Save This Irish soda bread blends sharp cheddar cheese and fresh chives for a savory twist on a traditional loaf. Made quickly with simple ingredients, it forms a tender crumb and crispy, golden crust. Ideal warm with butter or alongside hearty soups and stews, it’s a flavorful choice for any meal. The dough requires minimal kneading and bakes up beautifully in about 35 minutes.
The winter my kitchen radiator died and I refused to call the landlord became the season I perfected soda bread. I needed something oven-warmed to break the morning chill, something that would fill the apartment with that particular comfort that only baking bread brings. This cheddar and chive variation started as a desperate improvisation with whatever I had in the fridge, but the first bite revealed I had stumbled onto something better than the traditional recipe.
I brought this loaf to a St. Patricks Day gathering at my neighbors apartment, where it sat next to storebought soda breads that looked sad in comparison. People kept asking for the recipe, and I had to admit there was no family secret, just cheese and herbs and chemistry. Now it is the first thing I make when someone needs comfort food.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: Bread flour makes this too tough, and whole wheat overwhelms the delicate cheese flavor
- Baking soda: The traditional leavener that gives Irish soda bread its characteristic dense but tender crumb
- Sharp cheddar cheese: Coarsely grated rather than finely shredded creates those satisfying cheese pockets
- Fresh chives: Their mild onion flavor complements without overpowering the cheese
- Buttermilk: The acid activates the baking soda while adding tenderness
- Unsalted butter: Melted and cooled helps distribute richness evenly throughout the dough
Instructions
- Preheat your oven:
- Get it to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper so nothing sticks later
- Whisk the dry mixture:
- Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl until everything is evenly distributed
- Add the cheese and chives:
- Stir them into the dry ingredients so they will not clump together when you add the liquid
- Form the dough:
- Pour in the buttermilk and melted butter, mixing with a wooden spoon until you have a shaggy dough that holds together when squeezed
- Shape the loaf:
- Turn onto a floured surface and gently pat into a round about 7 inches across, being careful not to overwork the dough
- Score and bake:
- Cut a deep X across the top with a sharp knife, then bake for 30 to 35 minutes until deeply golden and hollow when tapped
- Cool before slicing:
- Let it rest on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes or the texture will be gummy
Save My friend Sarah still talks about the night I brought this over when she was recovering from surgery. She said it was the first thing that actually tasted like comfort instead of just hospital food.
Choosing Your Cheese
Sharp cheddar provides the best flavor contrast, but I have used aged gouda for a nuttier version that worked beautifully. Avoid pre shredded cheese since the anti caking coating prevents proper melting.
Fresh Versus Dried Herbs
Fresh chives give the brightest flavor, but in a pinch green onions work just fine. If you must use dried chives, soak them in the buttermilk for 10 minutes before mixing to rehydrate.
Making It Ahead
The dough comes together so quickly that I rarely bother making it in advance, but you can freeze the unbaked loaf for up to a month. Bake from frozen, adding 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.
- Wrap the cooled loaf tightly and it will keep for 2 days at room temperature
- Reheat slices in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes to refresh the crust
- Stale soda bread makes excellent croutons or breadcrumbs
Save There is something deeply satisfying about bread that requires no patience, no proofing, no waiting. Just mixing and baking and eating, which is sometimes exactly what you need.
