You might know that you can make bread without yeast, but did you know that there's such a thing as a soda bread recipe without buttermilk?
To make successful bread, you need flour, liquid and something to cause your dough to rise in the oven. With soda bread, that rising effect is achieved with baking soda.
Baking soda is an alkaline powder, so when it meets with an acidic ingredient in a wet dough or batter, magic happens! Gases are released causing tiny air pockets to form, and your bake to gently rise.
Now, the most common way of making soda bread is to combine flour, bicarbonate of soda and buttermilk. This is because the buttermilk not only introduces moisture, it is also naturally acidic, completing that vital reaction needed to leaven your bread.
Leaven simply means "cause to rise", so you will sometimes hear of things like bicarbonate of soda, yeast or baking powder referred to as leavening agents.
But what to do if you can't get buttermilk? It's actually no problem! You can just use normal milk plus a simple household ingredient to add acidity: lemon juice!
I love a good yeasted bread, but this is my favourite recipe to make when I need a loaf in a hurry but don't have yeast, buttermilk or any time to knead or prove!
This bread can literally go from zero to cooling on your counter in under an hour, and you'll need just five simple ingredients: plain flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda, milk and lemon juice.
Note! If you don't have lemon juice, you can still make this work by using another acidic ingredient: vinegar!
Any sort of vinegar can be used in the same quantity to bring the acid element into the recipe. White wine vinegar is ideal. Stronger flavoured vinegar types may impact the flavour of the finished bread.
Let's bake!
Ingredients
- 500 g (3⅓ cups) plain white flour (all purpose flour) plus more to flour your surface
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 400 ml (1⅔ cups) whole milk
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Equipment
- Nonstick baking sheet
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan).
Measure your milk into a jug.
Squeeze in the lemon juice and set aside.
Put the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.
Mix together and form a well in the centre.
Dip your spoon in your milk. If it seems to have separated or have 'bits' in it, it's ready! Pour your milk into your bowl with the flour.
Mix until you have a very wet, gloopy dough.
Cover your work surface in a generous layer of flour and tip your dough onto it.
Sprinkle the top of your dough with flour.
Gently form your dough into a ball - it doesn't need to be perfect.
Transfer your dough to a floured baking sheet - shape again if necessary.
Score a cross in the top with a knife to help the dough rise.
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, covered with a tea towel.
Once cooled, the crust will have softened and the soda bread will be ready to slice and enjoy!
How will you eat yours?
Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect soda bread
Is soda bread easy to make?
Soda bread is one of the easiest bakes there is! You only need five ingredients: plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, lemon juice, milk and salt.
And you don't need any special skills as soda bread doesn't require any kneading or proving, you just measure, mix and go!
Do I need special equipment to make soda bread?
No special equipment required!
To make soda bread, you'll simply need:
- weighing scales and measuring spoons to measuring your ingredients,
- a jug or small bowl to mix the lemon juice with the milk,
- a large mixing bowl to combine the milk with the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt,
- a spoon to mix it all together,
- a knife to score an X on top of the loaf, and
- a baking sheet to cook it on
Where can I buy bicarbonate of soda?
You should find bicarbonate of soda in the baking aisle of any major supermarket.
You may also hear it referred to as bicarb or baking soda - not to be confused with baking powder.
Is soda bread suitable for vegetarians?
Yes, this soda bread recipe is entirely suitable for vegetarians.
Is soda bread suitable for vegans?
This recipe contains dairy milk, so it is not suitable for vegans. However, you can make find my vegan soda bread recipe here.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
This recipe is not gluten-free as it uses wheat flour as the main ingredient.
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. Let me know how you get on!
Is soda bread keto-friendly?
As flour is the main ingredient in this recipe, it is not keto-friendly.
Is soda bread healthy?
Soda bread is about the same as other breads in terms of its nutritional value.
If you cut this particular loaf into 14 slices, each will contain approximately 150 calories a slice, 29g of carbs, 5g protein and 1g fat. Please use these values as an approximate guide only.
Is soda bread safe to eat while pregnant?
There is nothing in this 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.
However, this is not medical advice and you should always check with your health professional. The NHS also has an excellent resource on foods to avoid in pregnancy.
What goes well with soda bread?
This soda bread is great on its own, spread with salted butter. It's also wonderful toasted.
You could use it to make all sorts of sandwiches and it's wonderful for toasties too.
Why not try using soda bread to make one of these tasty recipes?
Can I make this recipe without milk?
You can make this soda bread with buttermilk, if you like, instead of using milk and lemon juice.
Can I make this recipe without lemon juice?
If you haven't got lemon juice, you can add acidity to your milk using vinegar instead. I'd recommend white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Can I make this recipe without salt?
The salt in this soda bread recipe may help boost the volume of your bread a little, but it is mainly included to add flavour.
If you're on a low-salt diet, it's ok to reduce the quantity or leave it out.
Does it matter if I use semi-skimmed milk?
Not really! Either whole or semi-skimmed will work fine, but I would avoid full skimmed milk or milk with a high cream content.
Are bicarbonate of soda and baking powder the same thing?
No. Baking powder is a powder made up of bicarbonate of soda (which is alkaline) and cream of tartar (which is acidic). The two don't react together whilst dry, but once you add them to a wet batter or dough, they begin to produce gas - a reaction which will continue during baking, giving rise to the bake.
In this soda bread recipe, we use bicarbonate of soda because the acid is provided by the lemon juice.
I haven’t got bicarbonate of soda, can I use baking powder?
You really need bicarbonate of soda for this recipe, I'm afraid. If you haven't got any, you could try making scones instead.
This recipe for easy scones uses self-raising flour, and you can leave the baking powder out in that recipe as it's less vital.
How should I store soda bread?
Soda bread goes stale pretty quickly if left out on the counter unwrapped. To keep it fresh for as long as possible, wrap it well and place it in your bread bin or a sealed container.
How long does soda bread keep?
If stored correctly, your soda bread should be good for sandwiches for 2-3 days and still good for toast for another 1-2.
Can I keep soda bread in the refrigerator?
Don't put your soda bread in the refrigerator! The cold temperature will cause starch crystals to form, which will actually make your bread seem stale sooner rather than later.
Can I freeze soda bread?
You can freeze soda bread.
Wait for the loaf to be fully cooled, then wrap it well to make it as protected from frost as possible before placing in the freezer.
Alternatively, you can cut your loaf into slices first. Put a little freezer paper or baking paper between each slice, then wrap well or place in a sealed container. That way, you can take just what you need from the freezer.
What is the best way to defrost soda bread?
If you've frozen your soda bread loaf whole, it's best to remove it from the freezer and leave it wrapped until entirely defrosted, then enjoy as normal.
If you've frozen your bread in slices, you can do the same, or you can put frozen slices straight into the toaster as long as they're not covered in ice.
Can I toast soda bread?
You can absolutely toast soda bread - in fact, it's delicious. This recipe makes quite a large loaf, so you may want to cut the slices in half to toast them in the toaster, or toast them under the grill / broiler.
Can I make this recipe in a different quantity?
Yes, you can change the size of the loaf this soda bread recipe produces.
To do this, scroll down to the recipe card towards the bottom of this post and hover your mouse (or tap your finger) over the portion number, which is showing as 6 by default.
You will then be shown a slider, which you can move up and down to change the number of portions the recipe will give. As you do so, all of the ingredient quantities will automatically change accordingly.
Of course, if you significantly reduce or increase the size of this recipe, it may affect the cooking time, so keep an eye on your loaf as it bakes and use your judgement to decide how long it might need.
If you have any questions about changing the quantities, just ask!
Can I make this recipe in individual buns?
Yes, you can easily divide this soda bread recipe into individual buns if you like. Just divide the dough into eight pieces of roll into balls before spacing well on a floured baking tray.
Have a look at this vegetable soda bread rolls recipe to see the technique in action.
Can I make soda bread in a tin?
Yes, you can make soda bread in a bread tin. I'd recommend using a 1lb (500g) tin.
Can I make soda bread in a stand mixer?
You could mix the dough in a stand mixer if you like, but as there's very little mixing required (and no kneading!), it's just as easy to do it by hand.
Can I make this recipe in the slow cooker?
Yes, you can make this soda bread in a slow cooker. Grease the bowl of the slow cooker well, put the dough in, set the slow cooker to high and cook for about 2.5 hours.
Why is my soda bread hard or dry?
Your soda bread will seem hard when it first comes out of the oven. Cover it with a clean tea towel as it cools and it will soften up considerably.
If it still seems dry, tough or hard, it might be that:
- it was baked for too long
- the oven was too hot - oven temps can vary quite a lot!
- not enough liquid was added - follow the recipe quantities carefully
- too much flour was used
- the bicarbonate of soda has lost its potency
- not enough lemon juice was added
- the dough was over-worked - you should only handle it enough to gently shape it. Don't knead it.
Why is my soda bread doughy?
If your soda bread seems doughy, it might be that:
- it wasn't baked for long enough
- the oven was too cool - oven temps can vary quite a lot!
- too much liquid was added - follow the recipe quantities carefully
- too little flour was used
- the bicarbonate of soda has lost its potency
- not enough lemon juice was added
- the dough was over-worked - you should only handle it enough to gently shape it. Don't knead it.
My soda bread didn't rise. What went wrong?
If your soda bread didn't rise, the most likely causes are:
- not enough lemon juice was added
- the bicarbonate of soda has lost its potency
How can I tell if my bicarbonate of soda has stopped working?
Bicarbonate of soda generally lasts a really long time, but it can lose its effectiveness, especially after the container has been opened.
Half fill a small beaker with water and add a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Give it a stir and then sprinkle in half a teaspoon of the bicarbonate of soda. If it fizzes, it's working as it should, but if it doesn't, it's time to buy some new bicarb!
I'd suggest doing this experiment as soon as you buy a new pot of bicarbonate of soda so that you know what kind of reaction you should be looking for.
Can I add/change the flavours in this soda bread?
You can add any flavours you like to the dough in this soda bread. How about cinnamon and raisin? Or sun-dried tomato and parmesan? Just bear in mind that add a lot of extra ingredients, particularly ones that add moisture, may affect how long your loaf takes to bake, as well as the final texture.
How can I convert this recipe to cups?
I haven't tried making this recipe using cups, but 1.1lb of flour is equal to 4.1 cups and 13.5 fl oz of milk is about 1.7 cups. Let me know if you give it a go.
What is the origin of soda bread?
I thought it was an Irish recipe, but it turns out bicarbonate of soda didn't reach Europe until the 1800s. However, a version of soda bread is thought to have been made by settlers in America as far back as the 1700s, using pearl ash (aka potash or potassium carbonate) rather than bicarbonate of soda.
Print this soda bread recipe
Soda Bread Recipe without Buttermilk
Ingredients
- 500 g (3⅓ cups) plain white flour (all purpose flour) plus more to flour your surface
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 400 ml (1⅔ cups) whole milk
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Equipment
- Nonstick baking sheet
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan, 390F).
- Measure your milk into a jug.
- Squeeze in the lemon juice and set aside.
- Put the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.
- Mix together and form a well in the centre.
- Dip your spoon in your milk. If it seems to have separated or have ‘bits’ in it, it’s ready! Pour your milk into your bowl with the flour.
- Mix until you have a very wet, gloopy dough.
- Cover your work surface in a generous layer of flour and tip your dough onto it.
- Sprinkle the top of your dough with flour.
- Gently form your dough into a ball – it doesn’t need to be perfect.
- Transfer your dough to a floured baking sheet – shape again if necessary.
- Score a cross in the top with a knife to help the dough rise.
- Bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack, covered with a tea towel.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Pin this soda bread recipe without buttermilk
More bread recipes to try
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Eleri Davies says
Making this today again to go with my beef stew, absolutely lovely bread, so quick and easy, a must try for all
Emily Leary says
That's great!
Eleri Davies says
Made this a few times and I have to say that it was lush
Emily Leary says
Hurray! So pleased.
Chris Smith says
Hi Emily
There seems to be a shortage of bottled lemon juice at the moment. Does this recipe work with bottled lime juice. No worries as I bought lemons anyway.
Emily Leary says
Yes, you can use bottled lemon juice, juice from a fresh lemon, lime juice, or even white wine vinegar!
Peg Westcott says
Hi Emily
Thank you for this easy step by step recipe for soda bread. I made it today to go with a Irish Stew for dinner tonight and as my daughter is gluten intolerant I opted for gluten free flour. The bread tasted delicious so for your other followers gluten free flour works fine for this recipe. Cheers
Emily Leary says
That's great to hear, thank you!
DXC says
Followed recipe to the letter. Had to add an extra 200g flour to get something that wasn’t liquid.
Emily Leary says
It's supposed to be very loose - you shouldn't need to add that much flour. It cooks and rises back to a loaf shape in the oven.
DXC says
Yeah, but this sat in the bottom of the bowl like water in a pond ;-)
It came out edible (quite nice, in fact), but was just far too liquid.
Emily Leary says
I've made this probably 30-40 times during lockdown, and live with lots of families over Facebook who posted their results, so my guess is something went wrong with the measures :)
William Diggins says
Can I use lactose free milk for the soda bread?
Emily Leary says
Yes you can!