Food 
VEGAN IRISH SODA BREAD WITH HERBED BUTTER
I might not be Irish, but that doesn’t stop me from getting into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit. More than an excuse to down pints of the frothy stuff, I see St. Patrick’s Day as a chance to make/try some interesting Irish dishes that I don’t often eat. One of my favorites is this vegan Irish soda bread with herbed butter. The earliest Irish soda bread recipes date back to the 1830s, but it wasn’t until the tragic famine a few decades later that the recipe really became popular. That’s because baking soda (the leavening agent in Irish soda bread) was much easier to come by than yeast. And while the “Great Famine” is a distant memory, soda bread’s popularity lives on. After you’ve tasted this delicious vegan recipe, I think you’ll see why!
Ingredients
For the Soda Bread:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk or any plant-based milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 cup raisins or currants optional
For the Herbed Butter:
- ½ cup vegan butter softened
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix together the almond milk and apple cider vinegar. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it curdles slightly.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the almond milk mixture and maple syrup until a sticky dough forms. If using, fold in the raisins or currants.
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a round loaf, about 1 ½ inches thick.
- Using a sharp knife, score a deep cross into the top of the loaf, about halfway through the dough. This helps the bread to bake evenly.
- Place the shaped dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- While the bread is baking, prepare the herbed butter. In a small bowl, mix together the softened vegan butter, chopped parsley, chopped chives, minced garlic, and salt to taste. Adjust the seasoning according to your preference.
- Once the bread is baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve warm slices of the soda bread with a generous spread of herbed butter.
- Enjoy your Vegan Irish Soda Bread with Herbed Butter as a delicious snack or accompaniment to your favorite vegan meals!
Notes
NUTRITIONAL FACTS
Calories: 250 | Total Fat: 10g | Total Carbohydrates: 35g | Dietary Fiber: 5g | Protein: 5g
