Keto Irish Soda Bread
Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Almond flour – I used ground almonds, which is equivalent to regular almond flour.
- Ground flaxseed – Both brown and golden flax meal work fine. The brown flax has a nuttier taste.
- Psyllium husk powder – Psyllium is a prebiotic fiber and creates a fluffy texture in low carb bread.
- Buttermilk – This is the secret ingredient in classic Irish soda bread. It assists with the leavening of the dough. My buttermilk was fairly thick. Buttermilk contains a moderate amount of carbs. However, calculated per slice the bread is keto friendly.
- Egg – Whisk the egg well before adding it.
- Baking Soda – Also called bicarbonate of soda. It would not be soda bread without the baking soda!
- Salt – This is optional, but I added a dash sea salt to the dough for a better flavor.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
Here are the basic steps to make a keto soda bread recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed method.
STEP 1
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients.
STEP 2
Make a hollow in the centre and add the beaten egg and the buttermilk. Combine with a spatula, then knead the dough until smooth.
STEP 3
Form a dough ball, then let it rest for 10 minutes. During this time, the flax and psyllium absorb the moisture.
STEP 4
Form a loaf and put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Score the top with a knife. Bake in the oven until golden brown and you can insert a toothpick without crumbs sticking.
Let the bread cool fully on a wire rack before slicing. It firms up as it cools.
Expert Tips
Here are a few things that I have learned from baking many, many loaves of low carb bread over the years:
For a better rise and a light crumb texture, it is helpful if all wet ingredients (the buttermilk and the egg) are room temperature.
Check the bread after 30 minutes in the oven. Once the top is golden, cover it loosely with aluminium foil for the remainder of the baking time. This way, the inside of the bread can cook fully without the crust over-browning.
It is important that you use powdered psyllium and not whole psyllium husks. It should have a very fine consistency, just like flour.