Easy No Yeast Bread (NO dairy!)

Easy and simple no yeast bread made without buttermilk, without dairy, and without butter! Crusty on the outside, moist on the inside, it’s perfect toasted. No mixers, no fancy kitchen equipment, and ready in 35 minutes flat! No rise time needed and no waiting, it’s Vegan, Gluten-Free and Dairy Free. 

I’ve been getting more and more questions about how to make bread without yeast and without eggs.

So far, we’ve shared some foolproof no yeast recipes, like 2 ingredient bagels, pizza dough, naan (reader favorite!) and fluffy flatbread. 

It’s time to make an actual bread that you can use as toast, for sandwiches or simply spread with a smear of butter… no yeast bread!

Irish Soda bread, soda bread, emergency bread…different names but essentially the same thing. 

This recipe is FOOLPROOF and makes a tasty, EASY no yeast bread every time! 

Emergency bread made with simple pantry staple ingredients.

What is soda bread? 

Soda bread is a popular type of quick bread. It doesn’t require any yeast or bread flours to make and perfect to use up pantry staples.

Instead of yeast, it uses baking soda (bicarbonate soda) as the leavening agent. 

Basic ingredients in a traditional soda bread are flour, baking soda, salt, and buttermilk.

Soda bread without buttermilk (vegan!)

My recipe for soda bread is not like traditional soda bread, as it is made without buttermilk.

I opted to omit this, to keep it vegan and dairy-free. Instead, we use a combination of plant-based milk (oat milk, soy milk, or unsweetened almond milk) and white vinegar, to produce ‘mock buttermilk’. 

How to make no yeast bread from scratch

The Ingredients

• All-purpose flour– I used white all-purpose flour, and have also tried this with gluten-free all-purpose flour too. Both work great, and I can vouch for the gluten-free flour brand I used (Bob’s Red Mill).
• Milk of choice– Oat milk or soy milk is preferred, as nut-based kinds of milk are a little too thin. I prefer oat milk, as it lent a delicious flavor to the dough. 
• White vinegar– When combined with the milk, curdles, and creates a fabulous buttermilk substitute. 
• Baking soda– To replace the need for any yeast in this bread! 
• Sugar– To provide a dash of flavor, especially when combined with the salt.
• Salt– Just to give it a little flavor. 

The instructions

Step 1: Prepare the liquids

Start by mixing together your milk with vinegar and let it sit, for around 10 minutes. It will curdle, and be perfect to mix into the dough. 

Step 2: Prepare the oven and baking equipment

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside. There is no need to grease the bottom, as you will re-flour the dough before placing it on there. 

Step 3: Mix the dry and add the wet

In a large mixing bowl, add your flour, baking soda, salt and sugar, and mix well. Using a 1/4 sized measuring cup, add the milk/vinegar mixture slowly, until just combined. The dough should be wet, but not extremely sticky. 

Step 4: Flour, knead, and shape

Lightly flour a kitchen surface. Then, you’ll want to transfer your dough onto it. Once on the floured surface, knead the dough several times until a smooth ball of dough remains. Only add extra flour to the dough if it is incredibly sticky- remember, it should be slightly wet.

Shape it into a round, dome shape. Using a sharp knife, cut two lines across the dough, about half an inch thick, to form a cross shape.

Step 5: Bake! 

Transfer the dough onto the lined tray and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden on top and the base makes a hollow noise when tapped. Allow the bread to cool on the tray completely. 

Can I use gluten-free flour?

As mentioned earlier, I have tried this with gluten-free flour, and it worked well.

Saying that, from my own experience, no brand of gluten-free flour is the same and some can actually be considerably different, especially when it comes to the final recipe.

I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free flour. I cannot vouch for other brands. 

What can I use instead of white vinegar? 

There are many kinds of vinegar on the market, but I found white vinegar to be the best, as it is the least evident in the bread dough itself. 

Apple cider vinegar and malt vinegar should work, but on their own, they are extremely overpowering, so I’d assume the flavor would come through in the bread.

I cannot vouch for lemon or lime juice, but please do leave a comment and let me know if you do try this!

Tips and Tricks for PERFECT no yeast bread 

• Do not overmix the dough- When you knead it on the floured surface, it will incorporate much easier.
• You don’t want to over-knead it either- Just enough to form a clean dome-shaped ball of dough.
• Avoid overbaking the bread, otherwise, there is a risk of it becoming a little dry inside.
• Do not continue to add flour if the dough appears to be ‘wet’- It will ensure it cooks up well. 
• You must cross the uncooked bread with a knife before placing it in the oven, to ensure it cooks evenly and isn’t underdone in the center.
• Oven makes and models differ by brand- I recommend you check the bread around the 20-minute mark, and adjust from there. 

How to eat soda bread

Soda bread has a similar texture to sourdough bread. As such, I would highly recommend you toast your bread first, before enjoying it. Without toasting, it can be quite bland, and also quite dense.

If you don’t have a toaster, you can easily ‘pan toast’ it in a non-stick pan or in an oven, using the oven racks as a toaster.

What to serve with soda bread

Enjoy soda bread as you would with any crusty, fresh bread.

• As toast– Spread some homemade almond butter, homemade Nutella or even a smear of butter on it. I love making Caprese toasts, with vegan ricotta, cherry tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic over it. 
• Toasted sandwiches– Toast two slices and place your favorite fillings in between it, like veggie burgers, tuna patties or even chicken patties!
• With soup– Dip this in your favorite pumpkin soup or a warming vegetable korma. 

Storing no yeast bread

If you plan on enjoying the soda bread within 2-3 days, it’s best for you to keep it at room temperature, in a sealed container. 

For slightly longer shelf life, you can store in the fridge and it will remain fresh for up to 7 days.

NOTE: Before consuming, it is highly recommended you toast it first. 

Can I freeze Irish soda bread

YES! If you are like me, I always have to freeze half a loaf of whatever bread I end up buying, because I HATE spoiling food.

This bread is no different and IS freezer friendly. Place any leftover bread in a ziplock bag and place it in the freezer, as you would any other bread you freeze. It will keep fresh for at least 6 months.

Thaw pre-frozen bread at room temperature, before toasting and enjoying. 

TIP: If you eat a specific amount of bread at one time (for example, I eat 2 slices for breakfast), portion those slices out individually. Re-freezing pre-frozen bread is not the greatest! 

Soda Bread Variations

• Oatmeal Soda Bread– Sub out 2 tablespoons of flour and replace it with rolled oats (old fashioned oats). Sprinkle a handful on top of the bread before baking it.
• Raisin Soda Bread– Fold through 1/4-1/2 cup raisins into the dough. For a sweeter bread, also add 1/4 cup of sugar. 
• Walnut Currant Soda Bread– Fold through 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts and 1/4 cup of dried currants into the dough.
• Seeded Soda Bread– Add 1/4 cup of mixed seeds and sesame seeds into the dough. 
• Rosemary Soda Bread- Add 1 tablespoon of rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon EXTRA salt, and sprinkle coarse sea salt over the top. 

More delicious NO YEAST recipes

• Bagels
• Soft Pretzels
• Naan
• Pizza Dough
• Flatbread
• Garlic Knots