Irish Oatmeal Soda Bread ~ I’ve made this authentic Irish quick bread even more delicious with the addition of oat flour…you won’t find an easier, or more tasty quick bread anywhere ~ it’s ready in under an hour!
Soda bread, or bread made without yeast, and leavened with baking soda and buttermilk, has been made on a daily basis by the Irish for generations. This bread has a unique texture and a charming simplicity. Maybe you fist encounter it when you’re putting together a St. Patrick’s Day menu, but once you try it, it will become one of those recipes you turn to again and again. Bread this quick and easy doesn’t come along every day.
I’ve used one of my favorite ingredients to bump up the flavor and texture of this Irish oatmeal soda bread ~ oat flour! It’s naturally sweet, and adds so much to almost anything you bake. And guess what? You don’t need to go out and buy anything special, you can whip up your own by processing regular oats, either rolled or steel cut, in a food processor or high speed blender. I used my Vitamix and it took less than a minute. The resulting flour is silky and really delicious. For more details, check out my post about how to make your own oat flour!
TIP: If you can get past the scraggly looks of this bread, you’re a wise person because you’ll have a wonderful go-to bread recipe that can be hot on your table in less than an hour.
The characteristic cross is cut into the dough with a sharp knife just before baking to allow the bread to rise…and to let the fairies escape!
*Recipe adapted from Irish Pub Cooking
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 3/4 cups buttermilk (possibly a little bit more)
Instructions
- Set oven to 425F
- Whisk the flours, salt, and soda together in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center, and add about 1 1/2 cups of the buttermilk. Gradually mix the flour and buttermilk, adding the remaining buttermilk if your dough seems too dry. The dough will have a rough texture to it.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead briefly until it comes together. Form into an 8 inch round disk. Transfer to a baking sheet and cut a cross in the top with a sharp knife.
- Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. It should sound hollow when you rap the bottom.
- Let cool for a few minutes, but then enjoy it while still warm, with some good Irish butter, of course!
Notes:
- If you want a real treat, Make Your own Butter to have with your bread!
- There are lots of variation on the basic soda bread, here are a few of my favorites ~ Rosemary Cheddar Irish Soda Bread, Skillet Maple Irish Soda Bread, and here’s a recipe for Irish Soda Bread Muffins!
Thanks for pinning this Irish Oatmeal Soda Bread!
44 Comments
Catherine Dalon
October 13, 2019 at 4:50 pmOh. My. God.
THANK YOU!!!!
Thank you for making REAL soda bread!!! My mom was born in Ireland, she came here after WWII. Real Irish soda bread does NOT HAVE SUGAR IN IT!! It makes me crazy to see recipes using sugar. Nope.
This looks excellent, as are all your recipes.
I would like to try it half oat flour and half white flour.
When I make my moms with whole wheat flour, I use 1 cup white to 3 cups whole wheat.
I can’t wait to try it!!!
Cate Dalton
Sue
October 14, 2019 at 8:42 amSoda bread is such fun to make, I’ve got a couple of other recipes I’m dying to share. I have a whole wheat ‘brown’ soda bread recipe on the blog too!
Karleen Elliott
June 4, 2019 at 8:04 amCan I substitute the buttermilk for water?
Sue
June 4, 2019 at 8:45 amSure, that would be interesting!
Darlene
April 15, 2019 at 2:11 pmI made this recipe last night and you’re right, it was super easy! I added 1 tablespoon of caraway seeds and 2 cups of buttermilk. I bake for 25 minutes but next time I will keep it in longer. There’s nothing like homemade bread and this being so easy with no sugar is perfect for me! It was scrumptious! I wish I could show a picture because it came out really pretty not scraggly at all.
Sue
April 15, 2019 at 2:16 pmThat’s great to hear Darlene, but mine always come out scraggly, you must have done something right!
Darlene
April 13, 2019 at 7:50 pmHi Sue I want to make this recipe but I love caraway seeds. Do you think I can add them without changing the recipe too much?
Sue
April 13, 2019 at 8:16 pmAbsolutely!
Norene
February 19, 2019 at 8:56 pmWhere can i get oat flour?
Sue
February 19, 2019 at 9:13 pmMost large supermarkets sell oat flour in the flour aisle, or in the health food section. You can find it online, and also make it yourself, just take rolled oats and process them with a food processor or high speed blender until they become finely ground.
Deb
October 5, 2018 at 6:14 amI just made this yesterday after looking for an authentic recipe when we returned from a vacation in Ireland. So glad I found your recipe! I did tweak it a bit, used 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup of “Irish” flour (from King Arthur) which is a grainy wheat flour and 1 cup of oat flour. I also added about 1/3 cup of quick cook steel cut oats (McCann’s) and rolled old-fashioned oats combined. I loved finding the recipe without sugar. Used all your proportions and made it in a loaf pan, and we love it! I didn’t think 30 minutes would be long enough, but it was perfect. So far just with butter (Irish!) and warm from the pan, but can’t wait to try toasted with jams. Thank you for the keeper!
Sue
October 5, 2018 at 5:48 pmI’m thrilled that this bread lived up to your Irish experience, that’s the highest compliment :)
Cody Johnson
October 2, 2018 at 8:13 amCAN YOU USE ONLY OAT FLOUR TO MAKE THIS BREAD?
Sue
October 2, 2018 at 8:17 amNo, you’ve got lots of options…you can use all plain flour, or you can substitute another whole grain flour for the oat flour, like whole wheat for instance.
Lise
August 27, 2018 at 12:22 pmHi,
Can you make this soda bread with gluten free flour?
Georgiana Stroe
February 24, 2018 at 11:11 pmHi Sue, can I use simple yogurt instead of buttermilk? Thank You.
Sue
February 25, 2018 at 7:47 amI think that should work fine, Georgiana, you might want to thin it down with a little milk first.
Tracy
February 20, 2018 at 2:21 amHas anyone tried this using half oat flour and half ap floor? Trying to scale back my wheat consumption, but unsure how much effect that would have on the texture.
Donna
November 8, 2017 at 3:45 pmHi Sue, I live on the most northerly point in Ireland, Malin Head, where leprechauns jump out of the bread, not fairies!! ? DQ
Sue
November 8, 2017 at 7:45 pmlol :)
Jo Warren
September 20, 2017 at 8:18 pmI have made this for years, both as a loaf and as individual buns. I like your oat flour idea but my recipe uses the old fashioned oats. I leave them soaking in the buttermilk overnight before I make the bread. The time makes for a sour dough flavor which is wonderful when you make toast from it.
Sue
November 8, 2017 at 7:46 pmLove the soaking idea, Jo, I can’t wait to experiment with it, thanks.
Meraiah
September 9, 2017 at 11:38 amI made this using Almond milk and rice vinegar as well as using half salt and half salt substitute. instead of kneading after I added liquid I just folded the mixture until incorporated and then a few extra times as the baking soda/ vinegar reaction gave it a lift so to speak. Makes a good Vegan alternative. Turned out well.
I don’t drink milk and am allergic to yeast and eggs so always looking for alternatives.
Sue
September 9, 2017 at 12:35 pmThanks for that feedback Meraiah, it’s so valuable to my vegan readers!
Priscilla
March 10, 2019 at 6:48 pmHello!
Have you tried very fresh eggs from your own chickens? Many folks who think they’re allergic to eggs find they can tolerate farm fresh eggs just, fine, myself included :)
Ben Maclain|Havocinthekitchen
March 19, 2017 at 4:57 pmThis bread looks perfect! I’ve been planning to make Irish soda bread for a number of years, and this post is another sign I shouldn’t wait for another few years:) Well done!
Sue
March 19, 2017 at 5:58 pmI was the same way Ben, I thought it didn’t sound very appealing at first, but I’m a total convert, the texture is wonderful, and you can’t beat how easy it is!
Janet
March 19, 2017 at 10:21 amMy husband loves raisins in his soda bread. Can I add some raisins to this bread, and how many should I use? Thank you!
maria
March 19, 2017 at 6:54 amOh I love the idea of using oats for this!
monika
March 18, 2017 at 4:13 pmcan we use homemade buttermilk for this? if so, how much milk to vinegar/lemon juice?!??!
Sue
March 18, 2017 at 5:37 pmI don’t see why you couldn’t use homemade buttermilk, which is generally one cup milk to one or two tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar. But I’m partial to the cultured buttermilk you can buy in stores, it’s thick and has great flavor.
Marissa
March 18, 2017 at 11:57 amI’ve been meaning to make soda bread for ages and this looks perfect! I love the addition of oat flour.
cakespy
March 18, 2017 at 7:34 amYummy yummy get in my tummy!! This looks amazing!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
March 18, 2017 at 4:18 amLove the addition of oat flour! Must give great flavour and the texture looks perfect :)
MARGARET ANNE MILLER
March 17, 2017 at 5:54 pmThis looks and sounds lovely……can I get oat flour in the UK? Or can I substitute another flour instead?
Sue
March 17, 2017 at 6:07 pmI bet you can get it, Margaret, but it’s also so easy to make it, just take regular rolled oats and process them into flour in a food processor or high speed blender. It takes just seconds!
Sue
March 17, 2017 at 6:07 pmAnd yes, you can substitute whole wheat, or any other flour you like…
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings
March 17, 2017 at 3:48 pmLooks so simple and delicious!
Sue
March 17, 2017 at 4:17 pmIt’s almost unbelievable how simple these breads are ~ Happy St. Paddy’s Day Karen!
Abbe@This is How I Cook
March 17, 2017 at 2:42 pmThis is so simple there is no reason not to indulge. And indulge I will!
Laura | Tutti Dolci
March 17, 2017 at 10:18 amI love the addition of oat flour, this looks fantastic!
Angie@Angie's Recipes
March 17, 2017 at 9:44 amSoda bread is definitely one of my favourite quick breads. Yours with oat flour sounds and looks awesome, Sue.
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert
March 17, 2017 at 9:03 amI sure wish I had a slice or two of this today! The texture looks fantastic. Certainly my favorite way to celebrate all things Irish!
Sue
March 17, 2017 at 9:20 amThanks Tricia, and I know I sound like a broken record, but it makes the BEST TOAST!