Served warm with butter, this flowering loaf of hearty brown soda bread is made without buttermilk. Done in under an hour with no kneading, it’s the perfect bread to soak up sauces, gravies, or soup!
Why This Recipe Works
Soda bread is amazing because it uses pantry ingredients and requires very little work. No kneading involved!
However, in the United States buttermilk is not a commonly purchased ingredient. This is why I created this recipe for soda bread without buttermilk.
It uses ingredients you are more likely to have around your home so you can make this easy soda bread recipe without an extra trip to the store.
What’s Goes Into the Recipe?
Unlike most internet recipes, traditional soda bread is made with whole wheat flour. This makes a heartier brown bread perfect for soaking up gravies and sauces.
Depending on the culture your soda bread recipe came from, the type of whole wheat flour varies.
For example, Native American soda bread is the original soda bread and it is made with hard wheat flour, like bread flour or even all-purpose.
Irish soda bread uses soft wheat flour like pastry or cake flour. These are less glutinous and more crumbly, giving a more delicate texture to the soda bread.
Depending on the texture you want, choose the type of whole wheat flour accordingly.
Buttermilk substitute. This soda bread recipe uses whatever milk you have on hand and sours it with acid. (Your choice between vinegar or lemon juice.) This substitute provides the soda bread same tangy flavor without buttermilk without the specialty ingredient.
How To Make This Recipe
Preheat the oven to 400°F and begin by lightly greasing a baking sheet, stone, or cast iron pan. Let the oven heat for at least 20 minutes before baking.
In a small bowl combine the milk and acid (lemon juice or vinegar). Allow to sit for five minutes or until the mixture becomes clumpy.
In a large bowl, sift together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt. Don’t skip this step because baking soda tends to clump and nobody wants to bite into that!
Use your fingers to mix the butter into the flour. The butter should become crumbly, coarse, and small. Stir it around to ensure it is evenly distributed.
In a liquid measuring cup lightly beat the egg and stir in the soured milk.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the egg mixture. Use a spoon to gently combine all of the ingredients until the ball forms.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and use a pastry scraper to help gather straggling dough pieces into the ball.
Transfer the dough onto the greased baking surface and use a sharp blade to cut an “X” ½-inch deep in the top of the loaf.
Bake the soda bread for 45 minutes and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Expert Tips
- Always sift the baking soda to prevent sour unwanted clumps from showing up in the bread.
- Use a pastry scraper to gather together any loose bits of dough without kneading it.
- Lightly pat down the top of the loaf to flatten it. This helps the triangular pieces stick out further from the bread.
- For a beautiful flowering loaf that looks like it is blossoming, use a bread lame instead of a kitchen knife to cut the dough.
FAQ’s
If you chose a hard wheat flour like bread or all-purpose the soda bread will be denser. Also, avoid kneading the bread which works the proteins in the gluten and makes the bread tough.
Besides bringing a tangy flavor profile to bread, buttermilk also makes the bread softer because the acid helps break down gluten.
Soda bread uses a chemical reaction between an acid and baking soda to create carbon dioxide. These bubbles then disperse throughout the dough creating a texture similar to other leavenings; light and tender but with a unique tangy flavor.
Related Recipes
For some excellent meals to serve with this soda bread recipe, I recommend:
Tender Brown Soda Bread Without Buttermilk
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup milk
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
- 2½ cups whole wheat flour, pastry or cake preferrably
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a baking sheet
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the milk and lemon juice (or vinegar) and allow to sit for five minutes or until clumpy.
- In a large bowl, sift together both flours, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Use your fingers to break the butter into small pea-sized pieces. Stir them throughout the flour and make a well in the center of the bowl.
- Use a fork to whisk in the egg in the soured milk and pour it into the well. Use a spoon to gently combine all the ingredients. Once the ball begins to form, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and use your hands to a pastry scraper to gather the dough until completely combined.
- Move the dough to the greased baking sheet and slightly flatten the dough ball. Use a sharp blade to cut an "X" into the top and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Always sift the baking soda to prevent sour unwanted clumps from showing up in the bread.
- Use a pastry scraper to gather together any loose bits of dough without kneading it.
- Lightly pat down the top of the loaf to flatten it. This helps the triangular pieces stick out further from the bread.
- For a beautiful flowering loaf that looks like it is blossoming, use a bread lame instead of a kitchen knife to cut the dough.
What are your thoughts?