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    Home » Vegan Baking Recipes

    Easy Vegan Irish Soda Bread

    Published: March 15, 2021 | 1:01 am, Modified: Apr 27, 2023 by Connie Edwards McGaughy This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Easy Vegan Irish Soda Bread ☘️ Enjoy this simple vegan recipe for a soft, moist, and delicious traditional Irish soda bread made without dairy buttermilk or eggs. GF option.

    A loaf of vegan Irish Soda Bread on a wood cutting board with a slice of bread with butter.

    Irish Soda Bread is a lightly sweet quick bread similar in texture to scones and shortcake. The crust is tender & slightly crispy and the bread itself is soft and dense, but not crumbly. The sweetness of the bread is created from the addition of a teaspoon of sugar plus raisins or currants and a small amount of fennel seeds, which add a lovely subtle anise or licorice flavor.

    There's good reason Irish Soda Bread has been a popular part of Saint Patrick's Day celebrations for generations - it's absolutely scrumptious!

    A loaf of fresh baked vegan Irish soda bread on a wood cutting board and a gingham towel.
    Jump to:
    • ☘️ Serving Suggestions
    • Ingredients
    • ☘️ Baking Tips
    • Instructions
    • ☘️ Variations
    • Equipment
    • ☘️ FAQ's
    • Recipe
    • Food Safety
    • Comments

    Why we love this recipe

    • It's so simple to make!
    • Doesn't require yeast or rising/proofing time
    • Ready in about an hour
    • No buttermilk, dairy or eggs
    • It's soft, moist and chewy - not crumbly or dry
    • Not too sweet - just enough
    • It's versatile - you can add or change some ingredients if you like
    • Perfect to serve on Saint Patrick's Day or any day

    ☘️ Serving Suggestions

    Vegan Irish soda bread is the perfect partner with many Irish or savory meals, much like garlic bread is with with pasta, sourdough with soups and stews, biscuits with vegan sausages or dinner rolls are with Thanksgiving dinner.

    This easy vegan version of a classic Irish quick bread is exactly what you want when re-creating the flavors and textures of a traditional Irish meal. Enjoy a slice with a dab of butter along with potatoes and cabbage - like our delicious Easy Vegan Scalloped Potatoes or Orange Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts.

    A variety of vegan Irish dishes on a wood  table, including scalloped potatoes and cabbage, Irish soda bread and sliced tofu roast.

    How to Make Vegan Irish Soda Bread

    This quick & easy plant-based recipe uses just a few basic ingredients, including plain (unsweetened) vegan yogurt instead of buttermilk. The yogurt helps makes the bread dense, soft and moist. We used an almond-based yogurt. Here is all you need to prepare this yummy recipe:

    🥕See the printable recipe card below for quantities and complete details.

    Ingredients

    Ingredients for vegan Irish soda bread including flour, baking soda and powder, salt, sugar, vegan plain yogurt, vegan butter, fennel seeds, egg replacer, and raisins.
    • Flour - we use all-purpose. See below for gluten-free flour instructions
    • Baking soda
    • Baking powder
    • Sugar - granulated
    • Salt
    • Vegan butter - We like Miyoko's, but any non-dairy butter will work.
    • Raisins
    • Fennel seeds
    • Vegan egg replacer - we use Bob's Red Mill. See FAQ's below for options.
    • Vegan plain unsweetened yogurt
    • Non-dairy milk - rice, almond, oat, soy - your choice

    ☘️ Baking Tips

    Use fresh flour, baking soda & baking powder. All-purpose white flour has a shelf life of about 3-8 months. Gluten-free and whole wheat flours may become stale sooner. Unless you bake a lot, it’s better to purchase flour in small quantities. Baking powder can lose its rising oomph after a few months. I like to keep an extra unopened container on hand just in case.

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375℉
    • Sift together dry ingredients & cut in butter.
    • Add raisins & fennel seeds.
    Dry ingredients for vegan Irish soda bread in a bowl.
    Dry ingredients plus raisins and butter for vegan Irish soda bread in a bowl.
    • Mix in vegan yogurt & egg replacer.
    • Roll dough into a ball.
    Ingredients for vegan Irish soda bread in a mixing bowl.
    A ball of vegan Irish soda bread dough inside a mixing bowl.
    • Place into buttered pot, score top & brush with non-dairy milk.
    Vegan Irish soda bread dough placed in a buttered cast iron dutch oven, ready for baking.
    • Bake at 375º for 35-40 minutes.
    • Remove from oven and cool on a rack.
    • Enjoy!
    A baked loaf of vegan Irish soda bread fresh from the oven in a cast iron dutch oven.

    ☘️ Variations

    One of the great things about this easy vegan Irish soda bread recipe is you can add other ingredients you might enjoy, such as:

    • Currants, chopped dates, sultana/golden raisins, cranberries, dried apricots
    • Lemon or orange zest
    • Caraway, anise or pumpkin seeds
    A loaf of easy vegan Irish soda bread sliced with a pat of butter.

    Equipment

    • A large mixing bowl
    • Measuring cup
    • Measuring spoons
    • Pastry cutter
    • A long spoon or spatula for stirring/mixing
    • Pointed sharp knife
    • Pastry brush
    • 1.5 or 2 quart Dutch oven, deep baking dish or oven proof pot
    • Cooling rack

    Need more ideas for delish vegan Saint Patrick's Day dishes? Try these!

    Images of vegan Saint Patrick's Day foods like scalloped potatoes, rainbow veggie wraps, oat muffins and Irish soda bread.

    ☘️ FAQ's

    What is Irish Soda Bread?

    Soda bread originated in Ireland a couple hundred years ago, not long after bicarbonate of soda was first introduced to the U.K., providing a way to make bread or "quick bread" using inexpensive ingredients. Today, quick breads continue to be a popular way to create easy and delicious leavened breads without yeast.

    What to use instead of eggs in this recipe?

    Traditionally, this recipe calls for eggs, which we have substituted with vegan egg replacer. There are several packaged powdered egg replacers available which work well. You can also make your own by combining one tablespoon ground flax meal with three tablespoons of water (per egg). Allow it to sit 5 – 15 minutes to thicken before using.

    How to store vegan Irish soda bread?

    Keep your bread fresh by storing it in an airtight ziplock or food-safe plastic bag at room temperature or in a refrigerator up to 3 days. It can also be frozen up to 3 months.

    How to make Irish soda bread gluten-free

    To prepare this recipe without wheat gluten, choose a 1-1 gluten-free flour. Be sure to check the labels of the other ingredients you use to ensure they are all gluten-free.

    very vegan ☘️ very good

    ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Did you enjoy this recipe? Please rate it in the comments below. Thanks a bunch!🥕

    Recipe

    A loaf of sliced easy vegan Irish soda bread with a dab of butter.

    Easy Vegan Irish Soda Bread

    by Connie🥕
    Easy Vegan Irish Soda Bread ☘️ A simply delicious vegan recipe for a traditional Irish soda bread made without dairy buttermilk or eggs.
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Bread, Side Dish
    Cuisine Irish
    Servings 8
    Calories 217 kcal

    Equipment

    • mixing bowl
    • Measuring cup
    • Measuring spoons
    • Pastry cutter
    • Pastry brush
    • 1.5 or 2 quart Dutch oven, deep baking dish or oven proof pot
    • Cooling rack

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 cups all- purpose flour
    • 1-½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon sugar granulated
    • ¼ cup vegan butter
    • ¾ cup raisins
    • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
    • 1 vegan egg replacer*
    • ⅔ cup non-dairy yogurt vegan, plain unsweetened
    • 2 tablespoon non-dairy milk almond, oat, soy - your choice

    Instructions
     

    • In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.
    • Using a pastry cutter or large fork, cut in the vegan butter until the flour mixture has a coarse, mealy texture.
    • Add raisins and fennel seeds. Stir to combine.
    • In a measuring cup, mix together egg replacer and yogurt.
    • Add to dry ingredients and stir to combine thoroughly.
    • Gently knead dough to form a ball.
    • Place into a lightly buttered pan or dutch oven.
    • Use knife to cut an x-shaped criss-cross across the top and partially down the sides of the dough.
    • Brush the top of dough ball with non-dairy milk.
    • Place in pre-heated 375º oven for 35-40 minutes. Begin checking at 30 minutes. Remove from oven when top of loaf is golden brown.
    • Carefully remove hot loaf from pan and place on cooling rack for 10 -15 minutes.
    • Serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    🥕Variations
    One of the nice things about Irish Soda Bread is you can add other ingredients you might enjoy, such as:
    • Dried fruits - currants, chopped dates, sultana/golden raisins, cranberries, apricots
    • Lemon or orange zest
    • Caraway, anise or pumpkin seeds

    🥕How to make this recipe gluten-free

    To prepare this recipe without gluten, choose a 1-1 gluten-free flour. Be sure to read the labels of  all the ingredients you use to verify they are gluten-free.
    🥕Storage
    Keep leftover soda bread fresh in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 217kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 4gFat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 269mgPotassium: 182mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 285IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 2mg

    These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Food Safety

    • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Madeline

      March 18, 2023 at 8:55 am

      5 stars
      SO GOOD. I wasn't sure how this would turn out because I subbed a few things -- I used half GF flour and half spelt flour, and also subbed coconut oil for butter -- but it was amazing! The texture, flavor... everything was so perfect. My boyfriend ate half of the loaf almost instantly. This will be a staple in our house now! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Connie Edwards McGaughy

        March 18, 2023 at 1:13 pm

        Hi Madeline, thank you kindly for your great review! I really appreciate knowing that the recipe works with well with gluten-free flour since I have not attempted it myself. I'm so happy you & your boyfriend enjoyed the bread!💚🥕

        Reply
    2. nancy

      March 01, 2022 at 11:30 am

      5 stars
      thanks for this dairy free soda bread ! it as perfect!! and so easy to make too

      Reply
    3. Deb

      February 28, 2022 at 8:51 pm

      5 stars
      I love that you offered a gluten-free option, I will be trying this recipe out soon!

      Reply
    4. abhi

      February 28, 2022 at 7:56 pm

      5 stars
      The bread looks so yummy. Thanks for sharing. I wild try it without raisins!!

      Reply
    5. Bobbie

      February 28, 2022 at 4:46 pm

      5 stars
      Perfect for st Patrick’s day baking! Easy to follow!

      Reply
    6. Connie Edwards McGaughy

      March 15, 2021 at 8:08 am

      5 stars
      This quick & easy Irish Soda Bread is the perfect addition to any St. Paddy's day dinner or if you simply want a delicious hot loaf of home baked bread to serve with stew, soups or veggies.

      Reply

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