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Irish soda bread

Irish soda bread

Name: Irish soda bread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 400 ml milk; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 500 g spelt flour; 1 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp fine salt

By Greg

Total Time: 45 min

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 35 min

Yeast-free bread inspired by a recent visit to Ireland

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Recipe Details

Serves: 4 people

Difficulty: Easy

Created 30 October, 2025

Updated 20 March, 2026

Adjust Servings

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Ingredients

400 ml milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
500 g spelt flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp fine salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°C conventional (180°C fan-assisted). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Sour the Milk: in a jug or bowl, combine 400 ml of milk with the two tablespoons of lemon juice. Stir once and set aside for 10 minutes. It will thicken and curdle slightly in this time.
Combine the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, baking soda and salt.
Form the dough: Make a well in the centre of your dry ingredients. Pour in about three-quarters of the soured milk. Using a fork, mix until a shaggy, sticky dough starts to form. Add the remaining milk as needed to bring the flour together. Important: do not overmix, or the dough will become tough!
Tip the sticky dough out on the parchment paper and form an oval bread shape about four or five cm high. Using a sharp, floured knife, cut a deep cross into the top of the loaf.
Place the baking tray with the dough into the oven, cooking for around 35 minutes. The loaf is done when it looks golden brown.
Transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool. For a softer crust, wrap the bread in a tea towel while it cools.
Best enjoyed when eaten on the same day as it is made.