Easy Vegan Irish Soda Bread With Raisins (No Caraway Seeds)

Nothing says Happy St. Patrick's Day like a loaf of traditional Easy Vegan Irish Soda Bread With Raisins. Hearty and with a touch of sweetness, it's delicious with some (vegan) butter.

It's an extremely easy recipe as there's no kneading and the bread dough doesn't need to rise as a yeast bread would. It's made with simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand.

You won't want to wait until St. Patrick’s day to make this Easy Vegan Irish Soda Bread - it's perfect to make any time of year.

Irish Soda Bread Ingredients

This easy recipe uses simple ingredients that you probably already have at home.

• Unsweetened non-dairy milk - I use unsweetened soy milk but unsweetened almond milk would work well too. I do not recommend coconut milk as it'll add coconut flavor to your bread.
• Apple cider vinegar - You can substitute with white vinegar or lemon juice.
• Flour - This recipe is made with white flour and I do not recommend using whole wheat flour. If you are looking for an Irish Soda Bread recipe using whole grains, check out Traditional Irish Brown Soda Bread.
• Sugar
• Salt
• Baking soda
• Vegan butter - My favorite brand is Earth Balance.
• Raisins

Options

• If you don't like your Irish Soda Bread with raisins, you can leave them out or use an alternative dried fruit.
• If you want caraway seeds, you can add 2 teaspoon when you are mixing the dry ingredients.

Making the Vegan Irish Soda Bread

Start with preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare your sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper.

Next you'll make the vegan buttermilk. Measure out your non-dairy milk in a measuring cup. Add the apple cider vinegar, give it a quick stir, and set it aside. For more detailed information on making vegan buttermilk, click HERE.

In a large bowl, add the white flour, sugar, salt and baking soda and whisk together.

Add in the vegan butter cubes. Use your fingers to work the butter into the dough and try to make crumbs or tiny pebbles. You can also use a pastry cutter if you have one. Just make sure there aren't any large chunks of vegan butter.

Add in the raisins and stir with a wooden spoon.

Next, pour in the vegan buttermilk and stir to combine. You don't want to over-mix or the dough will be tough.

Use your hands to shape the dough into a round loaf. If it's too sticky, add some extra flour to the dough and your hands.

Place the rounded loaf onto the prepared baking sheet. Use a sharp knife to score a deep cross on the top of the loaf.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. Allow the bread to rest in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Use a serrated knife to slice the loaf of bread. Spread on some (vegan) butter and enjoy!

Storage

Store the vegan Irish soda bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. I like to lightly toast a slice in the oven to reheat it.

Can You Freeze Irish Soda Bread?

Yes, you can freeze Irish soda bread using the following steps.

1. Let the bread cool completely until it's room temperature. If it's still warm, it can become soggy when thawed.
2. Wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. You can also store it in a ziploc bag, making sure you squeeze out all of the air.
3. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months.
4. Thaw the bread by letting it sit out at room temperature while it is still wrapped up. This may take a few hours.
5. Reheat the thawed bread by baking for about 10-15 minutes at 325 degrees.

Summary

This traditional and Easy Vegan Irish Soda Bread is perfect for St. Patrick's Day and delicious to make any time of year. It's full of sweet, juicy raisins and made without caraway seeds. It's the perfect dairy-free Irish soda bread recipe.

Looking for more vegan bread recipes? Check out:

• Easy Vegan Banana Bread With Pears
• Easy Vegan Zucchini Bread With Chocolate Chips
• Easy Vegan Pumpkin Bread With Raisins