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This Gluten-Free Soda Bread recipe uses no xanthan gum and is yeast-free so is incredibly quick to make. Since this version contains no buttermilk it also happens to be vegan.
To achieve a gluten-free yeast-free bread that is uncomplicated, tasty and not terribly dense is a tough ask. Then if you need to avoid xanthan gum too you might be tearing out your hair.
READ MORE >>> Why I don't bake with xanthan gum.
Step forward this wonderful Gluten-Free Soda Bread which will be the perfect antidote to your struggles. There is no yeast involved, no kneading, no rising and no complicated ingredients. It takes 15 minutes to mix up the dough and only 45 minutes in the oven. So that’s pretty much 1 hour from start to finish.
Table of contents
What is soda bread?
A traditional Irish Soda Bread is a very quick bread recipe which is made without yeast so there is no proving time to be considered. Instead the bread rises through the reaction of bicarbonate of soda and acidic buttermilk.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Deliciously tasty gluten-free yeast-free bread.
- This gluten-free bread doesn't require any proving time since there is no yeast.
- The combination of gluten-free flours give a wonderful wholegrain rich flavour.
- No xanthan gum and no psyllium husk. The only extra binder needed is ground flaxseeds.
- Very easy to make, only one hour from start to finish.
- No buttermilk - which means this recipe is vegan and dairy-free.
Irish soda bread no buttermilk
Regular soda bread uses a combination of buttermilk and bicarbonate of soda to create the rise. To make the recipe vegan (or if you don’t have any buttermilk to hand) you can use a non-dairy milk mixed with a little acid to create the same buttermilk effect. This recipe uses oat milk with apple cider vinegar but you can use any non-dairy milk and you can swap lemon juice in for the vinegar if that is what you have.
Gluten-free flours required
- Oat Flour
The oat flour is the perfect light and fluffy texture for the bread, as well as providing a delicious oaty taste. You can substitute with sorghum flour if you can’t digest oats but some brands of sorghum flour can be a little gritty which does come through in this bread recipe since such a large amount is needed. - Almond Flour
The almond flour also gives the bread a lovely texture and taste. It is light but also helps keeps the bread from being dry and crumbly. - Potato Starch (not potato flour)
Potato starch is used for structure and to alleviate the density of the loaf. - Tapioca Flour
Tapioca flour is chosen as it gives the bread a lovely golden crust and also helps bind all the other flours together in lieu of gluten.
Ingredients needed
- Gluten-free flours. Oat flour, almond flour, tapioca flour, potato starch.
- Non-dairy milk + Apple cider vinegar. This mix negates the need for buttermilk as the non-dairy milk and the vinegar react to make a tangy substitute that gives the bread a soft crumb. This recipe was tested with oat milk.
- Ground flaxseeds. This bread needs a little more binding due to the lack of gluten. Flaxseeds add a great viscosity which helps to keep the bread tender. Substitution: If you don’t have flaxseeds then ground chia seeds work in exactly the same way, so just swap in the same quantity.
- Bicarbonate of soda. This gives great lift to the bread.
- Kosher salt. To enhance the flavour of the bread
Step-by-step instructions
For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Whisk the milk and vinegar together.
- Sift the flours with the bicarbonate of soda and salt.
- Add the flaxseeds to the milk.
- Pour the milk into the flours and mix well.
- Tip the dough into a cake tin and bake for 45 minutes.
please note the above middle photo was taken before I realised the need for lining the cake tin with baking parchment - see top tips below!
Top tips and troubleshooting
- Regular soda bread can be baked free-form just on a baking sheet. Here I recommend baking this gluten-free version in a round cake tin. This dough is a little looser and it helps the bread stay in shape during the bake.
- Also, do use line the cake tin on the bottom and sides with baking parchment to stop the bread from sticking (although this isn't shown on the process images). Cut out a circle of parchment and place on the bottom. Cut out a straight line of parchment and curl it round the insides of the cake tin. Do not grease the parchment.
How to store
This bread has a relatively short shelf life of 1-2 days before it starts to stale. I recommend if you are not eating it all within the day then to freeze the bread in slices.
Shop the Recipe
- Gluten-free-oat flour
- Gluten-free potato starch
- Digital scales
- Kosher salt
- Baking parchment
- 8 inch round cake tin
More gluten-free bread recipes
- Gluten-Free White Sandwich Loaf
- Gluten-Free Artisan Sourdough Bread
- Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns
- Happiness Bread
If you make this Gluten-Free Soda Bread without buttermilk then please leave a comment below and give the recipe a rating which helps others find the recipe on Google. If you then go on to use this recipe as a launch pad for your own baking creation then I’d also love it if you’d share it and tag me on Instagram. It is so lovely for me to see your versions and variations of my recipes.
Gluten-Free Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 180 g oat flour
- 120 g almond flour
- 60 g potato starch
- 60 g tapioca flour
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 350 ml non-dairy milk
- 1¼ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 20 g ground flaxseeds
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan assisted/gas mark 4. Line the bottom of a 6 inch x 4 inch round cake tin with baking parchment on the bottom and around the insides of the tin.
- Whisk the milk with the apple cider vinegar in a jug and leave to sit for 5 minutes.
- Sift the flours into a large mixing bowl with the bicarbonate of soda and salt.
- Whisk the flaxseeds into the milk and leave for 5 minutes.
- Make a well in the middle of the flours and pour in the liquid. Mix well.
- Pour the bread dough into the lined cake tin and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the oven, leave to rest for 5 minutes before carefully inserting out of the tin and leave to cool on a rack.
Notes
- For the non-dairy milk you can use oat milk, coconut milk, almond milk, cashew milk or a combo of any of them.
- Instead of the apple cider vinegar you can use the same amount of lemon juice.
- If you don’t have any flaxseeds to hand then you can swap in ground chia seeds.
Can I reduce the amount of almonds and replace them with something else?
I wouldn't recommend reducing the amount of almonds but you can replace them with sunflower seed flour which is a great alternative.
I can’t eat potatoes, any suggestions for what I can sub that with or just more of the other flours?
Thanks
So, in theory you would need to swap the potato starch with another starch in order that the same roles in the flour mix are fulfilled. I don't like to rely too much on one flour - especially where bread is concerned. So I would either swap for another starch entirely like cassava flour or I would even try splitting the difference between the almond flour and the tapioca starch. I haven't tried either of these substitutions so this is just a best guess. The potato starch is a very light starch and helps give the bread more lift which the other flours don't do so your end result won't be exactly the same but will still be very tasty.
I followed the recipe to the letter but unfortunately the bread didn't rise. I tried it for flavour and thought it was very nice. It's a shame the texture wasn't right. I wonder what went wrong!