Irish Soda Bread (Paleo, low carb, dairy free, Keto , vegan, GAPS friendly)
A grain-free Irish Soda Bread that is out of this world!
If you grew up eating Irish Soda Bread, you likely have a family recipe that has been handed down through the generations. That’s how traditions work and it’s a beautiful thing!
But what happens when you discover your body can no longer handle grains and carbs? You have to put family recipes to the side and potentially say goodbye to some of your favorite foods!
Fortunately, because of this recipe, you don’t have to do either of those things and MAYBE you’ll even start a NEW tradition that can be passed down from generation to generation!
How this Irish Soda Bread Compares
Although this Irish soda bread is similar in both taste and texture to traditional soda bread, its ingredients are much more nutritious! And much less inflammatory!
I’ve made a grain-free, low-carb, dairy-free, and vegan version that can compete with any traditional Irish soda bread. Just try it, I dare you!
What’s Inside?
Irish Soda bread has been around since the time of the potato famine of 1845-1849 in Ireland.
It is traditionally a filling, dense, unleavened bread made with wheat flour, buttermilk (soured milk), salt, sugar, and baking soda instead of yeast. While our ancestors may have enjoyed these ingredients with little to no issue, the quality of these types of food has sadly diminished. As a result, and due to overconsumption of these foods, too many of us are experiencing health issues that stem from what we are putting into our bodies!
This is why for this Irish Soda Bread, I focused on lower inflammatory ingredients like:
almond flour
coconut flour
psyllium
ground flax
baking soda
and salt.
Time is on your side!
Lucky for all of us, Irish Soda Bread is a quick bread that does not require any yeast. That means you don’t have to wait hours for it to rise (and that you can make it last minute for your St. Paddy’s Day gathering. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone!)
All of my Paleo and Keto bread are quick breads and use baking soda and apple cider vinegar for leavening.
Similar to some of my other bread recipes, this soda bread is soft, dense, and has an incredibly moist interior.
What does soda bread taste like?
The taste of this bread is very mild and similar in flavor to traditional soda bread. As most soda breads are not designed to be eaten on their own, my version is tasty enough to be eaten all by itself, with a dollop of butter or ghee, and it pairs perfectly with a meal including meats and veggies too.
Tips for making this Irish Soda Bread
Getting the dough the right texture is key!
Too much liquid and not enough flour will create bread that is very dense and may be too moist. And not enough water can cause crumbly bread that does not hold well together when sliced.
Don’t be afraid to get your hands in it!
By getting your hands into the dough and kneading it you will be able to feel for the perfect texture. The time spent kneading, just 1-2 minutes with this loaf, will help to get a good structure and make sure the fiber-rich flours soak up the liquid.
Also do let your Irish Soda Bread cool completely before cutting it into slices!
To serve it warm just place the slices in the oven at a low temp (200-250 degrees) or oast for a minute or two.
After you try this grain-free, low-carb, Paleo Irish soda bread, please let me know what you think by leaving me a comment below!
Irish Soda Bread (Paleo, low carb, dairy free, sugar, free, Keto , vegan, and GAPS friendly)
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- 3/4 cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup ground flax seed
- ¼ cup ground psyllium husk
- 3 Tbsp. Lakanto Monk fruit or Erythritol
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup avocado oil coconut oil, ghee
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup almond milk or coconut milk
- ½ cup currants or raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees convection bake.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the ground flax seed in a small bowl and add 3/4 of warm water. Soak for 10-15 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the almond flour, coconut flour, psyllium husk, currants, sweetener, soda, salt, caraway seeds, and cardamom.
- Melt the coconut oil or ghee in a small saucepan over low heat. If using avocado oil you can ignore this step.
- Add the apple cider vinegar, nut milk, and the coconut oil ghee, or avocado oil to the soaked flax and mix well.
- Pour the wet ingredient into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly until a pliable dough forms. You will want to need the dough for 1-2 minutes with your hands.
- Form a round disc with the dough and place it on the lined baking sheet. The round will be about 2 inches tall and 6 wide.
- Cut two thin lines across the top of the round and place it in the oven.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
- Turn the oven off and leave the loaf inside the oven with the door cracked for an additional 15 minutes.
- Let cool completely, about 45 minutes before slicing.
Notes
There are only 7 net carbs in a slice of this Irish Soda Bread compared to about 30 grams in a traditional slice. If you want an even lower carb loaf then omit the currants or raisins.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
200Fat
15Sat. Fat
3Carbs
14Fiber
7Net carbs
7Sugar
4Protein
5Sodium
464Cholesterol
0