for any occasion!
Uses Sourdough Discard: I love recipes that use sourdough discard as something that would have been waste is used to create something delicious. The sourdough discard brings a little tang to this bread that is so good!
Ingredients
Cairnspring Mills All Purpose Flour
Organic Sourdough Discard
Tools Needed
Cast Iron Skillet (use code MIMIBAKES for 10% off your order!)
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Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet or 10-inch skillet with parchment paper.
Step 2
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix for 2 to 3 rotations to combine.
Combine the buttermilk and sourdough discard until completely dissolved. Set aside. Make sure the discard has fully dissolved or you may end up with gummy spots in your bread.
Step 3
Cut the chilled butter into small cubes and add to your stand mixer. Mix until the mixture looks like wet sand (similar to if you make pie dough in your mixer!).
With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the buttermilk and sourdough discard mixture until the dough comes together, it will look sticky and not smooth.
Step 4
Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. This will allow the flour to thoroughly hydrate. After the rest period, the dough should feel less sticky and be easier to work with.
Step 5
Dust a clean work surface with 1 tablespoon of flour (about 7 grams). Turn your dough out onto your floured surface. Knead the dough 4 to 5 times until your dough looks smooth. Make sure your dough is smooth or your bread may end up with gummy spots.
Step 6
Using the edge of your palms, round the dough into a tight ball. Transfer the dough on your prepared baking sheet or skillet. With a bench scraper, cut the dough into quarters. Cutting the dough through allows your loaf to bake completely in the center. Pinch the edges together so the dough bakes into a round loaf and doesn’t separate.
Step 7
Bake the dough for 30 to 45 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown and registers at least 200°F when probed with an instant-read thermometer. (If you're baking at high altitude, be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude baking instructions).
Baker's Tips
- Make sure the butter is coated in flour. This process is very similar to making pie dough in your stand mixer. So, if you are familiar with that, then it’s the same thing! This prevents excessive gluten from developing which results in soft and fluffy soda bread!
- Let the dough rest. Don’t skip this part, as it’s incredibly important! The gluten has to relax in order for the dough to be shaped smooth, and that’s why this step is so important! It will make the dough way less sticky and you’ll be able to shape it into smooth ball (watch my video below).
- Knead the dough until smooth. It needs to be smooth and not sticky, so you can slice it with a knife. Slicing this bread into 4 quarters allows the inside to bake completely while also providing this bread with a crisp crust and tender light crumb.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to check to see if your bread is done. This one should register 200°F when probed, before you pull it out! Also, look for a golden brown crust.
FAQ's
No, you do not need a stand mixer for this recipe! I provide instructions for both a mixer and no mixer in the recipe card.
Yes, you can use a stand mixer for this recipe! I’m a lazy baker and I like to use my stand mixer for anything I can! But Hannah doesn’t have a stand mixer so she always makes things by hand. So when we collab, I’m always figuring out how to use my stand mixer, haha! And you can make this easy no rise bread in your stand mixer! We’ve provided instructions for both options.
I keep mine in my cake dome as this bread is soft, so it should be kept airtight to retain it's texture. If it does get a little stale, use it for Vanilla Bean French Toast!
This is a moist and fluffy bread with a nice chewiness to it. It pairs well with the traditional St. Patrick’s Day dinner of Corned Beef and Cabbage. I love enjoying it with my Roasted Cauliflower & Turkey Salad or my Baked Feta Broccoli Pasta with Lemon. It's also a perfect dipping vessel for my Slow Cooker Beef Brisket Stew! You can toast it up for breakfast and add avocado or jam. But my favorite way to enjoy this is using it for my Vanilla Bean Buttermilk French Toast! This bread is amazing for French toast because of its dense texture, making it soak up the egg and milk mixture very well!
Craving More?
Sourdough Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 300 grams all purpose flour (plus for more kneading)
- 4 grams fine sea salt
- 3 grams baking soda
- 113 grams sourdough discard
- 226 grams buttermilk
- 56 grams salted butter (cold cut in cubes)
Instructions
Stand Mixer Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet or 10-inch skillet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix for 2 to 3 rotations to combine.
- Combine the buttermilk and sourdough discard until completely dissolved. Set aside. Make sure the discard has fully dissolved or you may end up with gummy spots in your bread.
- Cut the chilled butter into small cubes and add to your stand mixer. Mix until the mixture looks like wet sand (similar to if you make pie dough in your mixer!).
- With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the buttermilk and sourdough discard mixture until the dough comes together, it will look sticky and not smooth.
- Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. This will allow the flour to thoroughly hydrate. After the rest period, the dough should feel less sticky and be easier to work with.
- Dust a clean work surface with 1 tablespoon of flour (about 7 grams). Turn your dough out onto your floured surface. Knead the dough 4 to 5 times until your dough looks smooth. Make sure your dough is smooth or your bread may end up with gummy spots.
- Using the edge of your palms, round the dough into a tight ball. Transfer the dough on your prepared baking sheet or skillet. With a bench scraper, cut the dough into quarters. Cutting the dough through allows your loaf to bake completely in the center. Pinch the edges together so the dough bakes into a round loaf and doesn’t separate.
- Bake the dough for 30 to 45 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown and registers at least 200°F when probed with an instant-read thermometer.
By Hand Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet or 10-inch skillet with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, stir the sourdough discard into the buttermilk until completely dissolved. Set aside. Make sure the discard has fully dissolved or you may end up with gummy spots in your bread.
- To make the dough: Rub the unsalted butter into the dry ingredients until the flour is completely coated and the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Make a well in the center of the flour and pour the discard mixture in. Using a fork or a wooden spoon stir everything together until no dry bits of flour remain. Knead the mixture using your hand until it comes together in a shaggy but cohesive dough.
- Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. This will allow the flour to thoroughly hydrate. After the rest period, the dough should feel less sticky and be easier to work with.
- Dust a clean work surface with 1 tablespoon of flour (about 7 grams). Turn your dough out onto your floured surface. Knead the dough 4 to 5 times until your dough looks smooth. Make sure your dough is smooth or your bread may end up with gummy spots.
- Using the edge of your palms, round the dough into a tight ball. Transfer the dough on your prepared baking sheet or skillet. With a bench scraper, cut the dough into quarters. Cutting the dough through allows your loaf to bake completely in the center. Pinch the edges together so the dough bakes into a round loaf and doesn’t separate.
- Bake the dough for 30 to 45 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown and registers at least 200°F when probed with an instant-read thermometer.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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