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Soaked Oats Three-Grain Soda Bread

Soaked Oats Three-Grain Soda Bread

By Hisham Ali HassanMarch 3, 2025

  • Makes
    Makes one 9-inch loaf
  • Cook Time
    1½ hours
  • Active time plus cooling
    25 minutes active, plus cooling
  • Rating

Soak your oats for a richer, moister soda bread. This rustic multigrain bread that comes together quickly with complex flavor was inspired by Irish soda bread. Soaking oats in buttermilk softens and hydrates them, allowing some to dissolve into the bread’s crumb. Naturally low in gluten, rye flour makes for a tender bread with deep, earthy flavor. Whole-wheat flour also works. The soda bread is best the day it’s baked, but leftovers will keep in an airtight container for up to three days.

Tip

Don’t knead the dough; just fold it gently until cohesive. Working it too much will strengthen its gluten structure, turning the bread tough and chewy. Also, don’t use quick-cooking or instant oats; they absorb liquid differently.

Ingredients
  • 1¾

    cups buttermilk OR 1½ cups plain whole-milk yogurt thinned with ¼ cup water

  • 100

    grams (1 cup) old-fashioned oats

  • 260

    grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

  • 140

    grams (1 cup) rye flour OR whole-wheat flour

  • 2

    tablespoons white sugar

  • 1¼

    teaspoons baking soda

  • 1

    teaspoon baking powder

  • ½

    teaspoon table salt

  • 71

    grams (5 tablespoons) salted butter, melted, divided

Step 1

Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with kitchen parchment. In a medium bowl, stir together the buttermilk and oats; let stand for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk both flours, the sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Step 2

Whisk 57 grams (4 tablespoons) melted butter into the oat-buttermilk mixture, then add to the dry ingredients. Using a silicone spatula, fold until a rough, shaggy dough forms. Using your hands, gently fold the dough a few times just until cohesive; do not knead it. Still in the bowl, form into a 6-inch mound, then transfer to the prepared baking sheet, flouring your hands if needed to prevent sticking.

Step 3

Using a serrated knife, score a ½-inch-deep X into the top of the dough. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Set the baking sheet on a wire rack and brush the loaf with the remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter. Cool for 30 minutes, then transfer directly to the rack and cool completely.