Easy white soda bread

Soda bread is a fantastic bread if you want something quick and easy. With no kneading or proving it can be ready in under and hour.

This sasy soda bread recipe is a great bread to make when you are short on time or don’t have any yeast to hand. It’s a deliciously rustic bread to make that you can rustle up in about an hour.

Unlike regular breads soda bread uses bicarbonate of soda instead of yeast to make it rise. That means it can be ready really quickly. There’s no need to knead the dough or wait for hours for it to prove.

It’s perfect for a quick lunch served along side some soup or as a side at dinner.

How can kids help make this easy soda bread?

Soda bread really is an easy bake to do with kids. It’s simply a case of measuring out the few ingredients, then mixing everything together. That’s something even young children and toddlers can help with.

There’s no fancy equipment needed either – a mixing bowl and some wooden spoons are all you need.

As this recipe doesn’t use yeast there’s no need to knead the dough or wait for it to prove which is great if your little ones lack the kind of patience you need for baking other types of bread (like our easy white bread for kids).

What’s the difference between soda bread and normal bread?

Soda bread gets it’s name from the bicarbonate of soda or baking soda that it uses as a leavening agent. ‘Normal bread’ uses yeast to rise which is why it takes a bit longer as it you need to rest and prove it. Soda bread is a much quicker and easier bread to make as there’s no proving time. 

Can I make it without buttermilk?

Yes! We never have any buttermilk in the house and I wouldn’t necessarily buy it especially to make this knowing how easy it is to make your own. Instead of buttermilk you can simply use the equivalent amount of milk and add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar for every cup you use. In this case it’s just over 1 ½ tablespoons.

If you do that before you start, the acid in the lemon juice or vinegar makes the milk curdle slightly and will work just as well as buttermilk.

In Mary Berry’s recipe for soda bread she suggests mixing 150ml milk and 150ml natural yogurt together as an alternative to buttermilk.

How long does soad bread keep?

I like soda bread best when it’s still a little warm from the oven, but it will keep for a day or so in an air tight container. It’s definitely best on the day you make it, so you might find after a day it’s nicer eaten toasted. If you want to keep it for longer, you can freeze soda bread for up to three months.

What do you serve soda bread with?

Soda bread is delicious served warm from the oven with a little bit of butter. Or, perhaps serve it as a side to a winter stew or sausage casserole or some lovely homemade soup, (check out our recipes for creamy roasted tomato soup or carrot soup.)

What other easy bread recipes for kids can i make?

If your kids enjoyed making this they might also some of our other easy bread recipes for kids including:

Finger rolls
Easy white bread recipe
Homemade bagels
Hedgehog rolls
English muffins
Breadsticks
Brown bread
Homemade pita bread
Tiger bread

Useful equipment

You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make this soda bread.

Digital scales
Mixing bowl
Wooden spoons
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Baking tray
Wire rack

Difficulty: Easy
Time: 20 minutes plus 30 minutes baking
Serves: 10 -12 slices

Ingredients

400g (3 cups) strong white bread flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
300ml (1 1/4 cups) buttermilk*

*See note above on how to make buttermilk from milk and lemon juice/vinegar if you don’t have any buttermilk.

How to make the easy soda bread

Preheat your oven to 200C / 180C Fan / 390F and line a baking tray with baking/greaseproof paper.

Make the buttermilk if you need to

Measure out 300ml milk and add 1 1/2 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice. Give it a stir and then set it aside for now.

Mix the dry ingredients together

Get your kids to measure out the flour into a bowl or cups and add it to a large mixing bowl.

Add one tsp of bicarbonate of soda and a tsp of salt. If your kids want to help with this, make sure they level the tea spoon with their finger before adding it to your bowl.

Mix it together.

Add the buttermilk

Make a well in the middle of the flour and get your kids to pour the buttermilk in. Stir it so it is well mixed and forms a sticky dough.

We found the dough wetter and sticker than we’re used to compared to other breads we’ve made, so don’t be put off by this. You don’t need to knead this dough, so it doesn’t matter if it’s a bit wetter.

Form the soda bread

Get your kids to lightly flour your work surface, then tip your dough on to it.

Shape it into a round loaf with your hands then pop it on to your prepared baking tray. To get it into shape, make a round ball and gently tuck the sides under to smooth the top.

Using a sharp knife ( this is a job for grown ups) score through your bread to divide it into quarters. Don’t score through to the bottom.

Bake the soda bread

Bake the soda bread in the oven for 30-40 minutes. It’s ready when it has turned a nice golden brown colour on top. It should also sound hollow when you tap the bottom.

Remove the bread from the oven and leave it to cool on a wire rack.

Serve and enjoy! Soda bread is at its best on the day you bake it. Like all bread I love it when it’s still a little warm from the oven.

cookingwithmykids

Easy soda bread

Soda bread is a fantastic bread if you want something quick and easy. With no kneading or proving it can be ready in under and hour.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Course: lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, British

Calories: 343

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 450 g (3 cups) strong bread flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 300 ml (1 ¼ cups) buttermilk*

Method

 

1. Preheat your oven to 200C / 180C Fan / 390F and line a baking tray with baking/greaseproof paper.

Mix the dry ingredients together

1. Measure out the flour into a bowl or cups and add it to a large mixing bowl.
2. Add a tsp of bicarbonate of soda and a tsp of salt then mix it together.

Add the buttermilk

1. Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour the buttermilk in. Stir it so it is well mixed and forms a sticky dough.

Form the soda bread

1. Lightly flour your work surface, then tip your dough on to it.
2. Shape it into a round loaf with your hands then pop it on to your prepared baking tray.
3. Using a sharp knife score through your bread to divide it into quarters. Don't score through to the bottom.

Bake the soda bread

1. Bake the soda bread in the oven for 30-40 minutes. It's ready when it has turned a nice golden brown colour on top. It should also sound hollow when you tap the bottom.
2. Remove the bread from the oven and leave it to cool on a wire rack.
3. Serve and enjoy! Soda bread is at its best on the day you bake it. Like all bread I love it when it's still a little warm from the oven.

Notes

We found the dough wetter and sticker than we're used to compared to other breads we've made, so don't be put off by this. You don't need to knead this dough, so it doesn't matter if it's a bit wetter.

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Similar recipes

If you liked this soda bread, you’ll love our other simple bread recipes including:

Tiger bread
Homemade English muffins
Homemade pitta bread
Easy white bread recipe for kids
Finger rolls.

This recipe was first made in May 2020 and updated with a slightly different recipe and new images in February 2025.