No Yeast No Oven Bread (Irish Farls)

Fluffy and soft bread with a golden crust on the outside. This recipe is easy to make with flour, baking soda, buttermilk and salt. Baked in a pan over the stove and is ready in few minutes!

Yes St. Patricks Day is around the corner but let us accept the fact that this recipe is not just for a celebration. It is the perfect everyday bread recipe that you didn’t know you needed. We need flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk to make this fluffy and crust bread. You don’t need to knead it nor does it need any yeast. We bake it over the stove and it is done in very little time.

The bread is delicious with butter, honey and salt but you can serve it with soup, use it for sandwiches or serve it with stews and curries. It is versatile and such a simple recipe to make. You don’t need any fancy equipment to make it either. Since we use such few ingredients there aren’t many substitutes but here are some options you can use while making this recipe.

What ingredients do you need to make this No Yeast No Oven Bread (Irish Farls)?

Flour –

I have used all purpose flour but you can use self raising flour. I wouldn’t recommend using any other flour as the results are just not the same.

Buttermilk –

I make my buttermilk at home by mixing 1 cup whole milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice/apple cider vinegar. You can use store bought as well. I have made this recipe using 3/4 cup whole milk and 1/4 cup yogurt which works perfectly. Essentially you need the acid from buttermilk/lemon/apple cider/yogurt that helps it rise. Hence you cannot use regular milk and expect the same results.

Baking soda –

You cannot skip this ingredient. It acts like the yeast in this recipe hence make sure you use it and it has not expired.

Salt –

If you don’t salt your dough it will have no flavor at all. So don’t forget this ingredient!

What equipment do you need to make this No Yeast No Oven Bread (Irish Farls)?

We need a small mixing bowl and your hands to bring the dough together. I have used a small saute pan to cook this bread. You need a lid that fits the pan. Hence if you have a larger size pan it is fine but make sure the lid fits. As we are initially steaming the dough which helps it cook int he center.

How to make this No Yeast No Oven Bread (Irish Farls)?

In a mixing bowl add the flour, salt and baking soda. Using your hands mix the ingredients well. Add the buttermilk and bring the ingredients together. Mix until it is sticky but there should be not dry pockets of flour. In a small saute pan, add a little olive oil and rub a little oil on your hands to clean the excess dough on your hands. Form the dough into a rough ball and transfer to the pan. Flatten it with your hands and roughly cut into four pieces. Place on the stove, cover and cook for 3-4 mins on medium heat. When you open the lid the bread should have puffed up and once you flip the bread, it should be golden and crusty. Cook for 2-3 mins covered on the other side. You will know it is cooked when you knock the bread it should make a hollow sound. Remove from the pan and let it cool a little before slicing and serving.

How to serve and store this No Yeast No Oven Bread (Irish Farls)?

I love serving this bread with butter, honey and salt. You can serve it with jam, peanut butter, stews, curries, soups etc. It is a delicious sandwich bread for a crusty and wholesome lunch. You can store the leftovers in a zip lock bag for 3-4 days in the fridge. Warm it in a pan or in the microwave when ready to eat. I personally loving toasting it the next day, it gets crustier.

Now that we have covered how to make this No Yeast No Oven Bread (Irish Farls), you can have a look at the recipe video on my socials but let’s get to it. Don’t forget to follow along for more fun recipe inspiration. If you are looking for more Irish inspired recipes, check out the Irish cream cupcakes, Guinness chocolate cake, Irish coffee, Irish Cream Panna cotta or Affogato.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking. Happy Eating Ninjas!