• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Lucy Loves

A charming food blog with recipes and other ramblings which may or may not be of interest to you

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About Lucy
  • Recipes
    • Recipe A-Z
  • Contact Lucy Loves
  • Lucy Loves Press Page
  • My Privacy Policy
  • Reviews and That

March 13, 2016 By Lucy Leave a Comment

Irish Soda Bread with Bacon and Cheese

Irish Soda Bread with Bacon and Cheese Recipe

This week I wanted to post an Irish-ish recipe to celebrate St Patrick’s Day. It took me a while to choose because a) I got distracted by Pinterest and all it’s wonderfully gaudy ideas and b) I couldn’t decide if to choose something which was brilliant and bright green but tasted odd or something with only a loose Irish connection. So, despite the ramblings, you can appreciate my dilemma. In the end, good taste won, and the lurid green mint choc chip cookies will just have to wait until next year. So, to mark St Patrick’s Day on 17 March, I present to you this Irish Soda Bread with Bacon and Cheese.

This bread is utterly mouthwatering. I love a bacon and cheese combo, but when added to bread, it enters a new realm. And when that bread is Irish Soda Bread, it’s even better. Soda bread is super easy, it’s a one bowl wonder with no need to knead and no rising time. I love making yeast based bread but there’s definitely a time and a place for it. On a leisurely Saturday when you have time on your hands, there’s nothing finer than two rising sessions after an 8 minute vigorous knead. But when you need bread and you need it now, this Irish Soda Bread with Bacon and Cheese is the bread based item for you. This hearty recipe is based on one from the lovely Jessica Gavin website, with thanks to her.

This crisp crusted affair is loaded with crumbly bacon, strong Irish Cheddar and flecked with fresh parsley. It’s wonderful on it’s own, dripping with butter or served alongside a bowl of steaming hot soup. It can be thrown together and be out of the oven in less than an hour. The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for it to cool sufficiently enough not to burn the hell out of your hands and mouth when trying to cut a slice. But do your best to show a modicum of restraint, it’s so worth the wait.

Irish-soda-bread-bacon-cheese-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

Here’s the simple but so tasty ingredients for this week’s baked treat. All hearty, traditional fare. The original recipe called for spring onions but, not wanting to sound like an old lady, they repeat on me appallingly, so I replaced them with the fresh, non-repeating flavour of fresh parsley.

Before you get started on the bread, there are a couple of things to prepare. If you don’t have buttermilk, never fear, you can fashion your own. Just measure out the milk then stir in a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice then leave for 10 to 15 minutes.

Irish-soda-bread-bacon-cheese-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

Irish-soda-bread-bacon-cheese-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

Then, the next bit of simple pre-prep is to cook your bacon. Chop it into small pieces, I used scissors to snip it up, then cook until crisp and brown.

Irish-soda-bread-bacon-cheese-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

Once the bacon is cooked, pop it into a bowl and leave to one side to cool for a moment while you crack on with the Soda Bread.

Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees fan assisted. Then, in a large bowl weigh in your flour then add the bicarbonate of soda, salt, ground black pepper and sugar.

irish-soda-bread-bacon-cheese-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

Give this a little stir then set to roughly chopping your fresh parsley and cutting your wonderfully strong cheddar into small cubes.

Irish-soda-bread-bacon-cheese-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

Add these flavour laden ingredients to your flour mixture then stir again. Now, all that’s left is to tumble in the cooked and cooled bacon then pour in the buttermilk or soured milk. Fashion this mixture into a slightly wet, shaggy ball of dough, adding the milk gradually, as you may not need the whole amount.

Irish-soda-bread-cheese-bacon-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

Irish-soda-bread-bacon-cheese-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

Irish-soda-bread-bacon-cheese-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

Irish-soda-bread-recipe-cheese-bacon-lucyloves-foodblog

Turn this dough out on to a well floured work surface and knead for a minute or two until you have a smooth-ish ball. Form the dough in a small round loaf shape.

Irish-soda-bread-cheese-bacon-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

Irish-soda-bread-bacon-cheese-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

Now sprinkle some flour onto a baking sheet and place your newly created loaf onto it. Cut a deep slit in the top of the dough to form a cross then put in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is golden brown, the cheese is oozing and you can no longer bear to wait for it to be ready.

Irish-soda-bread-cheese-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

Irish-soda-bread-cheese-bacon-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

Be still my beating heart. This bread is too good for words. I could barely wait to finish photographing this before I was shoveling it down my throat. Clyde ate three slices in one sitting and the boys were only allowed a slice once I had eaten so much I couldn’t manage any more. Suffice to say, it’s really delicious and hugely irresistible.

Irish-soda-bread-cheese-bacon-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

Irish-soda-bread-bacon-cheese-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

Irish-soda-bread-cheese-bacon-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

Irish-soda-bread-cheese-bacon-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

Hot bread with melting cheese, crisp bacon and fresh parsley dripping in butter. God love the Irish for inventing such deliciousness, and for making it so accessible too. This is certainly the most tasty way to honour St Patrick this week, and not a splash of green food colouring in sight.

Lucy x

Irish Soda Bread with Bacon and Cheese Recipe

Makes 1 small loaf to serve around 4 people

You will only need a big bowl, no gadgets

300g plain flour, plus a dusting for kneading

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

good pinch black pepper

1/2 teaspoon caster sugar

100g strong cheese, a nice Irish Cheddar maybe

2 tablespoons-ish fresh parsley, chopped

120g, around 3 rashers, streaky bacon, chopped

180ml buttermilk, or milk with a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice added

Lots of soft butter for serving

Pre heat your oven to around 180 degrees fan assisted.

If you don’t have buttermilk, measure out your milk and stir in a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Leave for at least ten minutes.

Heat a frying pan and add your chopped bacon. Cook until crisp and browning then leave to cool while you crack on with the bread. In a large bowl, measure out your flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, black pepper and sugar, stir together. Cut your cheese into small cubes and chop your fresh parsley and add this to the flour mixture and stir again. Add the cool chopped bacon then pour in the buttermilk and mix until you have a soft dough.

Tip the dough onto a well floured work surface, knead for a minute or two then shape into a small round loaf. Place the loaf onto a floured baking tray and make two half inch deep cuts in the top to form a cross. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Serve warm in thick slices, slathered in butter.

print

Filed Under: Bacon, Baking, bread, Cheese, Family Meals, Recipes




Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

ABOUT LUCY

I am Lucy. A barely 50 year old with roles a-plenty. Mum to two boys and a dog, wife, PA and now blogger. We live in the suburbs of SW London and pretty much constantly have our noses in the trough. Read More…

Have a little look at these

Irish-cream-coffee-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

A Warming Irish Cream Coffee

Fried-chicken-waffles-sriracha-maple-syrup-lucyloves-foodblog

Fried Chicken with Waffles and Sriracha Maple Syrup

Marzipan Cookie Bars recipe from Lucy Loves Food Blog

Marzipan Cookie Bars

Victoria-sponge-recipe-lucyloves-foodblog

My Traditional Victoria Sponge

lucyck

lucyck
My Honey Roasted Roots with Halloumi isn’t reall My Honey Roasted Roots with Halloumi isn’t really a recipe, more a collection of fridge remnants fashioned into something really rather delicious 
.
.
.
.
.
#lucyloves #foodblogger #instablogger #instablog #britainsbesthomecooks_ #foodie #foodphotography #foodpics #frommytable #fromscratch #frugal  #fridgeforage #devourpower #huffposttaste #comfortfood #food52 #recipes #instafood #f52community #halloumi #instafoodblog #instafoodie #london #foodspotting #eat #delicious #recipetesting #homecooking #homecook
Not my usual Friday cocktail but if you’re feeli Not my usual Friday cocktail but if you’re feeling a bit off form this Hot Lemon, Honey and Ginger is going to soothe, warm and, if you add a drop of whisky, lift your spirits 🥃
.
.
.
.
.
#lucyloves #foodblogger #instablogger #instablog #whisky #lemon #honey #remedy #britainsbesthomecooks_ #foodie #foodphotography #foodpics #frommytable #fromscratch #devourpower #huffposttaste #comfortfood #food52 #recipes #instadrink #f52community #instafoodblog #instafoodie #london #drinkspotting #drink #delicious #recipetesting
Given the price of heating the house, you may want Given the price of heating the house, you may want to make my Chicken with Barley and chicken crackling to warm you up. Recipe can be found via the link in my profile, as always ❤️
.
.
.
.
.
#lucyloves #foodblogger #instablogger #instablog #britainsbesthomecooks_ #foodie #foodphotography #foodpics #frommytable #fromscratch #devourpower #huffposttaste #comfortfood #food52 #recipes #instafood #f52community #winterwarmer #instafoodblog #instafoodie #london #foodspotting #eat #delicious #recipetesting #homecooking #chicken
January is like whole month of Mondays 🙄. Cheer January is like whole month of Mondays 🙄. Cheer yourself up with a massive dollop of Panettone Bread and Butter Pudding 
.
.
.
.
.
#lucyloves #foodblogger #instablogger #instablog #britainsbesthomecooks_ #foodie #foodphotography #foodpics #frommytable #fromscratch #january #panettone #devourpower #huffposttaste #comfortfood #food52 #recipes #instafood #f52community #instafoodblog #instafoodie #london #foodspotting #eat #delicious #recipetesting #homecooking #homecook
Everything crossed for 2023. Happy New Year to you Everything crossed for 2023. Happy New Year to you and yours for later. Lots of love ❤️ 
.
.
.
.
.
#lucyloves #foodblogger #grahamandgreen #filmboard #happynewyear #2023 #instablogger #instablog #britainsbesthomecooks_ #foodie #foodphotography #foodpics #frommytable #fromscratch #devourpower #huffposttaste #comfortfood #food52 #recipes #instafood #f52community #instafoodblog #instafoodie #london #foodspotting #eat #delicious #recipetesting #homecooking #homecook
This elegant and simple Beetroot Marinated Salmon This elegant and simple Beetroot Marinated Salmon means you can, at least, tick one bloody thing off your list this week 🎄
.
.
.
.
.
#lucyloves #foodblogger #instablogger #instablog #britainsbesthomecooks_ #foodie #foodphotography #foodpics #frommytable #fromscratch #christmasfood #salmon #christmasweek #devourpower #beetroot #huffposttaste #comfortfood #food52 #recipes #instafood #f52community #instafoodblog #instafoodie #london #foodspotting #eat #delicious #recipetesting #homecooking #homecook
Boozy, soft and simple. This Eggnog Panna Cotta as Boozy, soft and simple. This Eggnog Panna Cotta as got me written all over it 🎉
.
.
.
.
.
#lucyloves #foodblogger #instablogger #instablog #britainsbesthomecooks_ #foodie #foodphotography #foodpics #frommytable #fromscratch #christmas #festivefood #eggnog #devourpower #huffposttaste #comfortfood #food52 #recipes #instafood #f52community #instafoodblog #instafoodie #london #foodspotting #eat #delicious #recipetesting #homecooking #homecook
Nothing says it's nearly Christmas like a Blue Che Nothing says it's nearly Christmas like a Blue Cheese, Cranberry and Sausage Ball, or two 🎄
.
.
.
.
.
#lucyloves #foodblogger #instablogger #instablog #britainsbesthomecooks_ #foodie #foodphotography #foodpics #frommytable #fromscratch #devourpower #huffposttaste #christmas #sausage #festivefood #comfortfood #food52 #recipes #instafood #f52community #instafoodblog #instafoodie #london #foodspotting #eat #delicious #recipetesting #homecooking #homecook
Ooh it’s nearly time to start thinking about som Ooh it’s nearly time to start thinking about some festive food and this Baked Feta with Figs and Honey is easy, cheesy and bloody delicious 
.
.
.
.
.
#lucyloves #foodblogger #instablogger #instablog #britainsbesthomecooks_ #foodie #foodphotography #foodpics #frommytable #fromscratch #devourpower #huffposttaste #comfortfood #food52 #recipes #instafood #f52community #festivefood #figs #feta #instafoodblog #instafoodie #london #foodspotting #eat #delicious #recipetesting #homecooking #homecook
I have a list of guilty food pleasures as long as I have a list of guilty food pleasures as long as your arm with fruit with meat being right up there. My Sweet and Sour Chicken does, however, come with optional pineapple  for those who don’t share my love 
.
.
.
.
.
#lucyloves #foodblogger #instablogger #instablog #britainsbesthomecooks_ #foodie #foodphotography #foodpics #frommytable #fromscratch #devourpower #huffposttaste #comfortfood #food52 #recipes #instafood #f52community #sweetandsour #chicken #pineapple #instafoodblog #instafoodie #london #foodspotting #eat #delicious #recipetesting #homecooking #homecook
Pear and Amaretto Clafoutis is just the fluffy, cu Pear and Amaretto Clafoutis is just the fluffy, custardy, peary winter pud I want to eat right now ❤️
.
.
.
.
.
#lucyloves #foodblogger #instablogger #instablog #britainsbesthomecooks_ #foodie #foodphotography #foodpics #frommytable #fromscratch #devourpower #huffposttaste #comfortfood #food52 #recipes #instafood #f52community #pears #clafoutis #amaretto #seasonal #instafoodblog #instafoodie #london #foodspotting #eat #delicious #recipetesting #homecooking #homecook
What could be finer on a pissy wet Wednesday than What could be finer on a pissy wet Wednesday than a big bowl of Tortellini Sausage Soup 
.
.
.
.
.
#lucyloves #foodblogger #instablogger #instablog #britainsbesthomecooks_ #foodie #foodphotography #foodpics #frommytable #fromscratch #soupseason #sausage #pasta #devourpower #huffposttaste #comfortfood #food52 #recipes #instafood #f52community #instafoodblog #instafoodie #london #foodspotting #eat #delicious #recipetesting #homecooking #homecook
Load More… Follow on Instagram

Footer

ABOUT LUCY

I am Lucy. A barely 50 year old with roles a-plenty. Mum to two boys and a dog, wife, PA and now blogger. We live in the suburbs of SW London and pretty much constantly have our noses in the trough. Read More…

stay connected

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Sign up here for the Lucy Loves monthly newsletter






 

All copy and images copyright Lucy Loves unless otherwise indicated.

This website uses cookies
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT