Irish Soda Bread with Sourdough Starter

This Irish Soda Bread is a classic quick bread made with a bit of sourdough starter, along with baking soda, buttermilk, and pantry staples. With its crisp crust and tender, hearty crumb, it’s the perfect addition to any meal, especially around St. Patrick’s Day!

At a Glance: Irish Soda Bread with Sourdough Starter

• 👩‍🍳 Skill Level: Beginner to Intermediate
• 🥄 Flavor Profile: Mildly tangy with a tender crumb and a crisp, golden crust
• 🧁 Options Included: Raisins or Craisins for a touch of sweetness; adaptable for savory variations
• 🎯 Best For: St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, hearty breakfasts, or as a rustic side to soups and stews​

My Irish Soda Bread Journey

I was looking for ways to use up some of my sourdough starter (or discard) awhile back and stumbled across several recipes for Irish Soda Bread. I was intrigued: primarily because I’d never had Irish Soda Bread before and didn’t even know what it was. 

Curiosity got the better of me and I decided to make a loaf of this new-to-me bread and fell in love with it! It’s unlike my other breads (more of a quick bread in both texture and flavor) but I truly enjoyed it. 

So, that got me wondering: Where did Irish Soda Bread come from, anyway? 

What is the History of Irish Soda Bread?

Turns out, this lovely bread dates back to the early 1800s, after bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) became commercially available in Ireland. (It’s interesting to think that baking soda wasn’t always a thing, right?) 

This bread became popular for a couple of reasons: 

First, soft wheat was more common in Ireland and it didn’t work well with yeast. But when you mix soft wheat with baking soda and buttermilk, a lovely chemical reaction takes place and you end up with a light, risen loaf. 

Second, Irish Soda Bread is inexpensive to make and doesn’t call for a lot of ingredients. For this reason, it became a staple in Ireland, providing families with a filling, inexpensive bread alternative. 

Irish Soda Bread Ingredients

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick peek at what you’ll need. These are simple ingredients you might already have on hand. If you don’t have starter, you’ll have to put off this project for a few days. I do have a simple recipe for DIY starter, if you’re interested in that. 

• 375 grams all-purpose flour (about 3 cups)
• 50 grams granulated sugar (4 tablespoons)
• 5 grams baking soda (1 teaspoon)
• 7 grams salt (1 ½ teaspoons)
• 60 grams cold butter, cubed (4 tablespoons)
• 1 large egg
• 170 grams buttermilk (¾ cup)
• 200 grams active starter or starter discard (1 cup)
• 150 grams Craisins or raisins (1 cup)

Note: If you don’t have buttermilk, simply add a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to whole milk. 

How to Make Irish Soda Bread

This comes together so easily and quickly! 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Place all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, soda, and salt) in a medium bowl and whisk together. Set aside. 

Cube butter and add to flour mixture. 

Work it in with your fingers until crumbly. 

In a separate bowl whisk together sourdough starter and buttermilk. Add the egg and whisk until well combined. 

Combine the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients. You will have a loose dough. 

Add the Craisins or raisins. 

Mix well.

Place on a floured surface and shape into a ball (loaf). Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Score the top with an X.

Place in preheated oven and bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown. 

Check at the 40 minute mark. If the bread starts to get too brown, place a piece of foil on top for the final few minutes of the bake. 

Remove from oven and cool before slicing. 

Serve and enjoy. 

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. Make sure bread is completely cooled before you store or it will sweat and turn gummy. 

It should stay fresh for 3-4 days. 

What to Expect from this Soda Bread

Unlike yeasted breads, soda breads are more dense in texture. They have a southern biscuit feel about them. This one has a bit of added sweetness, thanks to the Craisins, which makes it perfect! Slice and serve with butter or jam or both.

This bread is a perfect complement to soups, or even on sandwiches. Because of the addition of the Craisins you can also enjoy it for breakfast with preserves or fresh fruit. No matter how you slice it up, you’re going to love it. 

Variations to this Recipe

There are so many ways you can change this up! 

• Pecans: Add half a cup of chopped pecans (or even almonds) along with the Craisins. (Yum!)
• Cinnamon/sugar: Layer in some cinnamon and sugar before baking. 
• Savory Instead of Sweet: Skip the sugar and Craisins and add garlic and herbs, instead. Everything Bagel seasoning is always a good choice. 
• Ranch dressing: Use a packet of dry ranch dressing mix in the recipe. You might need to pull back a couple tablespoons on the flour but the flavor will be lovely. You can even add crumbled bacon to the recipe. (Delicious!) 

Questions People are Asking

Can I use whole wheat flour in this recipe?

• You can, but it will change the texture. You'll end up with a heavier bread, slightly darker in color.

Other Quick Breads from Out of the Box Baking

If you love Irish Soda Bread you’ll love these other Quick Breads! 

• Easy Carrot Bread
• Simple Banana Berry Bread
• Caramel Pecan Banana Bread
• Strawberry Banana Bread with Coconut
• Cinnamon Roll Monkey Bread

That’s it for this post, friends!

I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe. 

If you make this recipe and love it, don’t forget to leave a review and a comment below. And while you're at it, go ahead and pin some photos to your Pinterest boards!

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About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 165 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.