I’ve updated this blog post and recipe since I originally shared it. I think this new and improved version is even better! Still, you can find the previous version here, if you’re interested.
After he partially retired a few years ago, my dad started cooking and baking a lot more. He always enjoyed both, but other than for Thanksgiving and Christmas, his busy work schedule and long hours often prevented him from making anything too elaborate or time-intensive.
About once a week, he texted me photos of his culinary creations, and I always looked forward to seeing them – especially his bread. He baked plenty of loaves from scratch, carefully proofing the yeast and kneading the dough, just like he taught me to do with homemade rolls as a little girl.
Classic rye, garlic naan, rosemary focaccia, rustic cottage loaves… Even multiple types of dough for pizzas made completely from scratch (including the sauce!). Each looked just as beautiful as the last, with soft insides and a lovely crumb, exactly the way they’d be in a bakery or on “The Great British Bake-Off” bread week episodes.
The times I drove home to visit, I usually found remnants of those loaves in the fridge, and new ones often appeared once or twice during my trips too. I snuck multiple slices almost every day… Freshly baked homemade bread is just too tempting!
However, I know not everyone has the time (or courage!) to make classic yeast-based breads completely from scratch…
Which is why I absolutely love this simple Irish soda bread recipe. It tastes so cozy and comforting, with the flavors and textures you’d want from homemade bread, but it barely takes any time to make. There’s no yeast, proofing, or kneading – and it takes less than 10 minutes to prep!
QUICK OVERVIEW – HEALTHY IRISH SODA BREAD
Difficulty: Really easy, including for many beginner bakers.
Taste: Homey and rustic, with a bright pop of salty flavor.
Texture: Soft, moist, and on the dense side with a crisp, crusty exterior.
Note: Because it tastes best when eaten the same day it’s made, I purposely designed this soda bread recipe to yield a small- to modest-sized loaf.
WHAT IS IRISH SODA BREAD?
How is soda bread different than normal bread? And what’s so special about it? Well…
The key difference is the leavening agent.
Most “normal” bread recipes depend on yeast to make them rise. Because it takes a while for yeast to work its magic, these recipes normally tell you to proof the yeast to activate it. Then they often instruct you to make and knead the dough, let it rest and rise, punch it down, shape it, let it rest and rise again… And – finally! – bake.
Soda bread is much simpler than that. It uses baking soda (aka sodium bicarbonate, if you’re a nerd like me!) as its leavening agent. Baking soda is a base, and it’s immediately activated when mixed with a liquid-form acid. No proofing, resting, or waiting required – so it’s much quicker to make!
Hint: That’s how soda bread got its name… From its leavener, baking soda!
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HEALTHY IRISH SODA BREAD
Now that you know what it is, let’s cover the ingredients you need to make this healthy soda bread recipe! The original and most traditional Irish soda bread recipes only required a few main ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. Over the years, people added other things to enrich the dough, such as eggs, sugar, and butter or oil for flavor, as well as mix-ins like caraway seeds, raisins, or currents. However…
I like tradition – and I also like how the traditional versions are faster and easier to make! So for this healthy soda bread recipe, you’ll use mostly traditional ingredients. I bet you have all of them in your kitchen already!
Flour. My favorite flour to use is white whole wheat flour. Here in the US, our regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat, whereas white whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat (hence the name!). It’s not a blend of all-purpose white flour and regular whole wheat flour!
White whole wheat flour has the same health benefits as regular whole wheat flour (like extra fiber and micronutrients!), but it has a lighter color, as well as a lighter taste and texture that’s closer to all-purpose flour. It’s a great flour for healthy baking because you get the best of both worlds!
However, I wanted to make this recipe as easy as possible for you to make, so I made sure it was really customizable. It works just as well with regular whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, and yes, even all-purpose flour! So just use whichever one of those options you already have in your pantry.
Tip: I also included my recommended gluten-free alternatives in the Notes section of the recipe, if you’d like to make this healthy soda bread gluten-free!
Baking soda. This is what makes your soda bread rise. (But… I’m guessing you knew that already. 😉 )
Salt. I like my soda bread on the salty side, so I often use two types of salt: regular table salt in the dough (always) and flaky sea salt sprinkled on top, just before baking (optional – but really fun!). I love how the latter adds a bright pop of flavor!
Because there’s no sugar in this soda bread, I also like to use a bit more salt in the dough compared to some other recipes. I’ve found that gives the loaf substantially more flavor. If you’re not as big of a salt fan as I am, it’s completely fine to cut back. Like I mentioned, this recipe is really customizable to your preferences and tastes!
Milk. I generally use unsweetened vanilla almond milk because that’s what my family and I keep in our refrigerators most often. However… Just about any milk – dairy or non-dairy! – will work. (Are you sensing a theme here?)
I’ve also used nonfat milk, unsweetened cashew milk, rice milk, vanilla soy milk (that’s what I used in my previous version, and its sweetness gave the soda bread a lovely flavor!)… So feel free to use what’s in your fridge. Customization is the name of the game!
Tip: If you use unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or any other non-dairy milk!), then your healthy soda bread will be vegan – because it’ll be both dairy-free and egg-free!
Vinegar. More specifically, distilled white vinegar. This is the acid that activates the baking soda. When you mix the two together, it creates air bubbles (aka carbon dioxide). Those air bubbles make your soda bread rise, and they also create a moist, soft, tender texture.
Tip: If you don’t have distilled white vinegar (or it’s not an ingredient commonly sold in grocery stores in your part of the world!), try to substitute another vinegar with a similar pH level of about 2.5. Lemon juice’s pH is around 2-3, so it should also work!
No buttermilk? While fresh buttermilk is an ingredient in the most traditional soda bread recipes, it’s not something I normally keep on hand. Therefore, I opted for the DIY shortcut of milk and vinegar instead. That way, it’s easy to whip up this healthy soda bread at a moment’s notice! 😉
HOW TO MAKE IRISH SODA BREAD
Let’s quickly talk about how to make the best healthy soda bread! It’s the easiest homemade bread you’ll ever make. You just need…
One bowl + a fork. You’ll mix together the dry ingredients first. Make a well in the center, pour in the wet ingredients, and stir everything together. It’s that simple!
But why a fork? And not a wooden spoon?
The space between the tines of the fork allows the ingredients to pass through and mix more efficiently. This means it takes less time to make the dough and there’s less of a chance of over-mixing, so your soda bread will have a better moist and tender texture.
Shape + score. The dough will be a bit sticky, so moisten your hands with a bit of water first. Shape it into a circle that’s 1 ½” tall, then make two cuts in the shape of a (+) sign in the top with a sharp knife. I’ve found a fillet knife works really well! This is called scoring the dough, and it lets steam (aka that carbon dioxide we talked about earlier!) escape while your loaf bakes.
How deeply you score the loaf will affect how it looks – both its top and sides!
In the photo above, I cut the set of slits in each loaf differently. In the bottom loaf, I inserted the knife only ¼” to ½” deep. In the middle loaf, I went a little further, around ¾” deep. In the top loaf, I cut most of the way through the dough, stopping around ½” above the bottom.
In the bottom loaf, the top was almost entirely flat, but there was a deep crack almost all the way around its base. In the middle loaf, there were four small bumps in its top, and it had a small crack only around certain parts of its base (not all the way around!). In the top loaf, its top consisted of four huge peaks, and it didn’t have any cracks around its base. (The bumps and splits that you see are a result of me being lazy and not smoothing out the dough while shaping it!)
Therefore… When the top slits are very shallow, the steam finds another way out of the dough – and that usually means it bursts out the sides, which creates that noticeable crack near the base.
Tip: After scoring the dough, sprinkle the top with flaky sea salt, if you’d like. It’s optional, but I love how much flavor it adds!
Bake. This soda bread bakes at a fairly high temperature, 425°F, which helps create a really nice crusty exterior. You’ll know it’s done when you can smell it – and when the top looks a nice golden brown!
FAQS ABOUT HEALTHY IRISH SODA BREAD
Is this Irish soda bread gluten-free, vegan, or clean eating?
Yes – to all of the above! As written, this healthy soda bread is vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, sugar-free, whole wheat, and clean eating friendly. I’ve also included my recommendations about how to make it gluten-free in the Notes section of the recipe.
Can I use a different milk?
Absolutely! Just about any milk (dairy or non-dairy!) will work. If you’d like to substitute fresh buttermilk, see the Notes section about how to modify the recipe to use it.
What can I substitute for the vinegar?
If you don’t have distilled white vinegar, then use another vinegar with a similar pH level (about 2.5) to ensure your soda bread has the same texture. Lemon juice should also work.
Can I make individual soda bread rolls or scones instead?
Definitely! I’ve shared how to do that over on my Irish soda bread scones recipe.
Can I add raisins to this healthy soda bread?
Yes, that should be fine! I did that in this Irish soda bread scones recipe, and it turned out really well. I highly recommend hydrating the raisins first; it makes them extra plump and juicy!
How should I store Irish soda bread? And how long does it keep?
While this healthy soda bread is best eaten the same day it’s made, you can store leftovers in an airtight container. When stored at room temperature, those leftovers will keep for at least a day or two, possibly longer. (The crust loses its crisp crunch though.) You can also store them in the fridge to make them last longer, but your leftover bread won’t be quite as soft and moist.
Ready to make your own? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy Irish soda bread!
Healthy Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (270g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt (see Notes!)
- ½ cup + 3 tbsp (165mL) unsweetened vanilla almond milk (see Notes!)
- 2 tbsp (30mL) distilled white vinegar
- optional: flaky sea salt , for finishing (highly recommended!)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center. Pour in the milk and vinegar. Stir together until the flour is just incorporated.
- Transfer the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Moisten your fingers and palms with a bit of water, and shape it into a 1 ½” thick circle. (Remoisten your hands while shaping, if necessary.) Using a sharp knife, score the top with a (+) sign (see Notes!). Sprinkle the flaky sea salt on top, if using, and gently press it into the dough.
- Bake at 425°F for 27-30 minutes or until the outsides are crusty and golden and the very center feels quite firm to the touch. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy Irish Soda Bread Scones
♡ Healthy Raisin Irish Soda Bread Scones
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Whole Wheat Rolls
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Cornbread
♡ The Ultimate Healthy Cornbread Muffins
Was wondering if oat flour would work? Thank you.
We really appreciate your interest in this recipe, Danna!
We typically don’t recommend that substitution in our bread recipes, including this one. This is because gluten is the protein in wheat-based flours that helps baked goods rise and maintain their shape while cooling. Oat flour lacks that, so when you substitute it for wheat-based flours in our recipes that rise (like cupcakes, cakes, muffins, quick breads, etc!), your baked goods will often turn out denser and may collapse while cooling.
We’ve included some flour alternatives in the Notes section, directly below the recipe, as well as suggestions on how to make this soda bread gluten-free, if you’re interested! I know it can be easy to miss!
If you’re looking for ways to use your oat flour, I’d recommend checking out some of our cookie and brownie recipes, too!