A simple recipe for soda bread

We love this recipe for easy spelt soda bread that can be made in 45 minutes, start to finish; it’s a staple recipe in our house.

For many people, toast is an integral part of the breakfast menu. At home, we don’t eat bread every day, but when we do, we believe it should be really great quality, and taste and look like ‘proper’ bread, rather than uniform slices, that strangely last for days without going stale, coming out of a plastic packet. Our favourite bread is a traditionally fermented spelt or rye sourdough bread – we find many people are able to tolerate this more than any other bread, but it takes a while to make at home due to the lengthy (but beneficial!) fermentation times.

Making your own bread is therapeutic and makes the house smell wonderful, but for many of us it’s simply too time consuming to do on a daily basis. So that’s where this easy soda bread comes in.  It’s easy to add seeds into it to add additional minerals, fibre and essential fats, but at it’s most basic requires simply flour, natural yogurt (or buttermilk) and a little bicarbonate of soda.

Our version uses wholemeal spelt flour, which rises well; spelt flour is readily avaialble in many supermarkets, and although it does contain gluten, it is in lower amounts, and a different type to the gluten found in wheat flour. It is also lower in phytic acid than wheat flour.

Phytic acid makes a grain hard to digest and also prevents us from absorbing the minerals the grain contains, so spelt, with it’s lower levels of phytic acid, is a great alternative option. The difference in gluten, and lower phytic acid content means that many people find that spelt is easier on their digestion. This easy soda bread will only keep for a day or two, but is a great quick breakfast option spread with almond butter, or as an accompaniment to eggs.

By adding flaxseeds, hemp, chia or pumpkin seeds I’m also adding some Essential Fats – both Omega 3 and Omega 6, as well as additional fibre, minerals and B vitamins. Milled seeds are simply pre-ground seeds; keep them sealed in the fridge and use them quickly (you don’t want them hanging around too long as the fats quickly can turn rancid and bitter).

There are lots of ways to make soda bread (and this is by no means a traditional recipe) but this recipe ticks all our boxes – it’s easy, healthy and works every time!

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Soda Bread
Print Recipe
Such an easy recipe, we rely on it far too often for a quick breakfast solution!
Servings Prep Time
1 loaf 5 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 loaf 5 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Soda Bread
Print Recipe
Such an easy recipe, we rely on it far too often for a quick breakfast solution!
Servings Prep Time
1 loaf 5 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 loaf 5 minutes
Cook Time
40 minutes
Ingredients
Servings: loaf
Instructions
  1. Add dry ingredients to the mixing bowl before stirring in the yogurt with a spoon. You'll need to move quickly with this bread as it doesn't like to be handled, and unlike traditional breads, doesn't require kneading.
  2. Mix together for a minute or two with a spoon until you have a dough - if it is too dry, add a tablespoon or two of water
  3. Turn onto a board and shape into a round loaf shape before transferring either directly to a baking stone or floured baking tray
  4. Flatten the loaf slightly so that it is not domed in the middle, and with a serrated knife slash a cross on the surface (as if going to cut into quarters)
  5. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees C for 40 minutes until golden on top. It should sound hollow if you pick the loaf up and tap it underneath
  6. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
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