Make this savory yeast free Irish Soda Bread recipe for your St Patrick’s Day dinner! It’s loaded with cheddar cheese and fresh rosemary and will go perfectly with some slow cooked corned beef!

I hope I don’t upset any Irish Soda Bread purists with my savory version. I accept the fact that a traditional Irish soda bread recipe is plain, but who wouldn’t love this cheesy version? That flavor combo is a total win-win, and It’s yeast free so no worrying about rising!
This was my first time making a savory version. Usually, I’ll make soda bread with raisins or cranberries, or even chocolate and pecan. While these sweet versions are super tasty, they don’t exactly pair up well with something as awesome as this corned beef and cabbage.
FAQ’s about making this Irish soda bread
I added Seriously Sharp Cheddar from Cabot for this and it completely lives up to its name. The cheese and rosemary become speckled through the dough and the smell that fills the kitchen when baking is outrageous. You could use any other medium-hard cheese but the cheddar provides maximum flavor as well as little nuggets of crusty burnt pieces of cheese on the surface of the bread.
Irish Soda Bread was a staple in most Irish people’s lives in the 1800’s. There wasn’t a lot of money or ingredients so the bread was made by using baking soda as a leavening agent instead of regular yeast, so this recipe is perfect for a yeast free lifestyle or if you are finding it hard to find Yeast in the store. This created the bread quicker and it was an easier ingredient to have on hand. The problem was that the Irish Soda Bread recipe didn’t have much flavor if any. But times have changed and you can find many different versions made with spices and dried fruit. The texture of the soda bread is like a scone or biscuit with a softer interior.
The bread dries out very quickly, so making it on the day that you plan to eat it is important, and you’ll love that fresh outer crust and soft interior!
Don’t start mixing the dough until your oven is completely preheated and at baking temperature. The acid from the buttermilk will begin to react with the baking soda as soon as you begin to mix and you don’t want to lose all of these bubbles which will help your bread rise.
I would say no to this question, just because Irish soda bread dries out quickly so by day two the bread would probably be too dry and hard. Also there’s nothing like a warm loaf of bread served along with your corned beef and cabbage!

making your soda bread
In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients and then add the buttermilk, cheese and rosemary. Stir well until the dough forms.

Knead the dough into a ball shape and use a sharp serrated knife to cut the shape of a cross on top of the soda bread. Bake as directed in the recipe.

Serving suggestions
I must put my foot down on one thing though guys. Make sure to serve thick slices, slightly warm, with some real butter. Once you’ve spread the butter on the bread, try sprinkling some extra sea salt on top! I could eat the whole loaf just like this, never mind with corned beef.
Happy St Patrick’s Day!

More amazing Irish Soda Bread recipes!!



This post was originally published in March 2015, this is an updated version with fresh photographs.

Rosemary Cheddar Irish Soda Bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- 1 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary
- 4 ounces grated sharp cheddar
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 1 whole large egg
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Liine a baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, mix together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, pepper, rosemary, cheese and butter.
- Add the egg to the buttermilk and beat until mixed.
- Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour and lightly mix through until it becomes sticky and a ball forms.
- Dump the dough out onto a flour dusted work surface and roughly knead the dough into an ball shape. It may be on the wet side so have some extra flour on hand for dusting.
- Place the dough onto your prepared baking tray. Take a sharp serrated knife and cut a small X on top of the soda bread.
- Season the top with some more salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes and the top is golden brown.
- Let cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving with butter.
Warm soda bread with butter?! Now that’s definitely something I can get on board with. Love the rosemary cheddar twist!
Hi Gerry – as a now retired Irish pensioner in London, I started making particularly breads a year ago. I have made this wonderful Irish Soda Bread 5 times and initially had great success and everybody agrees tastes gorgeous. However, the last two bakes, including today, my Soda Bread is very flat , say 2 inches high and no real rise at all. Don’t get me wrong, tastes terrific and as it should be! But just does not look the part. I have followed the recipe ingredients carefully so guess it is to do with my method! Any ideas what I may be doing wrong! Writing this with tea and soda bread in hand so life ok!
Thankyou Richard
Hi Richard! Glad to hear it tastes good :) As you’ve had previous success, I’m thinking it may be due to the freshness of your baking soda or cream of tartar?
This bread is absolutely amazing! We of Irish background and this is hands down the best one! We have traditional Irish dinner to celebrate St Paddys day every year and this bread is always part of our meal. Thank you!
These pictures! holy cow, they are gorgeous! And this bread sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing mine too :)
Oh my I so wanted to lick my screen on this one. I love bread!
We love the idea of cheddar and rosemary as an addition to this classic recipe (of course) ! Now my St. Paddy’s day dinner is complete with this lovely bread :)
Thanks Rachael :)
Thanks for the recipe – looks amazing! And I enjoy a slice of extra sharp cheddar on a piece of warm apple pie!
Purist or not this bread sounds amazing. I’d toss aside any bread to get at this.
Oh, YES! Not a speck of sugar in sight! I love plain soda bread so much I’d pick that as my death row final meal. (I’m not on death row.) However, the addition of the rosemary and sharp cheddar can only make it better. I’m picturing sprinkled grated cheddar on top and then browned in the oven, like crusty lasagna edges…
I’ll eat cheddar with just about anything, but I love to pair it with apple slices or put it in grilled cheese sandwiches. Cabot is my favorite brand! I’ll have to try this recipe ASAP! Thank you :)
I love to eat sharp cheddar in a good mac and cheese!
Dear Gerry, This is a gorgeous bread. I love your take on it just as much as the traditional bread. Pinned for later. I would love to try this savory version. Have a wonderful weekend, Catherine
Seriously sharp is my favorite so I think it goes with everything, but I love it with a glass of white wine best. That soda bread looks very good,something to make on a cold Sunday morning.☺️
Seriously sharp is my favorite so I think it goes with everything, but I love it with a glass of white wine best. That soda bread looks very good,something to make on a cold Sunday morning.☺️
I love sharp cheddar with apples – a perfect match.
Shrimp quesadillas!
this sounds delicious! Just got home from spending a few days in Vermont and I have some nice Cabot cheddar I can use! I can’t wait to try!
My friend made homemade macaroni and cheese with sharp cheddar and I thought I’d nearly died and gone to heaven. But considering in that house I’m known as the “cheese whisperer,” I might be biased in my love of the good stuff… :)
What doesn’t sharp cheddar make better…mmm. A favorite pairing of mine would definitely be slice thin with fresh figs on a crusty baguette – summer days!
Saw this on Pinterest and just had to get the recipe! Weekend project for St. Paddy’s. :)
My fave thing to eat with super sharp cheddar is sliced apple!
The question is really- what don’t I like with sharp cheddar? Grilled sharp cheddar sandwiches; sharp cheddar Mac and cheese; sharp cheddar beer cheese fondue; sharp cheddar cheese straws; anything Mexican with melted sharp cheddar; sharp cheddar rarebit with homemade soft pretzels… and on and on? My absolute favorite is to eat a sharp aged cheddar all by its self!
This looks amazing! I had Irish soda bread for the first time last week and I can’t wait to try this spin on it! As for sharp cheddar, I haven’t met a cheese I didn’t like but sharp cheddar pairs best for me with some creamy, gooey mac n cheese!
I love sharp cheddar on just about anything but especially on mexican food.
this looks GOOD. But I always make my soda bread earthy with whole wheat, a pinch of brown sugar, and cardamom. And if I’ve got time, I make lemon curd to go with it. And then, yes, we eat it beside our corned beef, cabbage, carrots, mashed taties, and strong brown mustard.
OH MY!! I need this now! How could one be offended by the idea of adding cheese and rosemary to bread?? It’s all good to me, and your pictures could not tell the story more beautifully!!
I like to eat sharp cheddar in a macaroni and cheese recipe I make in the slow cooker.
Oh yes, sharp cheddar cheese , ‘Dubliner’ especially, is just heaven. We love these new Rosemary crackers from President’s Choice (A Canadian brand you get in Superstore). They have scalloped edges and are fairly thin. Just spread mayonnaise on them, a couple of thin slices of sharp cheddar, some black pepper and a dollop of jalapeno jelly on top. So delicious…The waves have found their shore!
A BLT OF COURSE goes even better with good sharp cheddar. Or pancakes with melted cheddar and a good syrup over the top. Thanks for the recipe and the pics. Now I’m really hungry. Alexandra.
Works well as two balls, do not try as one. The inside will not cook right and you’ll either end up with a half cooked mess or a burnt outside/still uncooked inside. Amazing recipe when split in two however.
Cheddar cheese in a glorious grilled cheese sandwich, or melted into a spoonbread/souffle!
This looks amazing and I like that I don’t have to wait for it to rise! Can you clarify #4 & #5 for me on the instructions? Thanks so much.
Hi Thea, I updated the recipe instructions. Thanks for asking :)
This cheddar soda bread will be great with some Jalapeno Raspberry Jam. I love crusty cheese bread.
These photos are absolutely stunning! I’m trying to cut back on carbs, but I WANT THAT BREAD!
This is a 5 Star recipe! Easy to make as a first time bread maker. Because of my oven, cook time was 5-7 min longer. Results: flawless, delicious, showstopper!
Thanks Buffy glad to hear that!!
A wonderful bread. Quick and delicious! Made it last night exactly as shown and making 3 more to bring to a Paddy’s Day party tonight.
Love the feedback John, and glad you liked the bread!
Have you found a dairy free alternative for a savory soda bread like this? Could you just replace the buttermilk with a non dairy milk and apple cider vinegar?
Possibly Kelby, but buttermilk is super creamy so that might change things. Give it a try and let me know
Definitely split this into two loaves at that temp. I split mine and lowered the temp to 375 so the outside wouldn’t burn like last time. Still, it was very, very tasty. :-)
Great tip, thanks Kelly!
so tasty, but mine didn’t completely cook through the first time I made it. I will try splitting it into 2 loaves and lowering the temp. thanks for the tip.
Thanks Jenna, may be an altitude issue or bake time, but glad you liked it and thanks for the feedback!
Made this for breakfast this morning and was surprised that it turned out so well and was so easy to make. Next time I make it, I will try a little less rosemary. Also, note that the middle looked like it was going to be kind of doughy, even with a couple of extra minutes baking, but it wasn’t. I think it might just be the cheese that gives it that look.
Thanks for the recipe!
yAYY, Glad you liked it!
Made this for the family yesterday and it didn’t last the day. So flavorful, moist, and just yummy. The texture is so soft and the flavors are present without being overpowering. Could eat this with every meal. Awesome recipe that I am sure to make over and over.
Awesome Leslie, Yup that’s a keeper and glad you liked it!
Hi, I am interested in prepping this the night before for xmas brunch and refrigerating the dough. I also am thinking of making them in muffin tins. Do you have any suggestions or concerns?
Hi Jessica, i think you’d be okay making ahead and keeping in the fridge. Just be sure to cover tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough come to room temp before baking. Muffin tins might be cool but just adjust the bake time as It’ll be much shorter. Thanks!
Tasty. I’d replace cream of tartar with some baking powder next time to reduce the sourness as it is a savory bread. I added caramelized shallots too. Great with my Irish lamb stew.
I make this at least once a month, I use gluten free flour for allergy purposes. I have gotten more compliments on this bread than anything else I’ve made, and cooking is my passion. I HIGHLY recommend this recipe. I’ve also changed it up and used different cheeses and spices, the core recipe it where it’s at! Yum! 10 stars! :)
Love Irish Soda bread and am intrigued to try this flavor profile … have recently been gluten free though … anyone know if one of the standard 1:1 replacement flour blends such as King Arthur will be ok n this recipe? Thanks!!!
Hi Ana, I don’t see why it wouldn’t be okay, I would try and do a test run first though as it’s a pretty simple recipe :)
This looks lovely! Has anyone made it at higher elevations? I’m at 8400 feet, and curious how to adjust for (extremely) high altitude.
Wish I had seen the posts about baking as two loaves before I baked mine. Took WAY longer to bake through and outside got a bit too bark. I think part of prob is the amount of cheese doesn’t let the dough dry enough at that high of a temp. I think I’ll try again w half the amount of cheese and also half of the amount of rosemary, at a lower temp
I won’t to make this for Thanksgiving dinner at my daughters. We will be traveling there (4hours) that morning. Can I make the dough up ahead of time and cook it when we get there? Or should I bake it ahead of time and reheat? Thank you for your help. This looks delicious.
Hi Katherine- I would bake it before you leave on the road if you can and then wrap in foil and reheat in the oven. As long as you make it the same day it’ll still be great.
I loved this bread!! easy to make and great taste. I made according to directions and it turned out great. did not last long around this house.
Thanks, Kurt, definitely a keeper! Make some for St Patrick’s day soon!!
This bread came out looking beautiful and smelled absolutely wonderful. I haven’t liked the soda bread I’ve had in restaurants, because it’s usually on the dry side, but this was very moist and tender with a nice crunchy crust. (I didn’t have problems getting it baked in the middle like others mentioned, even though I only made one loaf, but it was a nice flat dome so maybe that helped.) I got up early to make this before work, so it was great to have a bread recipe that doesn’t have to prove for an hour or two. Will definitely be making this again.
Awesome Kayley! Glad you liked it :)
Made it , subbed in GF flour (1/2 King Arthurs gf + 1/2 oat flour + 3/4 tsp xanthan gum), for St. Paddy’s last night. Really, really good. Wanted to use Dubliner but couldn’t find it so used a Cabot instead.
Awesome Beth- good to know about the GF substitution!
I made this bread yesterday for Sunday brunch and it was perfect. My family loved it. It was so easy to make and took no time
Awesome Catherine!!! So glad you liked it
Hi, I’m planning to make this bread for Sunday brunch but have one question:how long do I have to knead the dough? Thank you
Hi Sylwia- only knead it for a about a minute or until you get it into a nice ball shape. It’s not like regular bread dough where you have to work the gluten.
A very tasty bread, thank you. I made 2 small loaves, used parchment paper and cooked each in a le Creuset DO. I gave one loaf to a neighbor/friend, the other went with our dinner. Neither loaf survived!
This was so great! I didn’t have any problems baking it as one loaf. My only addition was some garlic powder. I also made a green onion and garlic compound butter to put on top.
Sounds amazing Haley!
Hey look at me I made a bread! No kneading meant this was shockingly simple. I had no issues with one ball & popped it in my cast iron. Took out right at 25 mins and it was great. Think I’ll cut back the rosemary next go round. Thanks!
Awesome Meagan!
Has the recipe changed recently? I love this bread and have made it a few times in the past, but now the recipe looks drastically different from what I remember. Am I going crazy?
Hey Bill, you’re not going crazy lol. I did update the photographs but the recipe remains the same. The image at the bottom is one of the originals.
We’ve made this recipe maybe 6 times. Love it! I remember the recipe being different as well. I have a note to bake for the “full 30 minutes,” but this is saying bake for 45-50. I’m very concerned this will burn at this longer time. Were there any other changes? Thanks.
Hey Eric, I tweaked it a tiny bit and it was taking longer in my oven, I don’t think an extra 15 minutes should make any burning for the loaf, it’s pretty sturdy. Thanks