Irish Soda Farls Recipe (2024)

Today’s Irish Soda Farls Recipe is a quick and simple soda bread that cooks in a skillet or griddle! I figured since I’m Irish and it’s getting close to St. Patricks Day it’s just got to be done! Soda Farls or as they’re commonly called in Ireland just plain Farls / Farl–will become a year round favorite. Our soda farl recipe will be your new go-to dinner biscuit!

Why we love Irish Soda Farls Recipe

Our Culinary Journey Around the World is jumping over to explore Ireland for a few weeks. Today’s recipe traditionally came from Northern Ireland and later in the post we’re exploring Dublin, Ireland.

I’m quiet in love with Ireland! I’m so excited to share some of the beautiful sights with you but first, lets enjoy some Irish Soda Farls together.

What are Irish Soda Farls?

• Irish Soda Farls Recipe is a soda bread dough that’s flattened into a round circle, and divided into farls meaning 4 parts.

• It is also referred to as Irish Griddle Bread because it’s cooked on a dry griddle or pan lightly sprinkled with flour.

• Traditionally this was the quickest way to make soda bread for unexpected guests who drop by for a bit of craic (good fun).

• It’s best eaten fresh with butter and jam.

• Have you tried Irish Kerrygold brand butter in the photo’s? It’s so very delightful, rich, and flavorful!

Traditional Irish Food

Irish food is known for the quality and freshness of its ingredients. Most cooking is done without herbs or spices, except for salt and pepper. Foods are usually served without sauce or gravy.

The staples of the Irish diet have traditionally been potatoes, grains (especially oats), and dairy products. Potatoes still appear at most Irish meals, with potato scones, similar to biscuits or muffins, a specialty in the north.

The Irish have also been accomplished cheesemakers for centuries. Ireland makes about fifty types of homemade “farmhouse” cheeses, which are considered delicacies.

Ingredients in Irish Soda Farls Recipe

all-purpose flour
sea salt
baking soda
buttermilk

How to make Irish Soda Farls Recipe

Preheat heavy based flat griddle or skillet on medium to low heat.
Place flour and salt in a bowl and sift in baking soda. Make a well in the center, and pour in the buttermilk.
Work quickly to mix into dough and knead very lightly on a well floured surface. Form into a flattened circle, about 1/2 inch thick and cut into quarters with a floured knife.
Sprinkle a little flour over the base of the hot pan and cook the farls for 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Amazing places to explore in Dublin, Ireland

Let take a look at some of the breath-taking places to visit in Ireland. . . someday I want to go and explore it all!

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk

Instructions

Preheat heavy based flat griddle or skillet on medium to low heat.
Place flour and salt in a bowl and sift in baking soda. Make a well in the center, and pour in the buttermilk.
Work quickly to mix into dough and knead very lightly on a well floured surface. Form into a flattened circle, about 1/2 inch thick and cut into quarters with a floured knife.
Sprinkle a little flour over the base of the hot pan and cook the farls for 6 to 8 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
Enjoy your Irish Soda Farls Recipe!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 252Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 961mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 8g

I’m so excited to share that I was recently in Dublin, Ireland!

It was so much fun to explore and share with all of you the places above- talk about coming full circle! Here are my other recipes and posts for you to read and enjoy!

• Irish Cheddar, Ham, and Chive Scones

• Our Guinness Beef and Potato Stew

More Irish Recipes

• Irish Corned Beef with Cabbage

• Irish Mushroom Melt

• Bangers and Mash with Brown Gravy

• Irish Coffee with Baileys and Kahlua

• Irish Cream Bundt Cake

• Irish Soda Bread

• Irish Creme de Menthe co*cktail

• Irish Stew

• Irish Ginger Snaps

Enjoy our Irish Soda Farls Recipe– you’ll be in heaven with every bite!

One more thing before you go…

We love creating recipes and sharing our adventures with you, so if you can do us a huge favor it’d really support us! It’s easier to stay motivated to share our best with you when we hear from you! We adore our readers and it really makes our day to get comments, social tags/shares, or pins that you save for later to share with your family and friends.

Our hearts sing when you do.

We SEE you and we do our very best to respond to all the love! It also amps up our mo-jo so we get lots of awesome things done around here. Please reach out if you have questions or comments via our email: ruthie@cookingwithruthie.com. We’re excited to see you again soon!

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Thanks for sharing in the CWR blog-love!

Love Always,

Ruthie & Madeliene

*I adapted this recipe from Allrecipesand other rescourcesFoods by Nations, andVisit Doublin

FAQs

Is there a difference between soda bread and Irish soda bread? ›

Sweeter Soda Bread

On this side of the Atlantic, what we call "Irish soda bread" is more rich and sweet, usually studded with raisins and caraway seeds.

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Why are raisins in Irish soda bread? ›

This version bakes into a lightly sweetened round loaf resembling a giant scone, with a burnished crust and tender, fluffy crumb. Plump raisins add pops of concentrated sweetness, but you could swap them out for any dried fruit, such as currants, sour cherries, or cranberries—or simply leave them out.

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Is Irish soda bread unhealthy? ›

Nutrition Notes

Whole-wheat soda bread is a healthy addition to your plate! One serving—a 1/2-inch-thick slice—provides complex carbohydrates for sustained energy, protein, fiber, and vitamins and minerals.

Get More Info Here ›

Why do people eat Irish soda bread? ›

It's also a symbol of celebration, baked in droves in the lead up to Saint Patrick's Day. However, the humble soda bread began as an affordable necessity and was the solution to many food problems facing Ireland at the time.

Learn More Now ›

What's the difference between Irish bread and Irish soda bread? ›

Irish brown bread has a deep, nutty flavor because of its wheat flour and wheat bran while soda bread uses only white flour. Soda bread is slightly sweet and more scone-like while Irish brown bread is more savory with a tender interior.

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Why is my Irish soda bread so crumbly? ›

Make sure you are using the correct amount of baking soda in the recipe. Too much or too little can result in a crumbly loaf. It's also possible that your oven wasn't hot enough when you baked the bread.

What do the Irish call Irish soda bread? ›

It depends on where in Ireland you are: Down South, where I live, it's called white soda bread (with only white flour) or brown soda bread (with brown and white flour) and are created as a cake of bread.

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Do people in Ireland eat Irish soda bread? ›

Ireland, for one, has embraced it's kind of bread – the soda bread. It is a basic staple among the Irish that they call it Irish Soda Bread. It's common to see the locals pair this famous bread with a bottle of Guinness too.

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Is soda bread better than sourdough? ›

Both types of bread use flour and contain refined carbohydrates. Sourdough bread would be considered healthier in the fact that it is a fermented food with lower gluten levels, making it easier to digest.

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How many days is Irish soda bread good for? ›

Tightly wrap your leftover bread and place it in an airtight container. There's no need to refrigerate. As for how long soda bread lasts: Irish soda bread tends to dry out faster than other breads. The bread will be good for 3-4 days or up to three months if frozen.

How are you supposed to eat Irish soda bread? ›

The slices are delicious simply spread with butter, jam, or marmalade. This bread can be toasted, too. Soda bread can be paired with any meal of the day. You can even bake it without the raisins to make a loaf to serve with savory dishes like soup, meat dishes, or to use for sandwiches.

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Why is my Irish soda bread sticky? ›

Your dough can become sticky when you add too much water or the flour isn't suitable for the type of dough you are making. Over proofing or fermenting the dough can also result in the gluten structure weakening causing sticky dough.

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What is the most famous Irish bread? ›

It is actually Irish wheaten or “Brown Bread” that is the most popular and arguably the most delicious type of traditional Irish bread that exists. It's so common that you'll find brown bread in almost every home on the island and it's so versatile that it's offered with a range of menu items.

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What are potato farls made of? ›

Potato Farls is just mashed potatoes kneaded with some flour, butter, salt, and pepper, then fried up into tasty little pieces, making them the perfect recipe for the day after Thanksgiving!

Is soda bread Real bread? ›

Irish soda bread is a quick bread made with baking soda, not yeast. Like my easy no yeast bread, this is a shortcut bread that doesn't skimp on flavor. (If you want a yeast bread, I recommend my sandwich bread recipe!)

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Why is soda bread so tasty? ›

In many ways it resembles a scone, another example of a baked good that doesn't use yeast. It has a similar flavor to a scone, thanks to the baking soda. Though it can be made plain, soda bread's flavor is usually defined by what is added to it. Caraway seeds are a very common soda bread ingredient.

Why is soda bread different? ›

Soda bread is a type of quick bread which takes its name from the baking soda (or, sodium bicarbonate) that is used as a leavening agent instead of the traditional yeast. Traditionally, soda bread is made using flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk.

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