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Vegan Irish soda bread is a quick and easy yeast-free bread made with simple ingredients in under an hour. It’s delicious and has a super crisp crust and dense yet soft middle. Enjoy it on St. Patrick’s Day and year-round with vegan butter, soups, stews, & more!
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Quick and Easy Yeast-Free Vegan Soda Bread
If you want to make your own bread but the yeast-based doughs and long rising times of a traditional sandwich loaf seem too intimidating (even an easy no-knead version), we highly recommend trying this fast and easy vegan Irish soda bread recipe. It’s hearty and tender, requires no yeast, proofing, or temperature control, and is perfect for beginners.
What Is Irish Soda Bread?
Irish soda bread is an artisan-style quick bread that ditches yeast in place of baking soda for leavening. When combined with buttermilk, a reaction takes place for a dense yet soft texture. Traditionally, the recipe can be made with as little as 4 ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. However, Americanized versions may also include egg (for richness), butter, sugar, raisins, and other sweet or savory add-ins.
We’re creating an easy vegan soda bread recipe, complete with several delicious flavor variations. The result is bread that’s just a little sweet and buttery, with a craggy crust, and is reminiscent of an oversized American biscuit/scone – in the best way.
The Ingredients and Substitutes
- Flour: We usually use all-purpose flour, though you could also use a 50/50 blend with whole wheat flour. Cake flour, which is low in gluten, also works wonderfully.
- Vegan butter: Use high-quality, room-temperature butter (like Miyoko’s/ Earth Balance).
- Vegan buttermilk: Easily replace dairy buttermilk in this dairy-free bread recipe with a mix of soy milk (which works particularly well – or oat milk/almond milk) and apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice).
- Baking soda: You can’t make vegan soda bread without baking soda. Ensure it’s fresh.
- Baking powder: This particular yeast-free soda bread recipe works best with both baking soda and powder, and neither is interchangeable.
- Applesauce: Unsweetened applesauce replaces egg (used to add density). You may be able to skip it for a lighter loaf.
- Sugar: (Optional) For subtle sweetness. Use brown sugar/unrefined coconut sugar, if preferred.
- Sea salt: To season.
- To brush: Extra vegan buttermilk with melted vegan butter browns the loaf and keeps it soft.
Flavor Variations
This recipe is very versatile and can be made into savory or sweet Irish soda bread, including:
- Raisin Irish soda bread: Mix in 1-2 cups raisins (or currants) + optionally 1-2 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp vanilla extract, 1-2 tsp orange zest, and/or 1-2 tbsp caraway seeds.
- Cranberry Irish soda bread: Add 1-1 ½ cups dried cranberries, 1 tbsp orange zest (or lemon zest), increase the sugar by ½-⅓ cup + optional 1 tsp cinnamon and/or ½-¾ cup chopped walnuts for a loaf that’s perfect for the holidays. Optionally, add a glaze.
- Caraway Irish soda bread: Add 1-2 tbsp caraway seeds with or without raisins.
- Vegan cheddar Irish soda bread: Omit sugar and add 1-2 cups shredded sharp vegan cheddar cheese + optionally 2-3 tbsp chopped fresh herbs like chives, green onion, parsley, or dill, 1 tbsp chopped rosemary, or mixed herbs. Garlic is great in it, too.
Other Add-ins
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Sliced green and/or black olives
- Garlic powder or roasted garlic
- Fried onions
- Nuts/seeds (pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds, pine nuts, pistachios, mixed seeds, etc.)
- Other dried fruit (like currants/chopped apricots)
How to Make Vegan Irish Soda Bread
Prepare the Bread Dough
- Preheat the oven to 375F/190C and line a large baking sheet (or cast-iron skillet) with parchment paper/a silicone mat.
- Next, whisk the vegan milk and vinegar in a cup until it thickens, and set aside for 5 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the vegan butter and use a pastry cutter or fork to ‘’cut’ it into the mixture until it reaches wet sand consistency.
- Add the applesauce to the vegan buttermilk, stir, then add that to the flour mixture and use a spatula to mix it into a sticky, shaggy dough.
Shape and Bake It
- First, combine ¼ cup soy milk and 1 tsp vinegar, mix well, and set aside for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, lightly flour a clean kitchen surface, turn the dough onto it, and knead (very gently – more like ‘folding’ it) until the small bits are incorporated, but it’s still shaggy. Be careful not to over-knead it.
- Next, use your hands to gently lift and drop the dough onto the counter to help shape it into a ball. Then transfer it to the baking sheet.
It will be sticky, so this can be messy. Work quickly to avoid the vegan butter melting. There’s no need to be too ‘perfect’ about this, as the dough SHOULD look craggy.
- Melt the vegan butter in the microwave (30-35 seconds) and stir it into the vegan milk-vinegar mix. Then, brush a layer of it over the top of the dough.
- Use a sharp knife (or pastry razor) to slice an X into the top of the dough (about ½-inch deep). Then, brush more of the mixture over the dough.
Don’t use it all now, as we’ll ‘baste’ the dough once more while baking.
- Transfer the vegan soda bread to the oven and bake for 30 minutes before brushing the remaining vegan milk and plant-based butter mixture over it and returning it to the oven for 10 minutes.
- Finally, remove the loaf from the oven and immediately transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Enjoy!
FAQs
We haven’t tried, though you may be able to swap the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend (like King Arthur’s or Bob’s Red Mill) instead. It’s likely to be denser and drier.
It’s ready when the crust is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom with your knuckles.
This is likely due to overworking the dough, which strengthens the gluten and toughens the texture. Handle the dough minimally, just enough for it to come together in a loaf.
Pro Recipe Tips
- Check your baking soda: Check it’s not only in date but definitely still active by combining a little with vinegar/lemon juice. It should bubble/fizz immediately.
- Don’t overwork the dough: It’s normal for it to be shaggy. It won’t be smooth, and neither should it be. The key is to avoid strengthening the gluten in the flour.
- Score the top: This helps heat reach the center to bake evenly. ½-1 inches deep is perfect.
- Leave it to cool: This ensures it properly ‘sets’ inside before slicing. Otherwise, it can be mushy and dense.
How to Eat Irish Soda Bread
The options for enjoying dairy-free soda bread are practically endless, whether sweet or savory.
- Warm/toasted with lashings of vegan butter and/or jam
- To make sandwiches
- At breakfast, with scrambled tofu and other toppings
- Soups/stews – like corn chowder, chickpea soup, root veg lentil stew and vegan Irish stew
- For dipping into vegan chili
- Alongside pasta, spaghetti, or risotto
Storage Instructions
We love to enjoy some warm then store any leftovers in a cloth bag or wax paper at room temperature for 2-3 days.
When it gets a little tough, freshen up vegan soda bread by sprinkling it with water and microwaving/baking it until warm.
Can You Freeze Irish Soda Bread?
Yes, you can freeze the vegan Irish soda bread, whole or sliced, in a freezer-safe Ziplock/Stasher (wrapped in plastic wrap) for 2-3 months. Thaw it at room temperature or in a microwave.
More Vegan Bread Recipes
- Skillet Cornbread
- Vegan Focaccia Bread
- Vegan American Biscuits
- Sweet Potato Biscuits
- Jalapeño Cornbread
Photos by Alfonso Revilla
Vegan Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup of plain soymilk
- 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons of sugar
- 2 teaspoons of baking soda
- 1 tablespoon of baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup of vegan butter, room temperature
- ½ cup of plain applesauce
- ¼ cup of plain soy milk
- 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup vegan butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a cup, mix together the soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Whisk until it thickens. Set aside for 5 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the vegan butter and using a pastry cutter or a fork, work the vegan butter into the flour until a sandy texture is achieved.
- Add the applesauce to the cup with the vegan milk and apple cider vinegar mixture. Mix well and add it to the bowl with the flour mixture. Using a spatula, mix well. The dough will be sticky and somewhat broken apart.
- Lightly flour a clean surface and place the dough on it. Knead the dough until all the small particles are incorporated into the dough. Do not over knead. Form a ball by shaping it with your hands and gently lifting and dropping the dough on the counter. It will be sticky so it could be a bit messy. Just work quickly so the vegan butter does not melt with the heat of your hands. Place the dough ball on the baking sheet. And set aside.
- Mix the ¼ cup of soymilk and 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Mix well until it thickens. Set aside for 5 minutes. Put the ¼ cup of vegan butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 35 seconds or until melted, but not boiling or overheated.
- Add the vegan butter to the soy milk apple cider vinegar mixture. Mix well and set aside.
- Brush the soy milk and vegan butter mixture on top of the dough.
- Using a very sharp knife or a pasty razor. Slice an X on top of the dough ball.
- Brush more of the sory milk and vegan butter mixture all around the dough.
- Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the oven and generously brush the remaining plant milk and vegan butter mixture on the bread.
- Put the baking sheet back in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and immediately remove the bread from the baking sheet and transfer the bread to a cooling rack. Allow it to cool for 30 minutes before slicing.
- Enjoy it warm and fresh or allow it to cool completely.
Notes
- Check your baking soda: Check it’s not only in date but definitely still active by combining a little with vinegar/lemon juice. It should bubble/fizz immediately.
- Don’t overwork the dough: It’s normal for it to be shaggy. It won’t be smooth, and neither should it be. The key is to avoid strengthening the gluten in the flour.
- Score the top: This helps heat reach the center to bake evenly. ½-1 inches deep is perfect.
- Leave it to cool: This ensures it properly ‘sets’ inside before slicing. Otherwise, it can be mushy and dense.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Although plantbasedonabudget.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Plantbasedonabudget.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Love how easy this bread is to make!