Paul Hollywood's Soda Bread (No Yeast) - My Gorgeous Recipes (2024)

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Paul Hollywood's Soda Bread is a fantastic homemade crusty bread with no yeast, no kneading, and you get golden heaven on your table in only 40 minutes. A great traditional Irish recipe for St Patrick's Day, this bread is made with white and wholemeal flour, soda and buttermilk, and it's the best bread you can get.

Paul Hollywood's Soda Bread (No Yeast) - My Gorgeous Recipes (1)

If you love the idea of freshly-baked bread but you dread the whole proving process, and have little time to spare, this is a recipe you will absolutely love. Adapted from the recipe of the one and only Paul Hollywood, this popular Irish soda bread is my new favourite bread to make.

Although I really doubt there will be any leftover for the next day, I do find that this bread is amazing on the day you bake, especially when it is still warm.

Another great thing about it is that plain flour can be used instead of strong flour. The recipe calls for half amount of plain white flour and half of plain wholemeal flour. Fairly simple, isn't it? I certainly do love baking bread. Nothing compares to the fresh aroma of homemade bread that fills your kitchen, especially on a cold winter day.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients needed
  • Variations of the soda bread
  • Step-by-step photos and instructions
  • Expert tips
  • How do I know that the soda bread is baked?
  • What to serve with soda bread
  • Paul Hollywood's Soda Bread (No-Yeast)
Paul Hollywood's Soda Bread (No Yeast) - My Gorgeous Recipes (2)

And the bread is certainly tons healthier than the store-bough version that is highly processed. I mean, have you seen that sliced bread that you touch and it becomes dough right away?

It can only mean one thing, the bread is nothing but full of preservatives that fluff it up to look fantastic. But it's not. We have already ditched the sliced store-bought bread, and only buy different kinds, and that occasionally. Right, so how to make this no-yeast bread? Very simple!

Ingredients needed

  • plain white flour - there is no need for bread flour
  • plain wholemeal flour
  • salt
  • bicarbonate of soda
  • buttermilk

Variations of the soda bread

It can also be tweaked to your own liking without compromising on flavour or texture, so use only white flour if you like, or only wholemeal (whole wheat), or, why not, adds seeds and other ingredients to it, my Soda Bread with Cheddar Cheese, Olives and Red Peppers is just amazing!

I also made some delicious Soda Bread Rolls, which are basically made with the same ingredients, just divided the dough to make rolls rather than one loaf. Or you can make muffins, my Irish Soda Bread Muffins are incredibly delicious.

If you still want to use both white and wholemeal, you can tweak the amounts used instead of half half, use more or less, as long as the total amounts stays the same as specified in the recipe.

A similar recipe comes from the Isle of Man, the Manx Bonnag uses similar ingredients and has a similar baking technique, plus it's as delicious.

For a more Irish touch, why not try my Guinness Brown Bread? It's so delicious, perfect for your St Patrick's Day celebrations.

Step-by-step photos and instructions

There is no need to break your back kneading the dough here. Make sure the oven it's pre-heated before popping the bread in! We add the flours to a bowl, together with the salt and bicarbonate of soda, make a well in the middle, add the buttermilk, then mix quickly to bring the ingredients together.

Transfer the dough to the working surface, add some flour to help you shape the dough into a round, then cut through it with a sharp knife. Be careful not to cut all the way through, just over the surface, then in the oven, and the bread is ready in about 30-35 minutes depending on your oven.

Paul Hollywood's Soda Bread (No Yeast) - My Gorgeous Recipes (3)

Expert tips

Add more buttermilk if you feel that the dough is not soft enough - different brands of flour would get you different results - you can increase the buttermilk to up to 500 ml if needed.

How do I know that the soda bread is baked?

If the bread is lightly brown and it sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom, then it's ready to be enjoyed. Leave to cool for a bit on a cooling rack before slicing, a cooled bread is a lot easier to be sliced.

What to serve with soda bread

From a hot bowl of soup, a nice Irish beef stew, or a nice pot of beef curry, the possibilities are endless. It also makes a great sandwich, if you want to swap the regular bread. Spread a bit of butter on it, and it's like tasting heaven. Or, why not, just enjoy it on its own!

Paul Hollywood's Soda Bread (No Yeast) - My Gorgeous Recipes (4)

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Paul Hollywood's Soda Bread (No Yeast) - My Gorgeous Recipes (5)

Paul Hollywood's Soda Bread (No-Yeast)

Paul Hollywood's Soda Bread is a fantastic homemade crusty bread with no yeast, no kneading, and you get golden heaven on your table in only 40 minutes. A great traditional Irish recipe for St Patrick's Day, this bread is made with white and wholemeal flour, soda and buttermilk, and it's the best bread you can get. Quick and easy bread that tastes just like a proper bread should taste like. Nothing beats homemade baking, and this bread recipe so good.

3.77 from 85 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Irish

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 bread

Calories: 2030kcal

Author: Daniela Apostol

Ingredients

  • 250 g plain white flour
  • 250 g plain wholemeal flour
  • 1 ts salt
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 450 ml buttermilk

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (390 Fahrenheit).

  • In a large bowl, sift the white and wholemeal flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and mix gently with the tips of your fingers.

  • Make a well in the middle and add the buttermilk.

  • Mix quickly to form a soft, pretty sticky dough, then turn it onto a lightly-floured surface and knead briefly, just enough for the dough to hold together and be shaped into a ball.

  • Flour a large baking tray, place the bread on it, then use a sharp knife to cut a cross on the top.

  • Spread some flour over it, then bake for about 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and the bottom of the bread sounds hollow when tapped.

  • Allow it to cool on a wire rack.

Video

Notes

  • If you'd like to see the ingredients listed in cups and ounces, please check the US Customary Link.
  • Also, the amount of ingredients changes depending on the servings, so click on the number listed to change it to the number you prefer.
  • Add more buttermilk if you feel that the dough is not soft enough - different brands of flour would get you different results - you can increase the buttermilk to up to 500 ml if needed.

Nutrition

Calories: 2030kcal | Carbohydrates: 398g | Protein: 65g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 4014mg | Potassium: 1742mg | Fiber: 36g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 660IU | Calcium: 558mg | Iron: 17.9mg

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Paul Hollywood's Soda Bread (No Yeast) - My Gorgeous Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What yeast does Paul Hollywood use? ›

Yeast. The idea of yeast may seem scary to first-time bakers. However, instant yeast is easy to buy, store and use. I always use 'fast-action' or 'easy-blend' yeast.

Why does Irish soda bread not need yeast? ›

For this reason, the reality is that Irish soda bread is much closer to a quick bread or scone than a loaf of bread. It rises thanks to a process called chemical leavening, in which the baking soda (a base) reacts when it's mixed with something acidic like buttermilk to produce carbon dioxide.

Why doesn't my soda bread rise? ›

If your bread is not rising at all, there is usually a problem with the yeast. It might be out of date or, often, dead due to high temperature. Yeast begin to die at 120℉ (49℃).

What yeast do professional bakers use? ›

The Very Best: Instant Yeast

Instant yeast is the only yeast I ever use in my baking. Always have and always will. The yeast of choice in most restaurant kitchens and commercial bakeries, it's easy and convenient.

What's the difference between instant yeast and dry yeast? ›

Not only does it skip the proofing/dissolving step, instant yeast simply ramps up more quickly than active dry. Dough made with instant yeast and shaped into a loaf will rise to its optimal height significantly more quickly than a shaped loaf made with active dry yeast.

What food does Paul Hollywood dislike? ›

The notoriously critical judge opened up about his disdain for the quintessential American dessert with The New York Post, and let's just say, his mind seems set. "Oh, they're awful," Paul Hollywood said of Hostess Twinkies, which he tried for the first time during a trip to New York last year.

What is Paul Hollywood's most expensive bread? ›

In 2008, Hollywood created an almond and Roquefort sourdough bread that was sold at London's famed department store, Harrods, for £15 per loaf, or about $19 American dollars in 2024 terms.

What makes bread nice and fluffy? ›

Adding sugar weakens the gluten structure, absorbs water, and eventually makes the bread lighter and softer. As a result, sugar improves the bread's taste, structure and texture. Yeast also eats up sugar to produce carbon dioxide, which raises the dough and makes bread fluffy.

What yeast is used in bakeries and breweries? ›

The strains of yeast used to make beer, bread, and wine come from the species of yeast called Saccharomyces cerevisiae. S. cerevisiae is known as “brewer's yeast” or “baker's yeast” for good reason: it's responsible for the fermentation that makes beer alcoholic and allows a lump of dough to rise into a loaf of bread.

What yeast do French bakers use? ›

Professionally, fresh yeast is always preferred and is exclusively used in France. Here anyone can buy fresh yeast in a supermarket or even in most bakeries.

Which instant yeast is the best? ›

Straight to the Point

The most shelf-stable and reliable type of yeast is instant yeast, and our favorite brands are SAF Red Label and Dr. Oetker.

What is the best yeast to use? ›

Instant yeast

I find that it is less expensive (per ounce), works faster, and is the most reliable. You do not have to proof or dissolve the yeast in liquid, and it comes in smaller granules than active dry yeast.

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