Vegan Irish Soda Bread is the perfect plant-based treat for St. Patricks Day! Made with simple ingredients and ready in no time. It is a festive no-yeast bread recipe, with a dense, yet soft texture and the most incredible crust.
Crafted with just 8 ingredients, this vegan-friendly delight stands as a testament to its dairy-free and egg-free nature. Whether you enjoy it on St. Patrick's Day or any other day, its rustic charm graces your table with nostalgia and wholesomeness.
Top a slice with vegan butter and jam for a harmonious pairing that effortlessly captures the essence of this cherished classic.
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📋 Ingredients
To make vegan Irish soda bread you need a few pantry-friendly ingredients:
- Bread flour: It gives the bread a nice earthy flavor, but you can also use all-purpose flour if wished.
- Vegan Buttermilk: Traditional Irish soda bread uses buttermilk. To make vegan buttermilk combine plant milk such as oat milk with white vinegar. It creates a similar consistency and flavor.
- Vegan Butter: Used instead of regular dairy butter. Gives richness and moisture to the bread.
- Cane Sugar: adds a touch of sweetness, if you want the bread to be neutral in taste skip the sugar. If you want the bread sweeter in taste, add more.
- Baking Soda: is the leavening agent for this recipe. The baking soda reacts with the vegan buttermilk and makes the bread rise. It is also where Irish soda bread got its name from.
- Baking Powder: helps to fluff up the bread instead of using eggs. This is especially important when using bread flour which is slightly heavier than all-purpose.
- Sea Salt: enhances the flavor.
Optional add-ins:
- Raisins: If desired add raisins, currants, or dried cherries to the dry ingredients before adding wet ingredients. They add sweetness and texture.
- Sparkling or Rock Sugar: used to sprinkle on top for looks and extra sweetness.
🍴 Substitutions
Are you looking for substitutions or quicker alternatives? We got you!
- Oat Milk and White Vinegar - You can replace oat milk with any other plant-based milk, such as pea milk, soy milk, or coconut milk. The white vinegar can be substituted with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.
- Bread Flour - Whole wheat flour or a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour can be used instead of bread flour. If you are looking to make a GF Irish soda bread use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Cane Sugar - Replace cane sugar with coconut sugar, brown sugar, or any other sweetener of your choice. Read our vegan sugar guide for tips on vegan sugar alternatives.
- Vegan Butter - Coconut oil, or plant-based margarine can be used.
🍪 Variations
There are many delicious flavor variations to explore with this vegan Irish soda bread recipe! Here are a few ideas to play around with to zing up the flavor:
- Rosemary and Olive: Add chopped fresh rosemary and black or green olives to the dough for a savory and aromatic twist.
- Cheddar and Chive: Mix in shredded vegan cheddar cheese and chopped fresh chives to create a savory and cheesy bread.
- Cinnamon Raisin: Incorporate ground cinnamon into the dough and add a generous amount of raisins or currants for a sweet and spiced version.
- Cranberry Orange: Fold dried cranberries and orange zest into the dough to create a bright and tangy flavor profile.
- Savory Herb: Mix dried herbs like thyme, oregano, and parsley into the dough for a fragrant and savory loaf.
- Maple Pecan: Drizzle maple syrup into the dough and add chopped pecans for a touch of sweetness and nutty goodness.
- Chocolate Chip: Toss in vegan chocolate chips for a delightful and indulgent take on Irish Soda Bread.
Feel free to mix and match these flavor variations and play with the recipe. Experimenting with different ingredients and flavors is part of the fun of baking! If you end up whipping up a fantastic variation of this recipe, don't forget to drop a comment at the bottom of the blog post! I'm all ears and absolutely thrilled to hear about your baking adventures.
👩🏽🍳 How to Make
Swapping out animal products to make vegan Irish soda bread is super easy. Follow these simple steps to make it:
- Whisk together dry ingredients.
- Work in vegan butter and raisins, if using.
- Add vegan buttermilk and mix and knead until shaggy dough forms. Shape it into a ball.
- Place in a cast iron pan, dutch oven, or oven-safe pan. Cut a cross on top of the loaf, sprinkle with sparkling sugar if wished, and bake.
Find a detailed, printable recipe at the end of this article
💭 Recipe FAQ
No, unfortunately, traditional Irish soda bread is made with animal products. However, our recipe is entirely vegan!
Wrap the cooled Irish soda bread tightly in cling wrap or place it in a bread box or airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to four days.
Wrap baked and cooled Irish soda bread, and place it in a freezer-safe container or bag. It keeps well for up to 3 months. I like to precut the bread into slices, before freezing for easy single-serve access. Thaw in the fridge, at room temperature, or even quickly by placing it in the oven ad 325F until thawed and lightly toasted.
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Irish Soda Bread
Equipment
- electric mixer with paddle attachment or
- wooden spoon
- cast iron pan or
- dutch oven or
- other oven-safe pan
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup oat milk
- 2 teaspoon white vinegar
- 5 cups bread flour
- 3 tablespoons cane sugar (add more if you want the bread sweeter)
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 tablespoons vegan butter unsalted and at room temperature
Garnish/Topping
- brown sugar
- sparkling sugar or
- rock sugar
Optional add-ins
- raisins
- currants
- dried cherries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F / 220°C.
- In a measuring cup, combine oat milk and white vinegar. Whisk them together and let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes to curdle, creating vegan buttermilk.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the butter and use your hands to work it into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. If using, add the raisins.
- Create a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk. Mix the ingredients using a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment of your electric mixer until a shaggy dough ball forms. The dough should feel firm as you stir with the wooden spoon.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and shape it into a round loaf. Gently press down to form an oval shape. It won't be perfectly smooth, so feel free to flour your hands as needed.
- Place the shaped loaf into a cast iron pan, dutch oven, or another oven-safe baking pan. You can grease the pan or line it with parchment paper. Use a knife to make a deep cross on the top of the bread and sprinkle some extra flour and sparkling sugar over it.
- Bake the bread for 40-50 minutes, or until it's thoroughly baked. Once done, allow the bread to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
- Enjoy the freshly baked bread with some butter, jam, or savor it on its own.
Notes
Nutrition
The provided nutritional information is an estimate. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
For food safety see guidelines at USDA.gov.
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