This Irish vegan soda bread is here in time for your St. Patrick’s Day celebration! This quick bread uses baking soda and vegan buttermilk to create a crusty outside and warm and fluffy inside!
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Making quick bread is such fun! It’s a simple process that is almost foolproof!
I’m a newbie regarding yeast bread, but I’m a pro with quick bread! Nothing is better than a simple banana bread loaf, vegan muffins, or a homemade vegan coffee cake.
Turning a traditional Irish soda bread recipe vegan is quite simple. A traditional recipe includes baking soda to help it leaven and buttermilk for a slight tang. It’s dotted with raisins or currents. It has a crunchy crust and a warm, fluffy interior.
It’s the perfect bread for breakfast, a snack, or even alongside dinner.
💗 Why you’ll love this Irish Vegan Soda Bread
- Easy to make
- Simple pantry ingredients
- A delicious raisin bread
- No expert baking skills needed
- Vegan and Dairy-Free
- Egg-Free
- Oil-Free
- Made with whole grains
🥣 Ingredients and Notes
White Whole Wheat Flour: Traditional Irish soda bread is made with all-purpose flour. I used white whole wheat flour to increase the fiber and make this bread whole grain. You can also use all-purpose flour if you do not have white whole wheat flour.
Coconut Sugar: Coconut sugar adds a touch of sweetness to this bread. It is an unrefined sugar. You can leave it out if you prefer.
Baking Soda: Soda bread is named from the added baking soda that helps it leaven.
Vegan Buttermilk: Vegan buttermilk is simple to make by combining plant-based milk with either apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. I prefer soy milk, but you can use the plant milk of your choice. Be sure to use unsweetened milk.
👩🏻🍳 How to Make Vegan Soda Bread
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Prepare your baking dish. You can use a cast-iron skillet (traditional), a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, or a cake pan (9 inches). Line your pan of choice with parchment paper.
- Combine 2 cups of soy milk with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Whisk together. Set aside and allow it to sit for 10 minutes until the milk curdles and turns to buttermilk.
- Whisk together the white whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, and coconut sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the raisins to the dry ingredients. Stir together to combine evenly. For a nutty flavor, add some sliced almonds or pumpkin seeds.
- Pour the buttermilk into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently fold the ingredients together until combined. The dough will be crumbly.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Lightly flour your hands and work the dough into a ball. Knead the dough for about 30 seconds or until the flour is thoroughly worked into the dough. The dough will be very sticky! That’s normal.
- Transfer the ball of dough to your baking pan of choice. Score an X on the top of the ball using a sharp knife. Consider topping the bread with sunflower seeds or caraway seeds.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, at about 22 minutes, place an aluminum foil tent on top to prevent the top from burning. Allow bread to cool for 10 minutes in the baking pan. Transfer to a wire cooling rack.
📝 Expert Tips
- Don’t knead the dough too much. It will make the bread rather tough. The dough does not need to look perfect.
- Scoring an X over the top not only looks cute and creates an authentic look, but it also helps the bread bake evenly throughout the center.
- The traditional vessel used to bake soda bread is a cast iron skillet. However, if you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you may use a baking sheet, cake pan, or pie pan. Be sure to either grease the pan or line it with parchment paper.
❓FAQS
No, Irish soda bread does not contain any yeast. Baking soda is used as the leavening agent.
The superstition about Irish soda bread involves making a cross on the top before baking to ward off evil and protect the household. It is believed that this tradition has both religious and practical origins, symbolizing blessings and helping the bread to bake evenly.
🔪 Serving Suggestions
Warm: I love enjoying this Vegan Irish soda bread, slightly cooled but still warm on the inside. It tastes perfect with a pat of vegan butter!
Toast: Place a slice of bread in the toaster to warm it up! Serve with fresh preserves.
Room Temperature: Slice and serve at room temperature. This bread is delicious with your morning coffee and your favorite jam! Serve with my favorite Vegan Shamrock Shake for a special treat, a hearty vegan Irish stew, or hearty vegan potato soup!
🫙 Storage
Room Temperature: Place the bread in a paper or zip-top bag when stored at room temperature. This bread will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Fridge: If you don’t plan to eat the bread in the next few days, I recommend storing it in the refrigerator. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Freeze: You can also freeze this bread! Place it in an airtight freezer-safe bag. Label it with the date and contents. This bread will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Defrosting: When ready to serve, transfer the bread to the refrigerator to defrost overnight. I recommend warming the bread in the oven at 325°F for 5-8 minutes before serving so that it crisps back up.
🎥 Video
More vegan Irish recipes!
Recipe
Vegan Soda Bread
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet cake pan, or baking sheet
Ingredients
- 4 cups white whole wheat flour
- 2 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups unsweetened soy milk
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Prepare baking dish. You can use a cast iron skillet (traditional), a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, a cake pan (9 inch). Line your pan of choice with parchment paper.
- Combine 2 cups of soy milk with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Whisk together. Set to the side, and allow to sit for 10 minutes until milk curdles and turns to buttermilk.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the white whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, and coconut sugar. Add the raisins to the dry ingredients. Stir together to combine evenly.
- Pour the buttermilk into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently fold the ingredients together until combined. Dough will be crumbly.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface. Lightly flour your hands and work the dough into a ball. Knead the dough for about 30 seconds or until the flour is fully worked into the dough.
- Transfer the ball of a dough to your baking pan of choice. Score an X on the top of the ball using a sharp knife.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time at about 22 minutes, place an aluminum foil tent on top to avoid the top from burning. Allow bread to cool for 10 minutes in the baking pan. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
- It tastes delicious with preserves.
- The bread will last at room temperature for 2-3 days or up to 7 days if kept in the refrigerator.
- If storing at room temperature, place in a paper bag and seal.
- If storing in the refrigerator, place it in a zip-top bag with all air pushed out.
- It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight, and warm in the oven for 5-8 minutes at 325°F.
Mariah
Hi! Just wondering if you can substitute other non-dairy milk in this recipe? I usually only have almond milk.
Alison Corey
Hi Mariah!! So good to hear from you! Yes, you can use almond milk in this recipe. Any dairy-free milk will work!
Jo
I love how healthy this vegan bread while at the same time being loaded with great flavor! Thank you for sharing!
Kushigalu
Love this vegan version of soda Bread. Looks so perfect. Thanks for sharing
Tara
Yum! Such a delicious quick bread. That texture looks perfect and I love how you made it vegan with the soy milk.
Jamie
This will be perfect with some butter and jam! I love homemade bread, especially with raisins in it!
rika
I love soda bread and I always buy it from the store multiple times a year. The vegan version sounds healthy and it looks very easy to make.