Irish Brown Soda Bread
Hearty, malty Brown Irish Soda Bread is a no-knead, no-yeast classic—perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any cozy meal. Easy to make and so delicious warm with butter!Makes 3 small loaves, or 1 loaf pan + a cake pan (round loaf).
Ingredients
- 5 ½ cups whole wheat flour
- 2 cups sifted plain all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups mixed seeds, chia, flaxseed, hemp
- 1 ½ cups quick oats
- 4 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp salt
- 3 tsp dried flakes Dulse, baby seaweed
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp molasses
- 4 cups buttermilk
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 egg, beaten
- 4 Tbsp oil
- 2 Tbsp sesame seeds to spread on top
- Butter for spreading
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven 400 degrees.
- Oil 3 tin loaf pans or 2 loaf pans and one small cake pan (we just use olive oil with a paper towel). You make the dough into loaf sizes or round to fix into a loaf pan. Set aside.
- Mix all dry ingredients together: whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, mixed seeds, quick oats, baking soda, salt, and flaked Dulse. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer, in a large mixing bowl, beat the brown sugar, molasses, buttermilk, milk, egg, and oil.
- Slowly add in the dry ingredients into the wet, and mix. (Make sure you are using your dough beater). The dough will be sticky, so you can butter, oil, or spray your hands. Divide the dough into the 3 pans.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Remove the bread loaves from the pans.
- Cool and wrap in foil.
Notes
Sandy's tips:
- You can use yogurt instead of buttermilk, just thin it with some milk, then swap it measure for measure.
- If you can’t find dulse flakes, you can omit them.
- COOLING: To keep the crust soft, wrap the cooling loaves in a clean dish towel.
- STORAGE: Irish Brown Soda Bread is best enjoyed the day it’s baked, but it stores well, too. Once the loaf has completely cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. It will keep at room temperature for 2–3 days. For longer storage, freeze the bread by wrapping it well and placing it in a freezer-safe bag; it will stay fresh for up to 3 months. To serve, simply thaw at room temperature and warm slices in the oven or toaster if you like them soft and cozy again.
Freezing and thawing the loaf of Irish Soda Bread:
- Cool the loaf completely. Freezing warm bread traps steam and leads to ice crystals.
- Wrap it tightly. Use plastic wrap or foil to wrap the whole loaf (or individual slices) snugly.
- Place in a freezer-safe bag or container. This adds an extra layer of protection to prevent freezer burn.
- Label and freeze. It will stay fresh for up to 3 months.
- To thaw: Let the bread sit at room temperature, still wrapped, until fully thawed. For that fresh-baked taste, warm slices in the toaster or tuck the loaf into a low oven for a few minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 385kcal, Carbohydrates: 59g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 17mg, Sodium: 652mg, Potassium: 381mg, Fiber: 10g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 131IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 197mg, Iron: 4mg