Sourdough Irish Brown Bread

This sourdough Irish brown bread is the wholesome loaf you need, spread with creamy butter and served alongside your favorite soup or stew. Yet it's equally at home spread with strawberry jam and served with a cup of tea for something sweet. Versatility is key in my home!

I started making this sourdough Irish brown bread for my kids not too long ago. We had an Irish friend visit and tell us about the delicious brown bread her mom used to make when she was a child living in Ireland. We couldn't quite explain to my boys what it was actually like, so I decided to make some!

Of course, my jar of sourdough starter was right there on the counter, so added some into the recipe (because I literally add sourdough starter to any recipe)! Since making that first loaf of sourdough Irish brown bread, I've made so many I've lost count. My middle son in particular just loves it, warm from the oven, slathered in pale, creamy homemade butter. YUM!

If you're looking for some other Irish style recipes to use up your sourdough starter, try this sourdough Irish soda bread or sourdough Guinness bread.

Why You'll Love This Recipe!

It's So Quick & Easy - this hearty Irish style bread requires no rise time, so it's perfect for those times when you need something wholesome, but fast!

Sweet or Savory - this sourdough brown bread can be served with a sweet jam and a cup of tea or alongside your favorite soup or stew, it's super versatile! We love it with this sourdough beef and Guinness stew.

What is Irish Brown Bread?

Irish Brown Bread is a traditional bread made with wholemeal (whole wheat) flour, baking soda, buttermilk, and often a touch of salt and sugar. Unlike yeast-based breads, it relies on the chemical reaction between the baking soda and acidic buttermilk to rise, making it a quick bread that doesn’t require kneading or proofing.

Known for its hearty texture, nutty flavor, and dense crumb, it’s a staple in Irish cuisine, often served alongside soups, stews, or simply topped with butter and jam. Its simplicity, wholesome ingredients, and rustic appeal make it a beloved comfort food in Ireland and beyond.

Ingredients

The ingredients for this loaf could not be simpler!

• All Purpose Flour & Whole Wheat Flour - I've done a combination of all purpose and whole wheat flour. If you wanted to stay true to the Irish roots of this brown bread, you could use all whole wheat flour, you'd just need to increase the amount of buttermilk you use. I prefer the texture with a mix of all purpose and whole wheat.
  
• Buttermilk - I've used the buttermilk from making my own butter, but store bought buttermilk is also fine to use. If you don't have buttermilk at all, you can easily make a buttermilk alternative using whole milk and white vinegar (see recipe notes).
  
• Molasses - you can use molasses or honey in this recipe. I've tried it with both and I much prefer the color and flavor with the molasses.
  
• Sourdough Starter - I've used active sourdough starter when developing this recipe but discard is also fine. The sourdough starter isn't actually providing the leavening for this recipe, so it's fine to use either one (you can learn about the difference between sourdough starter and sourdough discard here).
  
• Salt
  
• Baking Soda - make sure you use baking soda and not baking powder. Make sure your baking soda is fresh and still in date to give your loaf the best chance at rising.

How to Make Sourdough Irish Brown Bread

This is honestly such an easy recipe! I've used a small 1 litre (1.05 Qt) loaf pan (the same pan I use to bake my sourdough banana bread). You could also double the recipe and use a larger pan, but I find it cooks best at this scale and the slices are a lovely size, not too big and stodgy.

Preheat your oven to 180C (350F) and lightly grease a loaf pan with butter.

Add the dry ingredients (all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda and salt) to a bowl and whisk to combine.

In a separate, smaller bowl, add the sourdough starter, buttermilk and molasses and whisk together until well combined.

Tip the wet ingredients on top of the dry ingredients and then gently mix together using a spoon or spatula. Don't over mix, it should be just moistened.

Tip the batter into the loaf pan you greased earlier and place into the oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and risen. Don't be tempted to turn your oven up higher to make it cook faster as you'll end up drying out the top too much.

Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before removing from the loaf pan and cooling on a wire rack before slicing and slathering with butter!

(You can of course eat it straight from the oven, but I find it much easier to slice if you let it sit for 10 minutes).

Flavor Variations

There are lots of ways you can vary this recipe to use up things you have at home or create different flavor profiles for this sourdough Irish brown bread. Here are some ideas you could try for your next loaf:

• Beer - try swapping the buttermilk for beer or Guinness to give your next loaf a completely different flavor profile.
  
• Raisins - add a few handfuls of raisins or sultanas to your next loaf for a sweeter flavor. This makes a lovely morning tea or breakfast loaf.
  
• Rolled Oats - sprinkle the top with rolled oats and serve for breakfast as an alternative to regular toast. My kids love waking up to a fresh loaf of this! It's just something a little different on a cold morning.

How To Store + Freeze

This sourdough Irish brown bread is best baked and eaten straight away. It's a recipe that is made to do exactly that. If you have leftovers, I find that a few stray slices can be popped into a ziploc bag or wrapped in aluminum foil and stored at room temperature for a few days. When you want to use them, they are best warmed in the toaster or zapped in the microwave.

You can freeze the brown bread if you want to. Loaves can be frozen whole in ziploc bags or sliced and frozen between pieces of parchment paper for up to 2 months.

Share the sourdough love!