Onion soda bread

When you taste this soft, fluffy, flavour-packed onion soda bread, you'll hardly believe is was made in a single bowl with no kneading or proving! It's easy, quick and intensely delicious.

You'll only need a handful of ingredients to make this recipe. Just flour, bicarb, yogurt, lemon juice, crispy fried onions and a touch of garlic granules and oregano.

These simple ingredients come together in the most mouthwatering way, so make sure you're hungry when you bake this loaf, because once you try a slice, you'll immediately want another.

As this is a soda bread, it's super easy to make. All you'll do is combine the flour, bicarb, garlic, oregano and crispy onions, then stir in the yogurt and lemon juice. That really is all that's required to make the dough!

To bake, you'll form into a loose ball, pop onto a baking tray and score a cross on the top. 40 minutes in the oven and you're done!

Here's how to make this ridiculously easy, utterly delicious onion soda bread.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan).

Put the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda, garlic granules, oregano, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl.

Whisk together so that everything is evenly distributed.

Add the fried onions.

Whisk again.

Make a well in the centre.

Pour the yogurt and lemon juice into the well.

Mix well until all the flour is incorporated and it starts to clump.

Flour your hands and briefly knead your dough in the bowl and it forms into a ball.

Gently transfer your dough to a nonstick baking sheet.

Score a cross in the top with a sharp knife to help the dough rise.

Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.

It can be enjoyed a little warm, if you like.

It smells incredible and tastes even better. Enjoy!

Extra tips for perfect onion soda bread

Is onion soda bread easy to make?

Soda bread is very easy to make, with the kneading and cooking portions both being rather forgiving.

The flour used for soda bread doesn't have as much gluten as most yeasted breads, and the dough hardly needs to be worked or rested. That means no worrying about keeping it covered or in the correct conditions for hours or even overnight as you might with other breads, soda bread can go from the mixing bowl to the baking tray to the oven.

It's also quite resilient to over-baking, so giving it an extra 5-10 minutes in the oven to make sure it's cooked through is generally no problem.

So with that in mind, I'd say soda bread might be the easiest, fastest (and one of the tastiest) loaves you can make.

Will I need any special equipment to make onion soda bread?

You won't need anything special for this recipe. All the required kit should be readily found in the average home baker's kitchen, such as weighing scales and measuring spoons, a measuring jug and mixing bowl, and a whisk and baking tray.

There is a full list of suggested equipment on the recipe card below.

What kind of yogurt should I buy?

You'll need to use an unsweetened, unflavoured yogurt for this recipe. A thick set one works best, as it produces a thicker dough that is easier to handle and sits taller while it bakes.

What are crispy fried onions and where can I get them?

Crispy fried onions are made by peeling and chopping fresh onions, drying them off, tossing in flour and deep frying until crispy.

You could make them yourself, or they're available in most supermarkets. You can usually find them in the World Foods aisle. If you can't find them in stores, you should be able to order them online.

Most bags are fairly big, so you probably won't use them all up in this recipe, but they're amazing in salads, mashed potato, gravy, or as a garnish on all sorts of dishes from curries to burgers, so they needn't go to waste.

How can I tell if my yogurt has gone off?

Plain yogurt is naturally acidic and so can taste a little sour while still being fine to eat.

To check it's still safe, firstly have a look at the Use By date. After this date, your yogurt should not be eaten, even if it looks and smells fine. Best Before End dates are a little more flexible and are used for less perishable foods like might lose a bit of flavour or texture but are still be safe to eat as long as there are no signs of spoilage.

As well as a Use By date, your pot of yogurt may have instructions to use within a certain number of days after opening. Again, this should be followed.

Gone off yogurt will smell unpleasantly sour and may have visible signs of mould, so should be discarded.

Is onion soda bread suitable for vegetarians?

Yes, this recipe is suitable for vegetarians as it contains no meat, poultry or chicken.

Is onion soda bread vegan?

This soda bread is not suitable for vegans because, like the majority of soda bread recipes, it contains yogurt and will contain some form of dairy.

However, you could try using a plant-based yogurt or plant milk instead, along with an extra tablespoon of lemon juice or white wine vinegar. If you use plant milk, you will find the dough is very wet, so the final bread will be flatter, but it will still be delicious.

Double check all of your ingredients labels to make sure to check that they are vegan. Don't forget to also check anything extra you intend to serve the recipe with.

Is onion soda bread gluten-free?

This onion soda bread is not gluten free as the main ingredient is wheat flour.

I haven’t tried making a gluten-free version myself yet but there’s a good chance it would work, since this bread recipe doesn’t require kneading. If you give it a go, I’d recommend a good quality gluten-free baking flour with xanthan gum.

Crispy fried onions are often tossed in wheat flour before being fried, but some are made in cornflour so may be suitable for a gluten-free diet. Check the label carefully and ensure that all the other ingredients are gluten free too

Is this recipe keto-friendly?

No, this recipe isn't suitable for a keto diet as it is made mainly with flour.

What does onion soda bread taste like?

The taste of soda bread in generally is quite different from most yeast-raised bread with a full, almost nutty quality to its deliciously golden crust.

The flavour of soda bread also changes depending on whether you're using plain or wholemeal flour, with plain flour offering a slightly more mellow taste. Whichever flour you use, you'll find the taste to be a hearty deep flavour with the yoghurt (traditionally buttermilk) adding a slight tang due to the lactic acid.

This particular recipe folds in crispy onions, garlic and oregano, which gives this soft, gorgeously herby, aromatic bread with a uniquely savoury flavour. It's very tasty.

Are soda bread and sourdough the same thing?

No, soda bread and sourdough are quite different, both in terms of how they are made and the resulting taste and texture.

Soda bread uses bicarbonate of soda and an acid (usually buttermilk but sometimes milk/yogurt with lemon/vinegar), which react together to create carbon dioxide and make the bread rise. This means it's a no-yeast dough.

To make sourdough, you first have to make a starter (also called a pre-ferment), which is a fermented mixture of flour, water and microorganisms, which include wild yeast and lactobacilli. This is then constantly increased in size by adding more flour and water, while also being taken away from as the yeast source for sourdough, which is what makes it rise. Sourdough tends to be chewy with complex flavours and, unsurprisingly, a little sour.

How can I make sure this recipe is perfectly cooked?

There isn't much than can go wrong with this onion soda bread as it's very simple!

All you'll do to make the dough is mix the dry ingredients, stir in the wet ingredients then shape into a ball. You'll then place the dough on a baking sheet, score a cross on the top and bake!

If you want to be absolutely certain of getting through the recipe mistake-free, read it through first, then get all your ingredients and equipment ready before you start.

Don't over-mix the dough, you only need to handle enough to bring together into a ball. And don't be tempted to add lots of extra flour - the dough is supposed to be wet and wobbly - it will firm up beautifully in the oven.

Don't skip scoring the X on top as this helps the bread rise properly.

If the bread looks like it's browning on top too quickly, you can cover the top loosely with foil while it finishes its time in the oven.

Why is my onion soda bread dense? Why didn't it rise?

Soda bread is typically more dense than a yeasted loaf, but this recipe does give a wonderfully tender crumb - it certainly shouldn't be a solid block! If your soda bread is too dense, here are some tips that can help.

The most likely reason your soda bread is dense it because you overworked it. Unlike most loaves - which use yeast - soda bread gets all of its rise from the the bicarbonate of soda. When combined with an acid, in this case in the lemon juice and yoghurt, it produces CO2 gas.

As the reaction between the bicarbonate of soda and acids in the wet ingredients is almost instantaneous, you have to be very gentle when working with the dough, so as not to knock out all the air bubbles that have been created. Don't overwork it.

Soda bread also tends to be quite a shaggy dough, but don't be tempted to add more flour, as this will only add to its density and won't lead to any increase in CO2 being produced.

Lastly, while I find it isn't necessary, some people also let the the dough relax for 10 minutes after shaping, but before putting in the oven, which can help with the rise. If you are going to do this then cover the shaped dough with damp towel or clingfilm to make sure the outside of your dough doesn't dry out - and leave the scoring until just before you put it in the oven.

What kind of flour should I use for my onion soda bread?

I've used plain flour for this recipe, but wholemeal flour is just as lovely. You can experiment with different types to find out what you like.

With that being said, soda bread is generally made from a "soft" wheats (which contain around 8-12 percent protein) so cake or pastry flour works very well. This is also the reason I wouldn't use a "hard" wheat (which contain around 12-15 percent protein), such as strong white bread flour, as soda bread should be moist and a little crumbly rather than airy and chewy.

Should I knead my onion soda bread?

No! Kneading your soda bread will result in a dense loaf that's more difficult to bake, so you should only mix the dough as much as is needed to gently bring the ingredients together and get it into the desired shape. The ingredients don't need to be perfectly combined either. A few cracks and lumps is far preferable to a smooth overworked dough. Have a look at the process pics above for reference.

As mentioned above, a big part of this is due to the CO2 produced from the bicarbonate of soda being created as soon as the wet ingredients are added. Kneading the dough will knock this out of it rather quickly, with no way back and will also toughen up the gluten, which we don't need to happen for this recipe.

Can onion soda bread be made without yogurt? Can I use milk or buttermilk? Can I use sour cream? Can I use stout?

Using buttermilk for soda bread

If you don't have any yoghurt to hand, you can switch it out for buttermilk. Ideally get thick buttermilk with a similar consistency to yoghurt. The thick type will usually come in a tub rather than a tall carton.

If you can only find the thinner stuff that will be fine too, just use splash less. An increase in moisture won't effect the bread too much, it will just be a little harder to shape and possibly take a little longer to cook.

Using milk for soda bread

You can use full fat milk but it's a good idea to add an extra tablespoon of lemon juice, since yogurt is already acidic. You can mix the lemon juice and milk together before adding to the flour, if you like, so that it sours. There's an explanation of how to do this here.

Again, if you use milk instead of yogurt, you'll get a looser dough, and a more spread out final loaf but it should still be delicious.

Using stout for soda bread

Stout is fairly traditional in Irish soda bread and adds a unique flavour that I can see working particularly well with the onions. I would substitute half the yoghurt for stout.

Do of course be mindful that there will be a little alcohol in the Stout, so think ahead when it comes to who might be eating the loaf.

Using sour cream for soda bread

While it's not something I normally do, soda bread can indeed be made with sour cream. Simply thin it out with a drop of milk if it’s very thick.

If using a sour cream with a high fat content and less sour taste, such as crème fraîche, I would sour it with an extra squeeze of lemon juice to make sure the bicarbonate of soda fully activates.

What is onion soda bread good with?

This savoury soda bread is so flavourful, it's delicious completely on it's own.

It's also wonderful served with a little salted butter. You really should wait for the loaf to cool completely before cutting into it, but sometimes I'm compelled to cut tear a warm chunk off the loaf and it's pretty incredible.

Soda bread in general goes very well cheese, salad, soups and stews and this onion soda bread also works fantastically in simple sandwiches such as cheddar and pickle.

Can onion soda bread be toasted?

Soda bread is lovely when toasted any time, but I find after a couple of days when it becomes a little more chewy/stale, toasting can really bring it back to life.

One thing it note is that the dough can become a bit stiff/crumbly once it starts to go stale. This is because it uses plain flour, which doesn't contain gluten, and that gluten isn't worked by kneading, so it doesn't have the same structure as standard bread. For this reason, I suggest placing a slice or two under the grill for a few minutes rather than in the toaster.

Is onion soda bread yeast free?

Yes, one of the characteristic traits of soda bread is that it doesn't use any yeast, but instead getting its delicious crumb from the CO2 produced from the bicarbonate of soda reacting with the dairy acid.

How should I store onion soda bread?

Cool your onion soda bread completely, then wrap well and pop in your bread bin to keep it at its best for as long as possible.

How long does onion soda bread keep?

While soda bread is is incredibly tasty, it doesn't keep as well as some other breads. For this reason ,soda bread is best eaten within 1-2 days.

If you want to soften your bread back up once it's started to go a bit stale, warm your oven to 170C (150C fan) and pop the bread in for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

You bread will still be fantastic for toast too for a couple more days.

Can I make onion soda bread ahead?

No, as soon as the dough is made, it needs to be baked, and once it's made, it's best enjoyed within a couple of days.

Can I keep onion soda bread in the refrigerator?

It's best not to keep this bread in the fridge. It is too cold and will actually cause the bread to go stale more quickly.

Can onion soda bread be frozen?

A baked loaf (or half a loaf) will freeze well if you get it into the freezer as soon as it had cooled down. Make sure it's well wrapped and placed in a sealed container to avoid freezer burn.

And ideal container is one that's not much bigger than the loaf, if you have one.

What is the best way to thaw frozen onion soda bread?

Thaw the bread in a cool spot in your kitchen, still wrapped and its container to avoid attracting excess moisture. It should take a couple of hours to thaw, so you could get it out and let it though overnight.

Unwrap once thawed, eat within 24 hours and don't refreeze.

Can I freeze onion soda bread dough?

I haven't tried freezing soda bread dough and I wouldn't advise it. This is because soda bread is a 'quick bread', meaning the leavening (rising) reaction happens instantly, meaning the dough probably won't 'wake up' upon being thawed.

Can I make onion soda bread in a different quantity?

Yes, if you want to make a smaller or larger loaf, you certainly could.

Look for the recipe card by scrolling down to near the bottom of the post. You'll see the servings near the top left. Click on it and a little slider will pop up. You can move the slider up or down to get the amount you want to make and all the ingredient quantities will update automatically for you so that everything is in the right ratios.

Bear in mind that a much smaller or larger loaf may take more or less time to bake.

Can I make onion soda bread in individual rolls?

Yes, you could make individual onion soda bread rolls! To do this, make the dough as directed and then use the method detailed in this vegetable soda bread rolls recipe to divide and bake your dough. The cooking times may vary.

Can I make onion soda bread in a stand mixer?

I would not recommend using a stand mixer as you will almost certainly over mix the dough.

Can I make this recipe with a food processor?

No, I would not recommend using a food processor as you will almost certainly over mix the dough. You'd also break down the onions, which would spoil the recipe.

Is onion soda bread healthy?

While in general soda bread made with wholemeal flour is pretty healthy when compared to other breads, this particular recipe uses plain flour and crispy fried onions, which are fairly calorie dense.

That's not to say this onion soda bread is unhealthy, and it can certainly be enjoyed in a sensible portion as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Is soda bread easier to digest?

Because soda bread doesn’t contain yeast, some people feel that they find it easier to digest than a regular loaf of sliced white bread, but this isn't the case for everyone.

Is this recipe safe to eat while pregnant?

This soda bread should be safe to eat during pregnancy.

Make sure to use yogurt that has been pasteurised (it should say on the label), and that all the ingredients are in good condition and the bread is prepared safely and hygienically.

A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice. Please seek help from a medical professional if you need further information or have any concerns.

Is it suitable for babies and toddlers?

There is nothing in this onion soda bread recipe that should present a risk to pregnant people if the ingredients are in good condition and have been stored correctly, and the recipe is cooked hygienically and safely.

If you are making this for young children or babies, leave out the salt. The NHS explains why here. Check the salt content of your fried onions too.

Always give food at an appropriate size and shape for your baby or child. Cut small, round foods, like grapes and cherry tomatoes, into small pieces.

Always keep babies supported upright while eating and supervise your baby when they’re eating in case they start to choke.

A Mummy Too does not give medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns please speak to a health professional.

The NHS has some fantastic resources on their website on what to feed babies and young children.

What is the origin of this recipe?

Early European settlers to the Americas are thought to have made something similar to soda bread in the 1700s using pearl ash (aka potash or potassium carbonate) as a leavening agent.

When baking soda was invented in the US in 1840, its use in baking alongside cream of tartar (which acts as the acid to bicarb's alkaline) became popular across Europe.

Today, modern baking powder is a mixture of bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar. When baking powder is added to cake batter, the alkaline bicarbonate of soda and acidic cream of tartar react together to create gases which help the cake rise.

Print the recipe for onion soda bread

If you’d like to print onion soda bread recipe, just hit PRINT on the recipe card below.

Pin this onion soda bread

More bread recipes to try