Truth: the first time I baked bread, it was without a spec of yeast. I love me some active dry cultures and the art of rising dough but temperature criteria and patience don’t jive with me on an empty stomach. Gazing lovingly at a crunchy-on-the-outside and soft-on-the-inside rustic bread without yeast in less than an hour sounds farcical, but haste, it’s true! All this can be yours with just two simple words: baking soda.
Irish soda bread is my all-time favorite bread to bake. It is non-judgmental of your relationship with yeast, happens to take way less time than pesky yeasty bread and it’s free form. Think outside the loaf pan. This bread can be made with various flours to suit your fancy (and your flour inventory). I used Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour, which is a combination of various flours – mostly garbanzo bean flour and tapioca starch. You can replace the GF flour with equal parts all-purpose (or a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat).
There are a myriad of possibilities with this bread. I’ve made sun-dried tomato/basil as well as roasted garlic Irish soda bread using the same recipe below and have yet to be disappointed. What happens when Irish Soda Bread meats herbs and cheese? Nothing but fancy, fancy things. Irish soda bread, meet soup…soup, Irish Soda Bread. Do we need to leave you alone? I thought so. 
Irish Soda Bread with Cheese and Herbs
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
Description
What happens when Irish Soda Bread meats herbs and cheese? Nothing but fancy, fancy things.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (960 ml) gluten-free all-purpose flour (Bob's Red Mill)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp rubbed sage
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- Cracked pepper
- 1 cup (240 ml) grated gruyere cheese (or parmesan or asiago)
- 2 1/4 cups (540 ml) buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees
- In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients except for the buttermilk and whisk to combine.
- Form a well in the flour
- Pour in the buttermilk
- Using a spoon, stir the buttermilk into the flour, making small circles first then working your way outward to incorporate all the flour.
- Form the dough into a ball in your hands and turn it out onto a floured surface. The dough will be sticky. Kneed the dough a few times then form it into a disc about 2” thick. You can sprinkle some flour on the disc. Place the dough on a lightly oiled baking sheet.
- Using a serrated knife, gently cut an X into the dough, about 1/2” to 1” deep.
- Bake the bread 20 minutes and then lower oven heat to 400 degrees and bake 27 to 30 minutes or until the bread is golden-brown and sounds hallow when tapped.
Notes
- Replace the Gluten-free flour with equal parts all-purpose flour or a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Category: Baking
- Cuisine: Irish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 210
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is this soda bread actually gluten-free?
Yes — the recipe uses 4 cups of Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose flour (a blend of garbanzo bean flour and tapioca starch). The notes explicitly say you can replace it with equal parts all-purpose flour or a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat if gluten isn’t a concern.
Why does the dough get cut with an X before baking?
The instructions call for cutting an X about ½ to 1 inch deep into the disc with a serrated knife. This is a traditional Irish soda bread step that allows the heat to penetrate to the center of the thick loaf and helps it bake evenly rather than staying raw in the middle.
Can I swap out the Gruyere for a different cheese?
Yes — the recipe lists 1 cup of grated Gruyere with parmesan or asiago noted as alternatives. The article also mentions it has been made with sun-dried tomato/basil and roasted garlic variations using the same base recipe.
Hi, I’m excited to find this GF recipe for Soda Bread. I look forward to making it.
Maybe I’ll get back with you when I bake it.
Thanks for the recipe !!! Becky