Traditional Soda Bread with Irish Butter & Cheese

Few things speak to Irish food culture quite like a warm loaf of soda bread fresh from the oven, its crust golden and its crumb soft and tender. Served with a thick slab of salted Irish butter and slices of aged farmhouse cheddar, it is as honest and satisfying as food gets. This is the recipe we come back to time and again — simple to make, endlessly comforting and a perfect showcase for the quality of Irish dairy.

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  • DIFFICULTY: Medium
  • 50 minutes

Ingredients

Serves: 8
we need:
  • 450g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 400ml buttermilk
  • Irish salted butter, at room temperature
  • 200g aged Irish farmhouse cheddar, thinly sliced
  • Chutney or honey (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lightly flour a baking tray.

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in most of the buttermilk. Using your hands, mix quickly from the outside in until the dough just comes together — it should be soft but not sticky. Add a little more buttermilk if needed.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a round about 4cm deep and place on the prepared tray. Cut a deep cross into the top with a sharp knife.

Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the base. Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Serve warm with generous amounts of salted Irish butter and thick slices of aged cheddar.

Tip: The key to good soda bread is speed — don’t overwork the dough or it will be tough. Mix just until it comes together and get it straight into the oven.

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