This Sourdough Irish Soda Bread turns leftover sourdough discard into a classic St. Patrick’s Day quick bread with a soft, tender crumb and golden crust.
St. Patrick’s Day has always been one of my favorite holidays.
Growing up near Boston, with its strong Irish community, I loved seeing all the festivities. And as a foodie, it’s the one day I get to indulge in corned beef and cabbage, a meal I only eat once a year.
Of course, no boiled dinner is complete without a slice of Irish soda bread. And being a sourdough blogger, I just had to add sourdough discard!
This is the third version of my recipe. I love revisiting it each year to see how I can make it even better. This time, I added a bit of butter for extra moisture and flavor. I have to say, it’s my favorite version yet.
I can’t wait to enjoy it on St. Patrick’s Day! And I hope you give it a try and enjoy it, too.
Looking for more holiday-inspired sourdough? Check out my green (matcha), beer, and jalapeño cheddar sourdough breads.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are some notes on key ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Sourdough Discard- Adds a subtle tang and slight acidity that helps leaven the bread.
- All-Purpose Flour- Keeps the crumb tender. You can swap up to ¼ with whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor, but you may need to add a splash more buttermilk if the dough feels dry.
- Buttermilk- Adds moisture and tang, and reacts with baking soda to help the bread rise. No buttermilk? Stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup milk and let sit 5–10 minutes.
- Baking Soda- Reacts with the buttermilk to make the bread rise.
- Butter- A little melted butter adds flavor and keeps the bread moist.
- Kosher Salt- Enhances the overall flavor.
- Mix-Ins- Optional. Try raisins, currants, caraway seeds, or a bit of orange zest.
Tips for Success
- Measure ingredients accurately. Use a kitchen scale to measure ingredients by weight for best results.
- Use fresh baking soda. Check the expiration date of your baking soda for optimal leavening.
- Don't overwork the dough. Avoid overmixing the dough, as this can lead to a tough, overly dense texture in the finished bread.
- Scoring is optional. You can score a cross on top for a traditional look, but this soft, sticky dough bakes beautifully without it.
- Check for doneness. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the bread. It should reach 190°F when fully baked and sound hollow when knocking on the bottom of the loaf.
- Cool before slicing. Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack before slicing to prevent the bread from becoming gummy.
How to Make Sourdough Irish Soda Bread
Follow these step-by-step photos to see exactly how to make Irish soda bread with sourdough discard. More detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Combine dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
Step 2: Whisk wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sourdough discard, and melted butter.
Step 3: Make dough. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently mix until a soft, shaggy dough forms. Fold in the raisins or currants if using.
Step 4: Shape loaf. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and shape it into a round loaf.
Step 5: Bake the bread. Bake for 40–50 minutes at 400°F. Let the bread cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
How to Store
Store sourdough Irish soda bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, slice and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and warm slices in the oven or toaster before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Sourdough Irish soda bread pairs perfectly with corned beef and cabbage and other cozy winter meals. You can also serve it warm with homemade butter and jam for an easy breakfast or snack.
Are you tired of watching your sourdough discard go to waste?
It’s time to turn excess discard into something delicious with my new ebook - Everyday Sourdough!
Inside, you’ll find 27 tried-and-true sourdough discard recipes that will transform your leftover starter into mouthwatering creations your family and friends will love.
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Let's Connect!
Be sure to leave a comment below if you have any questions. You can also connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or via email at [email protected].
📖 Recipe
Sourdough Irish Soda Bread
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet or cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 4 cups (480 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon2 Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt reduce to 1 teaspoon if using Morton's kosher salt or table salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ¾ cups buttermilk
- ½ cup (100 grams) sourdough starter discard
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup raisins or currants optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet or cast iron skillet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, and baking soda until well combined.4 cups (480 grams) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoon2 Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sourdough discard, and melted butter until smooth.1 ¾ cups buttermilk, ½ cup (100 grams) sourdough starter discard, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold everything together until just combined and no dry pockets remain. The dough will be soft, shaggy, and slightly sticky. If using raisins or currants, fold them in at this stage.1 cup raisins or currants
- Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet or skillet and gently shape it into a round loaf. If you like, you can score the top with a sharp knife to make the traditional cross, but it’s not necessary—the bread bakes beautifully without it.
- Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 190°F. If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely tent it with aluminum foil.
- Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let it cool for about 30 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or room temperature.
Notes
- Buttermilk Substitution: Mix 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar with 2 cups of regular milk and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Use 1 ¾ cups of this mixture in the recipe.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Patricia says
This was really delicious and a great way to use up my sourdough discard that I hate throwing out!
Ashley Petrie says
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
K says
Made twice now. Not sure why my first seemed pretty wet/sticky. I measure with grams/scale. I didn't have buttermilk so I used the powder. First time I mixed the dry buttermilk with dry and added water and starter as my wet
This time I mixed the powder in water to make 'buttermilk', then continued.
This second time the loaf didn't immediately spread out. Maybe colder 'milk' helped?
Either way it's delicious. I did add some dried fruit and orange zest. I little the first time, more this time. Quick, easy, yummy.
Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN says
Hi K! The dough can be a little sticky, but should be able to hold together in a loaf shape. I'm so glad it worked out for you the second time around and that you enjoyed it. I love the addition of dried fruit and orange zest - sounds delicious! 🙂
Michelle McGettrick says
Love this recipe! It’s grew up eating Irish Soda Bread made with currents and caraway seed. So I added 1 cup currents, plumped in water before mixing in, and 2 tablespoons whole anise seed since I didn’t have caraway seed. I was so amazed at the texture, chewy like you said, than the more dry texture of my childhood soda bread made with baking soda and baking powder alone. My starter was a mix of bread flour and whole wheat flour and it didn’t make a difference in the Irish soda bread. I’m so glad you published the recipe. I am still working on strengthening my starter and have lots of discard.
Ashley Petrie, RDN, LDN says
Hi Michelle! Thank you so much for your kind comment and rating! I’m so glad you loved the recipe. And I’m happy to hear the texture turned out so well! Adding currants and anise sounds delicious - I might do the same this year. 😊