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Home » Bread » Quick Bread

Oregano Onion Soda Bread

Published: Mar 21, 2019 · Modified: Mar 12, 2022 by Emma · This post may contain affiliate links, which can earn us a commission.

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Perhaps the unsung hero of all quick breads, soda bread is a unique free-form loaf that contains no baking powder or yeast to make it rise.  Interestingly enough, it's a chemical reaction that makes the dough rise.  Since there's no yeast involved, this can be ready to eat really quickly!

Oregano Onion Soda Bread: this easy recipe for a loaf of moist, savory Irish soda bread is sure to be a hit on St. Patrick’s Day. This no yeast white bread is quick to make for dinner, and uses buttermilk and baking soda to make it rise. No machine is required to mix up this dough! | www.savortheflavour.com #sodabread #stpatricksday #irish #savory #recipes

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  • How to Make
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Questions

Is it healthy?

It has a similar nutritional profile to traditional yeast breads.  You can make it healthier by substituting whole wheat flour for the white flour.  This recipe is actually quite filling, so you won't need a large piece.

What do you eat it with?

  • Spread with salted butter.
  • Dip into a bowl of hearty soup.
  • Place a piece of cheese on top of your slice.
  • Serve it with fresh fruit and veggies.
  • Make it into a sandwich.

Oregano Onion Soda Bread: this easy recipe for a loaf of moist, savory Irish soda bread is sure to be a hit on St. Patrick’s Day. This no yeast white bread is quick to make for dinner, and uses buttermilk and baking soda to make it rise. No machine is required to mix up this dough! | www.savortheflavour.com #sodabread #stpatricksday #irish #savory #recipes

Why do they call it Irish soda bread?

It gets its name from the baking soda that is used to make it rise.

Are bicarbonate of soda and baking soda the same thing?

Yes, they are the same thing--just different names.  Americans and Canadians use the term baking soda, while Brits, Australians, and New Zealanders use the term bicarbonate of soda (or "bicarb" for short).

holding a piece of oregano onion soda bread

Are soda bread and sourdough the same thing?

No, they are not the same.  Sourdough is made from natural yeast, while soda bread contains no yeast--just baking soda--to make it rise.

Can you freeze it?

It absolutely can!  Make sure to seal it tightly in a zip-top plastic bag, pressing out the extra air.  Freeze for up to 1 month.

How to Make

Gather the ingredients (flour, buttermilk, chopped sweet onion, baking soda, salt, pepper, butter, and chopped fresh oregano.)

ingredients for oregano onion soda bread

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.

whisking dry ingredients for oregano onion soda bread

Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat until bubbly, then add the onions and sauté until golden brown.

sauteeing onions for oregano onion soda bread

Add the sautéed onions and chopped oregano to the dry ingredients, then mix in enough buttermilk to make a sticky dough.

oregano onion soda bread dough in a bowl

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently a few times, then shape into a ball.

shaping oregano onion soda bread on a cutting board

Place the loaf on a baking stone or parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Cut a deep X into the loaf, cutting almost all the way through the dough.  This helps it cook properly.

cutting an X into the oregano onion soda bread

Bake at 400 F for 45-55 minutes, until the loaf is well browned on the top and base and has an internal temperature of 200 F on a meat thermometer.  Let it cool completely on a wire rack before serving to allow it to finish cooking.

loaf of oregano onion soda bread on a cooling rack

Pro Tips

  • Use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour.  It has a higher protein content than all-purpose, which creates more gluten in the dough.  Gluten gives the dough strength, allowing it to rise higher as it bakes and giving it a more pleasant texture.
  • Be careful not to overwork the dough, or it will be tough. The more you knead and handle the dough, the more you strengthen the gluten strands.  You need some gluten to create a good loaf, but not too much.  Just gently knead a couple times, and you'll be fine.
  • Bake until it's well browned on the top and base and has an internal temperature of 200 F.  Pulling out the loaf too soon will make it doughy and undercooked.
  • Let it cool completely before serving.  It needs time to release the trapped steam and finish cooking all the way through.  Cutting in too soon will make the dough dense, stodgy, and doughy.
  • Eat it as soon as it's cooled for the best flavor. Otherwise, freeze it in a zip-top freezer bag until needed.
  • If you can't freeze the bread right away, seal it tightly in a zip-top plastic bag at room temperature.  Do not refrigerate; it will make it go stale more quickly.
  • Toast leftovers to serve with soup or use it in a sandwich.

Other Irish Recipes for St. Patrick's Day

  • Boxty Bread
  • Waterford Blaa Buns
  • Dublin Coddle
  • Colcannon
  • Irish Pub Salad

The pleasure of a 5-star review would be greatly appreciated.

Recipe

Irish soda bread on a wire cooling rack

Oregano Onion Soda Bread

Oregano onion soda bread is an easy recipe for a deliciously savory loaf that’s sure to be a hit on St. Patrick’s Day.  This crusty, no yeast bread uses buttermilk and baking soda to make it rise. No machine is required to mix up the dough!
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Bread
Cuisine: Irish
Keyword: irish soda bread, onion bread, soda bread
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 208kcal
Author: Emma

Ingredients
 

  • 4 ⅛ cups bread flour, 500g
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup sweet onion, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, chopped
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 ⅔ - 2 cups buttermilk
US Imperial - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400 F.
  • Rinse the fresh oregano and pat the stems dry.  Remove the leaves by running your fingers down the stem from the top to the bottom, then finely chop the leaves.
  • Chop the onion, then melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and cook until golden brown, stirring frequently.
  • Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl, then stir in the oregano and onion.
  • Make a well in the center of the mixture.  Pour half of the buttermilk into the well and mix with your hand until the dough starts to come together.
  • Gradually add more buttermilk until a sticky dough is formed and no flour remains in the bottom of the bowl.  If you have extra buttermilk, save it for another bake.  Don't over mix, as this will build up the gluten structure in the dough and make a tough, doughy loaf.
  • Working quickly, form the dough into a ball on a lightly floured surface, handling the dough as little as possible.  Pat the top down gently and place on a large baking stone or parchment-lined cookie sheet.
  • Score the dough in an X shape with a large, sharp knife.  Cut almost all the way through, but make sure to leave the four quarters (called farls) attached.  The scoring allows the heat to penetrate the dough much better.
  • Immediately bake at 400 F for 45-55 minutes, until the base and top are well browned and the loaf has risen completely.  The loaf's internal temperature should be about 200 F.
  • Leave to cool completely on a wire rack before serving.  The bread finishes cooking through the middle as it cools.  Serve with butter.

Notes

  • Be careful not to overwork the dough, or it will be tough.
  • Bake until it's well browned and has an internal temperature of 200 F.
  • Let it cool completely before serving; otherwise, the bread will be undercooked and doughy.
  • Eat it the same day for the best taste, or freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 1 month.
  • Toast leftovers to enjoy with soup or in a sandwich.

Nutrition

Calories: 208kcal (10%)Carbohydrates: 37g (12%)Protein: 8g (16%)Fat: 3g (5%)Saturated Fat: 2g (13%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 8mg (3%)Sodium: 368mg (16%)Potassium: 174mg (5%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 4g (4%)Vitamin A: 144IU (3%)Vitamin C: 1mg (1%)Calcium: 114mg (11%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

This post was originally published on September 1, 2017.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Beth

    October 15, 2019 at 4:18 pm

    5 stars
    This oregano soda bread is soft and has a nice crust. I like the oregano and onions. They are rather unusual to put in a bread, but it is quite nice.

    Reply
    • Emma

      October 15, 2019 at 5:45 pm

      I like the flavor combination of oregano and onions, too!

      Reply

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Welcome to our kitchen! We're Brooke & Emma, the mother-daughter team behind Savor the Flavour. As self-taught cooks and bakers, we love to inspire you to cook from scratch with real food for your family. Increase your kitchen confidence with our tempting recipes, instructional photos, and helpful tips and facts.

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