Soda bread is a great option for those who are short on time, but want to bake something delicious and nutritious. With baking soda as the leavening agent, there’s no kneading or proving involved – and you can prepare this wholemeal seeded soda bread in just 15 minutes.
This recipe is also incredibly versatile. You can use any seeds or nuts you fancy and it’s still guaranteed to come out perfectly. Here, we’ve gone with a mix of pumpkin seeds and walnuts, but it would be just as tasty with just one or the other or neither.
Prep time: 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 45-60 minutes
Serves: 12 (makes one loaf)
Ingredients
- 520g plain wholemeal flour
- 50g seeds or nuts of your choice, plus extra for sprinkling – sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or walnuts are great options
- 30g milled seed mix (optional, but adds a nutty flavour)
- 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1tsp salt
- 400ml milk of your choice – we like 200ml oat milk and 200ml semi skimmed milk
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Measuring jug or cups
- Butter knife
- Tablespoon measure
- Teaspoon measure
- Baking sheet
- Optional – Cast iron casserole dish with lid. Baking in this dish will give you a firmer crust.
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. If you’re using a cast iron dish, then put this in the oven to warm while you make the dough.
2. In a large mixing bowl stir together the flour, seeds, nuts (or seed mix if using), bicarbonate of soda, and salt.
3. Mix together your milk and lemon juice in a measuring jug. The milk may look like it’s curdling slightly – but don’t worry, that’s exactly what it’s supposed to do. Gradually pour the milk mixture into the flour while stirring with your butter knife.
4. Mix with a knife until everything comes together into a sticky dough. If your dough is very wet and is clinging to the side of the bowl rather than coming together, add a little extra flour and mix again.
5. Lightly flour a clean work surface and turn the dough out onto it. Flour your hands to stop the dough from sticking to you, and lightly shape the dough into a ball.
6. If you’re using a baking sheet. Lightly flour it and place dough in the centre of it. If using a cast iron dish, take it out of the oven, add a splash of oil, and place the dough in the dish. Sprinkle dough with seeds and/or nuts as desired, lightly pressing them into the dough to make them stick.
7. If you’re using a baking tray, place in the oven on a middle shelf and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until firm and golden. If using a cast iron dish, cover with a lid and place in the oven on a middle shelf and bake for 30 minutes. After this, take the lid off and continue baking for a further 10 to 15 minutes, or until firm and golden.
8. Cool on a wire rack. Once cooled you can either wrap in foil or a clean tea towel to store. You can also freeze your soda bread for up to a month.
Do you enjoy getting creative in the kitchen? We are proud to have a hugely talented community on Rest Less, which is why we’re so excited to open up a section of the site dedicated to showcasing delicious food and drink recipes from our members. If you have a recipe that you’d like to share with the Rest Less community – you can do so here.