Easy Homemade Irish Soda Bread: Perfect for St Patrick's Day

Are you craving a warm, buttery slice of homemade bread, but dread the idea of kneading and waiting for hours? Look no further, because Irish Soda Bread is here to save your carb-loving soul.

This simple yet scrumptious bread is made with just a few humble ingredients, yet its unique texture and flavor will transport you to the Emerald Isle. This authentic Irish soda bread recipe has been passed down through generations and is a family tradition on March 17th.

So roll up your sleeves, preheat your oven, and let's get baking!

When my dad was a boy he tried some Irish Soda Bread at the Irish immigrant neighbor's house and liked it so much that he copied the recipe and brought it home to ask his mother to make it. I still have the original copy in his writing, (in a protective sleeve, of course).

His mom, my mom and me have been making it every year for St. Patrick's Day since then.

It is delicious with Baked Corned Beef or Irish Stew with Guinness depending on whether you want to go Irish American or more traditional Irish.

I love it the next morning toasted up and slathered with some good Irish butter for breakfast.

Ingredients for Irish Soda Bread

The ingredients are pretty basic baking items: flour, vegetable oil (any neutral cooking oil like canola, corn, etc.), baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Currants are more Irish, but finding real blackcurrants in the US is really expensive. Even zante currants (which are related to grapes) can be hard to find. So, raisins are usually my go to.

For the buttermilk I try to keep a canister of buttermilk powder on hand. When I don't have it, my go to substitute is half plain yogurt mixed with half milk.

There are really no good substitutes for the caraway seeds. You can leave them out, but then this is basically a giant biscuit with raisins. I am not judging; I make one small loaf without them for my son, aka Sir Snubs a Lot.

More St Patrick's Day Recipes from #OurFamilyTable

Make a delicious meal, complete with leftovers with these recipes:

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day

• Beer Braised Corned Beef (Slow Cooker) from Palatable Pastime
• Green Velvet Cupcakes from Hezzi-D's Recipe Box
• Hot Reuben Dip from Art of Natural Living

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Recipe

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Ingredients

 

• 4 cups flour (sifted)
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
• 1 cup currants or raisins
• ¼ cup cooking oil (vegetable, canola, etc.)
• 1 ¾ cup buttermilk

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Sift together dry ingredients. Stir in seeds and raisins or currants. Add oil and milk. Stir only enough to moisten dry ingredients.
• Divide dough in half and put on greased baking sheet in 2 mounds.
• Bake 50 to 60 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with butter or margarine.

More Quick Bread Recipes

Until next time, happy eating!
~Audrey