Traditional Irish Soda Bread

Instructions

1. Set your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. This high heat creates the crust that makes soda bread so distinctive.
2. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl, whisking them together thoroughly. The baking soda needs to be evenly distributed — it's doing all the heavy lifting here since there's no yeast.
3. Create a deep well in the center of your flour mixture and pour in all the buttermilk at once. The cold buttermilk will react immediately with the baking soda, so work quickly from this point forward.
4. Use a fork to stir the mixture, working from the center outward until you have a shaggy, sticky dough. Stop as soon as it comes together — overworking will make your bread tough and dense.
5. Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and give it just 3-4 gentle kneads until it barely holds together. It should still look rough and rustic — that's exactly what you want.
6. Pat and shape the dough into a round loaf about 8 inches across, keeping your touch light. Transfer it to your prepared baking sheet.
7. Score a deep X across the entire top with a sharp knife, cutting about 1 inch deep. This classic cross helps the bread bake evenly and gives steam an escape route.
8. Slide into the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until the crust turns golden brown and gives a hollow thump when you tap the bottom. The cross should be well-defined and slightly darker.

   ⏱ 40 min
9. Transfer to a wire rack and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Cutting too soon will give you gummy bread — patience pays off here.

   ⏱ 15 min