Traditional Irish soda bread made in the air fryer! This air fryer soda bread is quick, easy, and only requires a few simple ingredients to make and you don't need yeast too. Get your butter, honey butter, jam, soup, or cheese ready, because this bread is best enjoyed fresh out of the air fryer!
Quick Bread Recipe
Are you looking for a quick bread recipe that is faff free and easy to make, if so then you are in luck, this air fryer soda bread is quick and easy, and delicious? You do not need to wait for st Patrick's day to enjoy this quick soda bread, you can enjoy it all year-round. I love the fact that it uses simple pantry ingredients, in fact, you may not need to visit the shop to buy any of the ingredients needed to make this bread.
Why you will love this air fryer Irish soda bread recipe
- Quick and easy! this recipe only requires minimal prep and unlike your regular bread, you do not need to knead and prove this bread, above all, it is yeast-free.
- Simple ingredients: you only require 5 cupboard and fridge staple ingredients to make this quick bread
- Versatile: not just restricted to being served with Irish meals or St Patrick's day. Enjoy this bread as part of your breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
- Bakers beginners and kids-friendly: This extremely simple and versatile recipe is a fantastic way for beginning bakers to put their baking skills to the test.
What is soda bread
Soda bread is a quick (dense) bread that uses baking soda as its leavening agent. It originates from Europe in the Americas and was adopted by the Irish. It is traditionally made with flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk. The chemical reaction between baking soda and buttermilk produces carbon dioxide which causes it to rise. This recipe has been adapted for the air fryer and only takes a few minutes to prepare.
Ingredients
All-purpose flour
Baking soda: please note that baking soda is not the same as baking powder.
salt
Buttermilk: this can be homemade or storebought
sugar: this is optional but you can add it for a little bit of sweetness if you plan to eat the bread as it is.
How to make buttermilk
This recipe uses 300ml of buttermilk, to make it at home. Simply pour 300ml of milk into a jug then add 1 ½ Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to the milk, stir to combine, and leave to sit for 10-15 minutes. Your buttermilk is ready when the milk has thickened slightly.
How to make air fryer soda bread
Preheat the air fryer at 345F/175C, 174C if using an instant Vortex air fryer (UK) for 10 minutes.
To a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking soda, sugar, salt, and mix until incorporated.
Pour the buttermilk into the dry ingredients, with a bread knife or a spatula mix until the dough starts to come together to form a sticky dough.
Turn the dough out on a lightly floured worktop and knead it gently until it comes together then shape into a ball. (PS: don't form the ball into a perfectly round shape, flatten ( flattened dome) it a little so as to give enough room for rising in the air fryer. If it rises too high, the loaf will touch the heating element and may end up burning).
Lightly flour a parchment paper and transfer the shaped loaf onto it. With a serrated knife cut a deep cross on the dough, carefully place it in the preheated air fryer and fry for 30-35 minutes. Flip the soda bread halfway through so that it bakes evenly. You will know the bread is done if an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Remove the loaf from the air fryer, and transfer to a cooling rack to cool slightly before serving. Slice the bread however you like and slather some butter and jam on, or enjoy as it is with beef stew or any soup of choice
PSS: This loaf was made in an instant Vortex air fryer 5.7L, I removed the small tray in the air fryer basket to allow enough room for the bread to expand whilst baking. If using another brand of air fryers, make sure that the dough is flattened a bit before baking.
Tips
- Use a combination of white and wholemeal flour if you prefer.
- For a sweeter version, you can add raisins, sultanas, or dried cranberries.
- For a delicious hint of flavor, add caraway seeds, freshly grated parmesan cheese, gruyere cheese, or rosemary.
- If you don't have an air fryer, you can bake this soda bread in a preheated oven at 200C/400F for 25-35 minutes.
- Double the recipe if you are feeding a large crowd.
- Don't overwork the dough, otherwise, the bread will be tough. Just knead it gently until it comes together like you are making a scone (biscuit).
How to store air fryer soda bread
This quick bread is best enjoyed fresh and warm, however, any leftovers can be stored in a bread bin or a plastic bag, and kept at room temperature for up to 1 day. Soda bread can also be frozen for up to 2-3 months, simply slice the bread then place it in a freezer-safe bag. When you are ready to eat it, pop them in the toaster or reheat it in the air fryer or oven until warm.
Air Fryer Soda Bread
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 410 g all-purpose flour (about 3¼ cups) more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 300 ml buttermilk
- 1 Tablespoon sugar this is optional
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer at 345F/175C, 174C if using an instant Vortex air fryer (UK) for 10 minutes.
- To a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking soda, sugar, salt, and mix until incorporated.
- Pour the buttermilk into the dry ingredients, with a bread knife or a spatula mix until the dough starts to come together to form a sticky dough.
- Turn the dough out on a lightly floured worktop and knead it gently until it comes together then shape into a ball. PS: don't form the ball into a perfectly round shape, flatten (like a dome) it a little so as to give enough room for rising in the air fryer. If it rises too high, the loaf will touch the heating element and may end up burning.
- Lightly flour a parchment paper and transfer the shaped loaf onto it. With a serrated knife cut a deep cross on the dough, carefully place it in the preheated air fryer and fry for 30-35 minutes. Flip the soda bread halfway through so that it bakes evenly. You will know the bread is done if an inserted toothpick comes out clean.PSS: This loaf was made in an instant Vortex air fryer 5.7L, I removed the small tray in the air fryer basket to allow enough room for the bread to expand whilst baking. If using another brand of air fryers, make sure that the dough is flattened a bit before baking.
- Remove the loaf from the air fryer, and transfer to a cooling rack to cool slightly before serving. Slice the bread however you like and slather some butter and jam on, or enjoy as it is with beef stew or any soup of choice
Notes
Nutrition
FAQs
Can I make soda bread without buttermilk
Yes, you can make soda bread without buttermilk. Substitute buttermilk with half plain yogurt and half milk. Alternatively, use dairy-free milk such as almond milk or soy milk and add vinegar or lemon juice, this option is great if you are vegan.
Can I make this bread with self-raising flour
Yes, you can substitute plain flour with self-raising flour for this recipe if that is all you have. The texture might be affected slightly but it shouldn't stop it from being delicious.
My bread is not cooked properly in the air fryer, what could be the problem
The most common reason for this is if the air fryer wasn't set to the proper temperature. If the temperature is too high then it may result in false cooking or burning. Setting the temperature too low would make the bread stodgy and it would not rise as it should and may result in undercooking.
Another reason may be that you forgot to flip the bread which will result in the outside browning quickly without cooking in the middle.
Lastly, ensure that the bread has enough space to rise without touching the heating element at the top.
More air fryer recipe
If you made this easy air fryer recipe, don’t forget to leave me feedback and rate it 5 stars. Tag us @cravingsmallbites on Instagram and save away to your Pinterest
Doyin says
This recipe is super straightforward. I tried making bread from scratch, and it turned out nice. I enjoyed it with pistachio spread. Thank you!
Olu says
I am glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for the feedback
Lyndsey O'Reilly says
Is it possible to make this with gluten free flour?
Ajoke says
Hello, I haven't tried making soda bread with gluten free flour before, that said, I believe it should work. Kindly let me know if you tried it, thanks