Authentic 4-Ingredient Irish Bread (Printable)
Rustic Irish bread with golden crust and tender crumb, made with just four ingredients.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
→ Wet Ingredient
04 - 1 3/4 cups buttermilk
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or dust lightly with flour.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly blended.
03 - Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour buttermilk into the well and stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
04 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead just until it comes together—avoid overworking. Shape into a round, slightly flattened loaf approximately 2 inches thick. Place on prepared baking sheet.
05 - Using a sharp knife, cut a deep cross pattern across the top of the loaf. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown and loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
06 - Transfer bread to a wire rack. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing to preserve texture.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The entire process comes together in under an hour, start to finish, making it the perfect companion to soups and stews when time is short
- Four basic ingredients create something that feels ancient and honest, with a crust that shatters beautifully when you tear into it warm
02 -
- Over-kneading develops gluten and makes the bread tough, so handle the dough as little as possible before shaping
- The deep X cut isn't decorative—it allows the heat to penetrate the center and helps the bread bake evenly throughout
03 -
- The dough should feel sticky and shaggy, not smooth—adding too much flour will result in a dry, heavy loaf
- Trust your nose more than the timer, when the bread smells deeply toasted and nutty, it's probably done