This rustic Vegan Irish Soda Bread is crusty and delicious. Made in one bowl with just 5 simple ingredients, it’s so easy to make and ready in less than 30 minutes.
I love all holidays…period! Holidays are a great excuse to make food and have a party, especially St. Patrick’s Day. Not that I need an excuse to do any of that. But, one of my favorite things to make is vegan Irish Soda Bread this time of year. It’s simple, fast, and delicious!
Traditional Irish soda bread uses only 4 ingredients: flour, buttermilk, baking soda, and salt. But, I quickly realized you can make delicious plant-based soda bread without buttermilk. It’s extremely easy. All I had to do was use my own DIY vegan buttermilk recipe and done! Perfect vegan oil-free Irish soda bread.
While this may not be considered “traditional” Irish soda bread it’s about as close as you can get. I guarantee no one will be able to tell the difference and they surely would never think it’s vegan.
If you search the internet you might find some soda bread recipes that use raisins and cardamon. No thanks. You are more than welcome to add them. But, not here. I like my soda bread crusty, rustic, and more on the savory side.
The best thing about this bread, apart from the fact it’s delicious and healthy, is how simple it is to make. You don’t have to be a professional baker. So, if you’re ready, LET’S DO IT!
Ingredients You’ll Need…
Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious Vegan Irish Soda Bread:
- Flour: You can use organic unbleached flour, whole wheat flour, or white whole wheat flour. I made several recipes using all of these and each of them came out just fine. However, the organic unbleached was my favorite.
- Baking Soda: The baking soda reacts with the acid in the vegan buttermilk to make this plant-based Irish soda bread rise.
- Salt: You make leave this out if you prefer, but it such a small amount and really contributes to the final product.
- Vegan Buttermilk: A simple mixture of non-dairy milk and white vinegar. Personally, I have found oat milk works best for baked goods like breads and muffins.
How To Make Vegan Irish Soda Bread
This recipe is easy to throw together. It comes together quickly and bakes up perfectly in less than 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 430˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the Vegan Buttermilk and set aside. Simply add the milk and vinegar to a bowl, whisk, and let it sit for a few minutes. This will give the milk time to curdle.
- To a large mixing bowl add the flour, baking, soda, and salt and whisk together. Create a well in the center and pour in the vegan buttermilk.
- Begin to mix the dough with a wooden spoon or spatula at first then use your hands to knead the dough when it becomes more difficult to mix. Knead the dough inside the mixing bowl for a couple of minutes until you can form a ball. If the dough is wet and sticky add a little more flour. Be careful not to add too much. If the dough is too dry your bread will end up dry and dense. You want the dough to be a little sticky so you get a more moist bread.
- Transfer the dough to the baking sheet lined with parchment paper, flatten the dough into a disc until it’s about ½” – 1” thick. Then use a serrated knife to cut an “X” on top of the dough and sprinkle a little extra flour on top.
- Place in the oven on the center rack and bake for 25-30 minutes until it’s golden, crusty, and cooked all the way through.
- Remove the Irish Soda Bread from the oven, transfer to a cooling rack, and let the bread cool for at least 1 hour before slicing it.
- You can store this Irish soda bread at room temperature for up to 5 days. To help it stay moist simply wrap it in a clean towel or store it in an airtight container.
- Enjoy this bread plain as a side with soups, salads, or toasted with your favorite spread. I love having this with my Vegan Cream Cheese. Amazing!
That’s it! The worst part of this whole process is the kneading because the dough is a tad sticky. But, the results are worth all the pain and suffering you have to endure. (FYI, it’s not really suffering)
How To Serve Vegan Irish Soda Bread
This delicious bread is excellent for enjoying with hearty soups like my Instant Pot Vegetable Soup, Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili, Chickpea Noodle Soup, Easy 1-Pot Vegan Lentil Soup, or Vegan Corn Chowder!
My favorite ways to serve this vegan Irish Soda Bread is alongside this vegan corned beef and cabbage by Monica over at The Hidden Veggies. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.
FYI, it’s also excellent for toasting and smearing with your favorite spread like avocado, fruit spread, nut butter, or even my vegan cream cheese.
How To Cut Irish Soda Bread
The best way to cut and serve this bread is to quarter it and thinly slice. I have found I get about 20 slices per loaf. So, there should be more than enough to go around for everyone.
💭 Top Tips
- Use oat milk! I made this bread four times using almond milk and oat milk. And, both worked great. But, the oat milk is just excellent for baking.
- Score it! Be sure and make the “X” on top. This is not just for decorative purposes…at least that’s what the internet says. Because this bread is denser than regular bread, the “X” allows the bread to cook evenly all the way through.
- Don’t over-knead. You only want to knead the dough until you can form a ball. Too much mixing will cause the bread to be extremely dense once it’s baked.
- Shaping your dough! It is imperative to form the dough into a disc shape about ½″ to no more than 1″ thick. Because there is no yeast in this bread, if it’s too flat it won’t rise. If it’s too thick, it won’t rise as well either.
Storage
Freezer: This bread doesn’t keep like regular bread and will dry out fairly quickly. So, yes, it’s perfect for freezing. It will keep for up to 3 months frozen.
Room Temperature: You can also store it for up to a week on the counter underneath a clean towel or in an airtight container.
Why You Will Love Vegan Irish Soda Bread
- It’s made without buttermilk so it’s dairy-free
- Low-fat and uses only organic whole ingredients.
- Requires just 5 ingredients, 30 minutes, and super easy to make
- Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day
- It’s hearty, rustic, and delicious
More Amazing Vegan Recipes
If you make this vegan Irish Soda Bread let me know! Please leave a comment and rate it. Be sure to share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #shaneandsimple. I want to see your work. Enjoy!
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Vegan Irish Soda Bread
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins.
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 15–20 slices 1x
- Category: Vegan Side Dish Recipes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This rustic Vegan Irish Soda Bread is so crusty and delicious. Made in one bowl with just 5 simple ingredients, it’s so easy to make and ready in less than 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole wheat flour (may also use organic unbleached flour or white whole wheat)
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 cups oat milk
- 2 Tbsp white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Optional
- Rolled oats or extra flour to sprinkle on top of the bread before baking
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 430˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the Vegan Buttermilk and set aside. Simply add the milk and vinegar to a bowl, whisk, and let it sit for a few minutes. This will give the milk time to curdle.
- To a large mixing bowl add the flour, baking, soda, and salt and whisk together. Create a well in the center and pour in the vegan buttermilk.
- Begin to mix the dough with a wooden spoon or spatula at first then use your hands to knead the dough when it becomes more difficult to mix. Knead the dough inside the mixing bowl for a couple of minutes until you can form a ball. If the dough is wet and sticky add a little more flour. Be careful not to add too much. If the dough is too dry your bread will turn out dry and dense. You want the dough to be a little sticky so you get a more moist bread.
- Transfer the dough to the baking sheet with parchment paper, flatten the dough into a disc until it’s about ½” – 1” thick. Then use a serrated knife to cut an “X” on top of the dough and sprinkle a little extra flour on top.
- Place in the oven on the center rack and bake for 25-30 minutes until it’s golden, crusty, and cooked all the way through.
- Remove the Irish Soda Bread from the oven, transfer to a cooling rack, and let the bread cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.
- You can store this Irish soda bread at room temperature for up to 5 days. To help it stay moist simply wrap it in a clean towel or store it in an airtight conatiner.
- Enjoy this bread plain as a side with soups, salads, or toast it and add your favorite spread. I love having this with my Vegan Cream Cheese. Amazing!
Notes
Use oat milk! I made this bread four times using almond milk and oat milk. And, both worked great. But, the oat milk is just excellent for baking.
Score it! Be sure and make the “X” on top. This is not just for decorative purposes…at least that’s what the internet says. Because this bread is denser than regular bread, the “X” allows the bread to cook evenly all the way through.
Don’t over-knead. You only want to knead the dough until you can form a ball. Too much mixing will cause the bread to be extremely dense once it’s baked.
Shaping your dough! It is imperative to form the dough into a disc shape about ½″ to no more than 1″ thick. Because there is no yeast in this bread, if it’s too flat it won’t rise. If it’s too thick, it won’t rise as well either.
Storing your bread. This bread is perfect for freezing. It will keep for up to 3 months frozen.
Room Temperature: You can also store it for up to a week on the counter underneath a clean towel or in an airtight container.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 94
- Sugar: 0.8 g
- Sodium: 194.5 mg
- Fat: 1.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.9 g
- Fiber: 2.8 g
- Protein: 3.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: vegan irish soda bread, soad bread without buttermilk, vegan oil-free soda bread, plant-based irish soda bread
Hi Shane – I plan to try this recipe tonight with the cabbage and potato soup. Do you think subbing some dark rye flour for a portion of the whole wheat flour work and is so what ratio? I have some Bob’s Mill Dark rye flour I need to use. Thanks you! P.S. I love you recipes and blog!
I would just decrease the regular flour by a 1/4 cup and replace it with 1/4 cup of the rye flour.
I have made Irish Soda bread for years. Made this today for St Patrick’s and it is delicious! I did add 1/4 cup sugar and raisins. Just ads a touch of sweetness. My dough was very wet but kept it that way and result is fantastic. So fast, so good, thanks Shane!!
★★★★★
Hey Shane.. I’m making your recipe Thursday but using 1/2 Bob’s gluten free and 1/2 oatmeal flour to make it gluten free. Some other recipes I searched say 350 for 60 minutes and your recipe is 430 for 25 minutes. Curious if your recipe is set at a higher temp to make the dough rise faster? Love your recipes!
Hi, Angela! I experimented several times and adapted from other recipes. This temp just worked best.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
I want to make this bread for an event next weekend. I’ve never made it before, so I wanted to make it ahead of time. Can you please elaborate on why it won’t freeze like other breads? Thanks! Looking forward to making this!
Hi, Jan! That was actually a mistake and I’ve rewritten that section. You can totoally freeze this bread for up to 3 months. Hope this helps and sorry for the confusion.
The recipe still says you can’t freeze it. I’m going to make this for St Patrick’s Day.
Sorry, that’s a typo. You can freeze it for up to 3 months.
Bread can not get any easier than this recipe! Crusty with a tender inside. Good for dunking in any soup recipe from Shane and Simple! I did add a wee bit of maple syrup to the batter which added to the yumminess. Thank you for another great recipe Shane.
★★★★★
Could I use oat flour for this?
Thanks!
Yes, should work fine.
I just made this but it didn’t rise 🙁
I used whole wheat flour, white vinegar and soy milk. I left the buttermilk curdling for more than a couple of minutes, maybe 20-25. Could that have been the cause? I followed everything else to the letter. I did have to add a bit more flour but it was still very moist and sticky when I put it on the baking sheet. Could it have been too wet? I bake, but this was my first soda bread attempt. Maybe I’ll watch a video to see the consistency that needs to be achieved. If you have any advice I would appreciate it as I’m going to try again in a few days.
Hi, Letizia! Honestly, I haven’t heard this from anyone so not sure what could’ve happened. A couple of thoughts: 1) Don’t let the buttermilk sit as long. It should only need 5-10 minutes to curdle. 2) What type of flour did you use? Again, sorry I don’t have any more answer than this at the moment. Once you try it again let me know how it turns out. We’ll get it solved…eventually:) Thanks for reaching out…again:)
★★★★★
Child of a Irish immigrant who grew up eating soda bread, this makes a perfect brown bread and I added 2 Tblps of maple syrup and a cup of raisins to make a loaf for tea, turned out beautifully, thanks for making my St. Patrick’s day.
★★★★★
Wow, Kathleen! What an incredible comment. Thank you so much, And, thanks for sharing your additions. Sounds absolutely lovely! Blessings.
★★★★★
Yum, this was my first time making it and hubby loved it! I might make it a little thicker next time as it came out a little flatter than I would like but still tasty, especially when paired with the vegan cabbage soup which I also made for the first time today! ☘️
★★★★★
Any tips for making this in a bread machine? I don’t have an oven. 🙁
★★★★★
I don’t think it will work in a bread machine. But, I’ll do some research and get back to you.
Can you add raisins to this?
Absolutely!
★★★★★
This rustic Vegan Irish Soda Bread is crusty and delicious. Made in one bowl with just 5 simple ingredients, it’s so easy to make and ready in less than 30 minutes.
★★★★★
AWESOME – YOU’RE FAST & FURIOUS ! Now I’m all set to pinch anyone on St. Patrick’s Day for not wearing green ☘️
★★★★★
haha, thank you! And, be careful who you pinch;)
What would you suggest substituting for the whole wheat flour for those of us who can’t have wheat?
I would use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. I’ve yet to make this gluten-free, but this should work.
I also wanted to use GF flour- would I need to add any xantham gum? If so, how much? Thx in advance!
Hi, Elaine! That is usually included in most GF flours for baking. But, I wouldn’t think so.