Cheese and herb Irish soda bread
Irish soda bread flavored with cheese and herbs is the perfect, easy bread to serve with hearty stews or soups. It’s also perfect served simply with butter and the ultimate side dish for St. Patrick’s day.
I am a big fan of easy, no-knead bread recipes. They make great side dishes and are perfect to have on hand for snacks served with butter and jam or topped with a fried egg for a quick breakfast or lunch. This cheesy herbed Irish soda bread is my latest obsession.
Not only does this bread take all of 10 minutes to throw together, it bakes relatively quickly and you are guaranteed a loaf of bread so delicious, you’ll want to gobble the entire thing up in one sitting.
It’s also very versatile and you can flavor the bread with anything you wish. Different kinds of cheese, herbs, fried onions, roasted garlic and even sun-dried tomatoes will all work perfectly in this loaf. I have chosen to keep it simple and classic with cheese and herbs. The rest of the ingredients are all pantry/fridge staples, making this Irish soda bread recipe even better.
How to make Irish soda bread
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl and mix to combine. Whisk an egg into buttermilk then pour into the dry ingredients and slowly bring the dough together using your hands. Take care not to over-mix the dough. When the dough is just starting to come together add the grated cheese and herbs then mix to bring the dough together in a round ball. The dough will be sticky and should look quite shaggy, not smooth at all.
Transfer the dough to a cast iron pot/Dutch oven line with baking paper. Score the top with a sharp knife and place the lid on top. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the bread sounds hollow when knocked on the bottom. A skewer inserted should also come out clean. Allow to cool then serve with lots of butter.
How long does Irish soda bread last?
Although it’s best eaten the day it is baked, Irish soda bread will last 3-4 days. Wrap well with wax paper and foil to keep it fresh for longer. Stale bread can be served toasted.
What to serve with Irish soda bread?
- Slow braised beef short ribs with cheesy mash
- Easy healthy chicken broccoli soup
- Quick and Easy Vegetable soup
- Irish lamb stew
Easy bread recipes
- Easy cheesy corn beer bread
- Pecorino, potato and rosemary bread
- Bacon corn bread
- Cheese and herb beer bread
Cheese and herb Irish soda bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 1½ tsp baking soda/bicarbonate of soda
- 1 t salt
- 2 cups (500ml) buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- ½ cup fresh herbs, chopped (I used parsley, sage and chives)
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/360ºF and line a Dutch oven/cast iron pot with baking/parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Whisk an egg into the buttermilk and pour into the dry ingredients.
- Mix the dough until it just starts to come together (there will be large lumps) then add the cheese and herbs.
- Continue mixing until the dough just comes together. The dough will be sticky and shaggy looking (not too smooth or else it will be over-mixed).
- Transfer to the prepared pot then score a cross onto the top with a sharp knife. Cover with the lid and place in the pre-heated oven.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the bread is cooked through. It will sound hollow when knocked on the bottom and a skewers inserted will come out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving with butter.
I’m allergic to egg yolk. Do you have a way to avoid the egg please?
I haven’t tested this recipe without the egg so I can’t guarantee the bread will turn out the same but most often egg just adds moisture and richness to bread recipes so it should be fine.