“This is a brilliant recipe. Have made it several times since finding it on your site. Stays lovely and moist for a couple of days. But then it makes super toast! ~Mary
Soda bread is a traditional Irish bread made without yeast
This amazing Irish oatmeal soda bread is made in under an hour, from start to finish! It has a unique texture and a charming simplicity. Whether you’re putting together a St. Patrick’s Day menu, or just looking for a quick no-yeast no-knead bread for dinner, this is a must try.
Irish soda bread is a type of bread that has been a staple in Ireland for centuries. The simple recipe is made from flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. It has a distinctive flavor and texture that is both dense and crumbly, and is often enjoyed with butter or jam.
oat flour enriches this rustic soda bread
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.
the benefits of oat flour in baking
- Nutritional benefits: Oat flour is a good source of fiber, protein, and other nutrients, which can help to make bread recipes like this Irish oatmeal soda bread more nutritious and filling.
- Moisture retention: Oat flour has a higher water-holding capacity than many other types of flours, which can help to keep bread recipes moist and tender.
- Binding properties: The high protein content in oat flour can help to bind bread dough together and improve its structure.
- Flavor and texture: Oat flour can add a nutty flavor and slightly denser texture to bread recipes, which can be particularly appealing in rustic or whole-grain breads.
why do we cut a cross into the top of this oatmeal soda bread?
The reason for cutting a cross in the top of Irish soda bread has both practical and symbolic significance.
Practically, cutting a cross in the top of the bread allows the heat to penetrate deeper into the dough during baking, which helps the bread cook more evenly. This technique also helps the bread to rise properly, as the cross allows the steam to escape as the bread bakes.
Symbolically, the cross is often seen as a way of blessing the bread and protecting it from evil. In traditional Irish households, it was believed that cutting a cross into the bread would ward off the devil and protect the household from harm. The cross also served as a way to divide the bread into quarters, which could represent the four provinces of Ireland or the four elements of nature.
what to serve with soda bread
- Traditional Irish Leek and Potato Soup
- Classic New England Fish Pie Recipe
- The Best Cottage Pie Recipe
- Dublin Coddle ~ a quick cooking Irish stew!
- Corn and Cheddar Cheese Chowder
- Finnish Salmon Soup
- Mushroom and Brie Soup
- Potato Soup with Bratwurst
Irish Oatmeal Soda Bread
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!
Video
Notes
- If you want a real treat, Make Your own Butter to have with your bread!
Nutrition
Novice baker here! I tried this recipe because I found it after reading your oat flour recipe, but also because it seemed so easy! Didn’t have buttermilk or regular milk, so I attempted a substitute with watered down heavy cream & white vinegar. Unfortunately, my loaf came out quite doughy and dense, and took 3x as long to bake! Do you think the heavy cream was the problem? Would love any other tips, thanks ???
The cream could have contributed to the problem, but it also sounds like it didn’t bake through, have you checked your oven temperature with a thermometer?
This bread is so delicious with butter & jam! Can’t wait to toast it for breakfast tomorrow!
Homemade bread is the best 🙂
Hi Sue
Such a great easy delicious recipe thanks. I’m the only one eating this could I halve the recipe?
Thanks so much be well
Robyn
I think that should work fine Robyn.
Sooooo good and super easy to make. I have some digesting issues so it’s nice to finally enjoy some bread without any problems.
Thank you Sue :))
Oh. 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
Soda 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!
Can I substitute the buttermilk for water?
Sure, that would be interesting!
I 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.
That’s great to hear Darlene, but mine always come out scraggly, you must have done something right!
Hi 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?
Absolutely!
Where can i get oat flour?
Most 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.
Can I use only oat flour?
I haven’t tried Ofelia, but if it were me I’d experiment with using more oat flour but still retaining some wheat flour for structure and texture.
I 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!
I’m thrilled that this bread lived up to your Irish experience, that’s the highest compliment 🙂