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Sundried Tomato Buckwheat Soda Bread

Made with buckwheat flour and wholemeal flour, this Rosemary and Sundried Tomato Buckwheat Soda Bread requires no kneading or waiting for bread to prove. For this simple bread recipe all you have to do is mix, shape, bake and serve! We have flavoured our buckwheat Irish soda bread with fresh rosemary, chopped sundried tomato olives and garlic.

Sundried tomato buckwheat soda bread placed in a wooden box on a napkin

This is the best soda bread ever, I’ve been looking for ever for a good recipe. I’ve tried loads. This is the best. Light tasty I can now make sandwiches… Fabulous bread

Susan, a JCO reader, Oct. ’17

Easy & Quick Buckwheat Irish Soda Bread

This soda bread made with buckwheat flour is dense and crumbly yet so soft. It has a perfect dark crust giving the bread a gorgeous rustic finish – the kind that you see when you visit a bakery stall at your local Sunday market.

Breads made with buckwheat flour are a great low-carb option and the buckwheat flour makes this bread low GI.

The appeal of this buckwheat soda bread is how quick and easy it is to make.

As much as I love the light airiness of yeasted breads like these Tiger Rolls or Air Fryer Bread, sometimes, I need my bread on the table in a hurry. I’ve already got my Broccoli and Pear Soup cooking in the Instant Pot!

Another huge bonus of this bread is that do not have to even worry about the temperature! By that, I mean I do not have to prove the dough.

What is soda bread and why it is called Irish Soda Bread?

Soda bread is a quick bread made using bicarbonate of soda (baking soda, bread soda) as the leavening agent instead of yeast.

The bread is traditionally made from coarse white or wholemeal flour, baking soda, buttermilk and salt. It is actually the lactic acid in the buttermilk that reacts with the bicarbonate of soda to create the rise as it forms carbon dioxide.

The texture of soda bread is dense and rumbly rather than light and airy which is characteristic of yeasted breads.

Soda bread is often referred to as Irish Soda Bread although, interestingly, it was first created by Native Americans. They used pearl ash, a white salt made from wood ash, to leaven their bread.

The famous Irish bread that we know today began its history in 1830 when baking soda was first introduced to Ireland. Yeast was not readily available so buttermilk and bread soda were used as leavening agents. Ireland’s climate grew soft wheat flour rather than hard wheat flour (which is more suited to yeasted breads) so soda bread became common.

No-knead bread

As this is a no-yeast bread, the dough does not require any kneading.

In fact, over kneading the dough can toughen it. Once all the ingredients are well mixed, all this bread requires is shaping!

What to serve with Buckwheat Soda Bread

The warm flavourings in this recipe make this bread excellent as it is. Simply slather on some butter whilst the bread is still hot.

I love rustic breads with hot soups during the winter.

Ingredients for buckwheat Irish soda bread

Let’s see which ingredients we require for our soda bread.

  • Buckwheat flour & Wholemeal flour – we have used a ratio of buckwheat to wholemeal flour. We have used chapatti flour here.

High protein bread flour is not required for this recipe.

  • Buttermilk – the lactic acid in the buttermilk reacts with the bicarbonate of soda to make carbon dioxide.

As an alternative to buttermilk, whisk natural yogurt and water together. Use around 4-5 tbsp yogurt with tap water to make the amount of buttermilk required for this recipe.

  • Baking soda – used as a leavening agent here
  • Salt

Flavours

If you want a plain bread recipe, leave out these ingredients. It will still taste delicious!

  • Rosemary – we have used fresh rosemary
  • Sundried tomato – you can use either sun-dried tomato in oil from a jar or dry sun-dried tomatoes.

This is my all time favourite ingredient! I LOVE sun-dried tomatoes whether it is in sandwiches, pasta salads such as Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad or pasta sauces like Instant Pot Sundried Tomato Pasta Sauce. For a filling lunch, Sun dried Tomato, Chickpea Cakes with Cashew and Oats are always a good idea!

You can also make your own Sun-dried Cherry Tomatoes

  • Olives – we have used a combination of green and black olives.
  • Garlic – use fresh minced garlic for the best flavour

How to make the easiest soda bread with buckwheat flour

It is so easy to make buckwheat soda bread. It’s the perfect quick bread recipe for when you are in a hurry. You also need only a few store cupboard ingredients.

  1. In a big mixing bowl place both flours.
  2. Mix flours, add roughly chopped sundried tomatoes, rosemary, olives and garlic.
  3. Now, add salt, black peppers and soda bicarbonate.
  4. Combine well, add buttermilk and stir until you have soft sticky dough. Do not knead the dough.
A photo grid of how to make sun dried tomato buckwheat soda bread
  1. Form this into a round shape on lightly floured baking sheet, score the dough deep cross or make a pattern how you fancy. Scoring a cross at the top of the bread will help the inside to bake as well.
  2. Bake for 35-40 minutes, in the pre heated oven to gas mark 6. Keep checking until the crust is golden brown.
A photo grid of how to bake a sun dried tomato buckwheat soda brea
Round irish soda bread made with sun dried tomato placed on a round cooling wire rack.

Leftover soda bread

Soda bread tends to go chewy so it is best eaten the day it is made so the best way to revive it is to toast it.

We toasted slices under the grill and topped with avocado for breakfast the next day.

FAQS

What can I use as an alternative to buttermilk?

If you do not have buttermilk at home then make an easy alternative at home.

Whisk natural yogurt and water together. Use around 4-5 tbsp yogurt with tap water to make the amount of buttermilk required for this recipe. It can be used immediately.

You can also directly substitute kefir for buttermilk.

Can I use plain flour instead of wholemeal flour?

Yes, you can use plain flour. Simply make a direct substitution between the wholemeal flour. The bread will taste great!

Can I make gluten-free soda bread?

To make this soda bread gluten-free, use only buckwheat flour.

Vegan Buckwheat soda bread

You can make vegan soda bread by using homemade vegan buttermilk. To make vegan buttermilk, you need two ingredients – soy milk and lemon juice. You need to use a plant-based milk that can curdle and soy milk is a good option. To make 420 mls buttermilk required in this recipe, pour 400 mls soy milk and 30 mls lemon juice in a jug. Wait for 1 minute before use (to thicken and curdle the buttermil). You may have around 10 mls left over.

More delicious Buckwheat recipes:

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!

An over head shot of Sun dried tomato buckwheat soda bread

Sundried Tomato Buckwheat Soda Bread

Hayley Dhanecha
Made with buckwheat flour and wholemeal flour, this Rosemary and Sundried Tomato Buckwheat Soda Bread requires no kneading or waiting for bread to prove. For this simple bread recipe all you have to do is mix, shape, bake and serve!
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Bread, Breakfast, lunch, Snacks
Cuisine International, Irish
Servings 6
Calories 344 kcal

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • Baking tray
  • oven

Ingredients
 
 

  • 250 g buckwheat flour
  • 250 g wholemeal flour some for dusting
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 420 ml buttermilk
  • 1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda
  • 3-4 tbsp rosemary finely chopped
  • ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes finely chopped
  • 1 tsp. garlic minced
  • 1 tsp. black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 tsp. olives black and green finely chopped

Instructions
 

  • Pre heat the oven to gas mark 6 or 200C/400F.
  • Keep a baking tray with lightly dusted flour.
  • In a very large bowl mix together both flours, salt and soda.
  • Add rosemary, tomatoes, garlic, black pepper and chopped olives. ( Skip this step if you want to bake a plain bread )
  • Now add buttermilk and stir until you have soft sticky dough.
  • Do not knead the dough.
  • Form this into round shape on lightly floured baking sheet, score the dough deep cross or make a pattern how you fancy.
  • Dust the bread with flour.
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes, keep checking until the crust is golden brown.
  • Another way to check if bread is done, the loaf sound hollow when tapped underneath.
  • Leave it to cool on a wire rack and enjoy as soon as possible,

Notes

As this is a baking recipe, I would recommend using kitchen weighing scale rather than measuring in cups as cups servings tend to differ. 
Don’t have buttermilk on hand? check FAQS for a substitute. 

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Sundried Tomato Buckwheat Soda Bread
Serving Size
 
1 serving
Amount per Serving
Calories
344
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
5
g
8
%
Saturated Fat
 
2
g
13
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Cholesterol
 
8
mg
3
%
Sodium
 
647
mg
28
%
Potassium
 
667
mg
19
%
Carbohydrates
 
67
g
22
%
Fiber
 
10
g
42
%
Sugar
 
6
g
7
%
Protein
 
14
g
28
%
Vitamin A
 
198
IU
4
%
Vitamin C
 
3
mg
4
%
Calcium
 
135
mg
14
%
Iron
 
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The nutritional information provided is an approximation calculated by an online calculator/plugin. Please consult a professional dietitian for nutritional advice.

Tried this recipe?Snap a pic and tag @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook

Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content, but the recipe remains the same. First time published in February 2015.

Recipe Rating




Mayuri Patel

Wednesday 25th of October 2017

This buckwheat and wheat flour soda bread looks so perfect. A bread full of flavors. I've yet to try baking with buckwheat flour.

Unknown

Wednesday 25th of October 2017

Yum! Can imagine how power packed with flavour this bread must be plus it’s so quick. 👌🏼👌🏼

Vanitha

Wednesday 25th of October 2017

Wow, quick and easy!! NO waiting for it to rise; my kind of bread!!

Unknown

Tuesday 23rd of May 2017

Thank you so much for adding the American oven temperature, this looks amazing I will make this. Just need to find a whole meal flour similar to what you used!

jcookingodyssey

Tuesday 24th of October 2017

Susan, thank you so much for a lovely and generous comment. I am so pleased that this recipe worked out so well for you. Thank you so much for your feedback, I really appreciate it.

Have a good day!

Unknown

Tuesday 24th of October 2017

This is the best soda bread ever, I've been looking for ever for a good recipe. I've tried loads. This is the best. Light tasty I can now make sandwiches. I used coconut milk not buttermilk. And fine wholemeal flour as I could not get coarse wholemeal. Fabulous bread

jcookingodyssey

Tuesday 23rd of May 2017

Thank you Arlena for visiting my blog. Regarding wholemeal flour, you can use wholemeal bread flour too. Hope this helps. Happy Baking !

Hamaree Rasoi

Wednesday 4th of February 2015

I too feel that January went off in a jiffy. However we have Feb where I could see that you have prepared a masterpiece of a bread. Excellent preparation.Deepa

jcookingodyssey

Wednesday 4th of February 2015

Thank you Deepa for a lovely comment. x