This easy no rise bread is a Sourdough Irish Soda Bread. This simple St. Patrick’s Day bread 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 2 Ingredient Cheesy Crescent Rolls.
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.
If you are looking for St. Patrick’s Day desserts, check out my Thin Mint Biscotti, Mint Metlaways, or my Vegan Thin Mint Brownies!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This Sourdough Irish Soda Bread is an easy no rise bread! That makes this an incredibly easy and 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. I made my Vanilla Bean Buttermilk French Toast using this recipe last week, and it is so good!
How to make Sourdough Irish Soda Bread
Step 1
First step is to mix together the dry ingredients, flour, salt, and baking soda. You can do this in your stand mixer or in a bowl with a wooden spoon. I wouldn’t use a hand mixer for this though, as those have beaters. Use your stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a bowl and your hands. This recipe is that easy!
Step 2
Next, mix together the buttermilk and sourdough discard. You can use discard right from the fridge, but I let mine sit out until room temperature, as it makes it easier to incorporate it into the buttermilk without have chunks.
Step 3
Add the butter into the flour mixture, mix together until this looks like wet sand. This step is very similar to pie dough!
Step 4
Add in the buttermilk and discard mixture and mix until you have a shaggy dough. It will be sticky, don’t worry! Cover with a towel and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 5
On a floured surface, knead dough a few times to create a smooth round ball. Place on a baking sheet or in a 10-inch skillet.
Step 6
Cut the dough into four quarters with a sharp knife. Then pinch the corners back together. This helps the dough fully bake in the middle and gives this bread a signature shape.
Step 7
Bake it off! Look for a golden brown crust and check to make sure your bread is 200°F when probed, before you pull it out!
FAQ’s
Do I need a stand mixer?
No, you do not need a stand mixer for this recipe!
Can I make this in my stand mixer?
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.
How should I store this Sourdough Irish Soda Bread?
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!
What goes well with this Sourdough Irish Soda Bread?
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!
Tips for Making the Best Sourdough Irish Soda Bread
- 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.
Ingredients for Sourdough Irish Soda Bread
Cairnspring Mills All Purpose Flour
Organic Sourdough Discard
Why go organic?
You may be wondering why I push organic ingredients for everything, even savory and healthy dishes. Organic ingredients go beyond just health and wellness, and contribute so much to the taste and flavor of a recipe. So, if you think that you’re making something healthy and buying fruits, veggies, or meats so maybe you don’t need to spend the extra to go organic here – let me sway your thinking.
Organic ingredients are made in a more pure way, therefore using no additives, no GMOs, and minimal ingredients. This really allows the true ingredients to shine – and because of that their flavor shines through. Therefore, organic ingredients are more flavorful than their non organic counterparts. So, just because it’s already a healthy recipe, or you’re already buying good for you ingredients – it doesn’t mean you can skip organic! Trust me here, and make the switch. Your body and your taste buds will thank you!
So, I highly recommend that you buy the best organic ingredients for this recipe! You can also shop my Amazon Storefront for all my favorite organic ingredients here. Tip – hover over each ingredient to see the name. And if you want to learn more about organic foods and the difference, read my post here on Food Labels and What They Mean.
This Sourdough Irish Soda Bread is an easy no rise bread that uses up sourdough discard! This classic St. Patrick’s Day bread is delicious any time of year!
Ingredients
300 grams (2 1/2 cups) organic all purpose flour, plus more for kneading
4 grams (3/4 teaspoon) fine sea salt
3 grams (1/2 teaspoon) baking soda
113 grams (1/2 cup) organic sourdough discard
226 grams (1 cup) organic buttermilk
56 grams (4 tablespoons) organic salted butter, cold cut in cubes
Directions
- Stand Mixer Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet or 10-inch skillet with parchment paper.
- To make the dough: 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.
- Let the dough rest: 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.
- Knead the dough: 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.
- Shape the dough: 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: 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.
- Let the dough rest: 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.
- Knead the dough: 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.
- Shape the dough: 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: 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.
Recipe Video
Notes
- High Altitude – Bake for 30 minutes or until the loaf is golden brown and registers at least 200°F when probed with an instant-read thermometer.
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