This keto Irish soda bread is amazing in texture and is nut free, low carb, grain free and a gluten free bread recipe! Just 5 grams of net carbs per serving!
Keto Irish Soda Bread Recipe
Traditional Irish Soda bread got it's name because it's a simple quick bread that doesn't need yeast to make the bread rise like traditional bread and instead uses baking soda in the recipe for leavening.
If you love to celebrate for St. Paddy's day, but are on a keto or low carb diet and wonder how you can adapt, I have got the best low-carb version of Irish Soda Bread around!
Here's the thing about making a nut free, grain free Keto Irish soda bread: It will not be identical to traditional, but it will still be a delicious bread for your St. Patrick's day celebrations. If you can get passed the fact it will be different in texture, you will love this recipe.
But the big deal about having a child with tree nut allergies is, I can't use low carb flours like almond flour. If you prefer an almond flour Irish soda bread I am sure there are plenty available recipes online, but very few are like what I am share often, nut free bread recipes. I use sunflower seed flour instead. Problem with that?
If I were to use a leavening agent like baking soda with sunflower seed flour, it will turn my bread green because of the natural chlorophyll in the seeds. That would certainly be unappetizing. I could have tried coconut flour as well but it is quite dense and requires lots of eggs and liquids.
Luckily for this low carb bread recipe today, I had success right out of the gate!
As I continue to be determined in making low-carb recipes that are sugar free, gluten-free and keto-friendly, I am determined to also take the tough, hard, and negative comments that come along with food blogging.
Thankfully, the positive comments and emails also come in appreciating my hard work of experimenting!
Carbs in Traditional Irish Soda Bread
Traditional Irish soda bread is made with all purpose flour, buttermilk, salt and baking soda.
According to Cronometer, 1 slice, or about 60 grams has 165 calories, and 31.7 grams total carbs. Too high for a ketogenic diet and would kick you out of ketosis.
Our low carb keto-friendly recipe for Irish soda bread has 7 grams total carbs per serving. Much better for a keto diet or low carb diet and would not kick you out of ketosis.
Tools needed Low Carb Irish Soda Bread
Cast iron skillet- The one I used is 8 inches. It makes for a perfect round loaf. You can use this cast iron skillet for a bunch of other keto recipes like my Deep Dish Cauliflower Pizza and my Keto Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie Pie.
Food Processor- This works wonderfully to chop nuts and seeds finely, making this nut free keto bread perfect in texture with a crusty exterior, with little effort on your part.
Ingredients for Keto Sugar Free Irish Soda Bread
To see the exact measurements, print this recipe and view the nutritional information, scroll to the bottom of this blog post to view the recipe card.
sunflower seeds raw, unsalted (if you don't have a tree nut allergy, you can swap this with almonds or almond meal)
Swerve sweetener granulated
butter cold unsalted (coconut oil could also be used to make this a paleo bread)
large eggs
unsweetened coconut milk ( or heavy cream or you could also swap with almond milk if no nut allergies)
optional; raisins or currants
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grind the sunflower seeds in a food processor.
Add the dry ingredients- flaxseed, coconut flour, swerve, baking powder (or soda) and salt.
Pulse in the butter.
Add remaining wet ingredients, except raisins.
Remove dough and transfer to a large bowl.
Mix in optional raisins or currants.
Wet hands to form shape and place in a greased cast iron skillet or you could use parchment paper.
With a sharp knife, score an x in the middle top of the bread and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Reduce the temperature to 325 and bake another 5-10 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Let the bread cool slightly then slice.
How to Store
Place leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge for 7 days.
Happy Baking!
St. Patrick's Day Low Carb Recipes
Keto Low Carb Irish Soda Bread Muffins
Instant Pot Keto Corned Beef and Cabbage
Keto Irish Soda Bread
Keto Irish Soda Bread (Low Carb, Sugar-Free, Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 2 cups sunflower seeds raw, unsalted
- ½ cup ground flaxseed
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- ¼ cup Swerve sweetener granulated
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter cold unsalted
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup unsweetened coconut milk
Optional
- ¼ cup raisins or currants
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grind the sunflower seeds in a food processor.
- Add the flaxseed, coconut flour, swerve, baking powder (or soda) and salt.
- Pulse in the butter.
- Add remaining ingredients, except raisins.
- Remove dough and transfer to a bowl.
- Mix in raisins or currants.
- Wet hands to form shape and place in a greased cast iron skillet.
- Score a cross in the top of the loaf and bake 30 minutes.
- Reduce the temperature to 325 and bake another 5-10 minutes or until golden on top.
- Allow to cool before slicing with a serrated knife.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
Phyllis L
Your serving size is listed at 1 g. What is that a gram? How many servings does this recipe make?
I am curious as the carb count is relatively high for a 1 gram serving.
Thanks.
Brenda
There was an error with the recipe plug in and it converted all my recipes to one gram. Though under the title it does show 12 servings.
Sydney
I can’t wait to try this but also have the same question- how much almond flour is substituted for the sunflower seeds? I’m sure it can’t be equal measurements since the seeds would grind down to less when measured. My hubby would eat almond meal but not sunflower seeds. I didn’t see a reply on this question so please let me know! We want to make it in the next few days for St. Patty’s Day! Thank you for the great recipes!-Sydney
Katie
Based on a different recipe I make on a regular basis (haven't made this one), the ground down amount of 2 cups of seeds would be around 3 cups (a little less). I grind 15 Tbs of seeds for my recipe and get about 1 1/4 cup + 1 Tbs. (if we're being exact...but I now grind a lot of seeds and just measure out about 1 1/2 c. of seed flour). I'm sure the almond flour would be way finer than the seed flour I grind, so take that into account.
Andrea
I tried making this bread using the sunflower seeds and the baking soda, and yes, it turned green! I also swapped the flaxseed with ground chia seeds. The only thing I wasn't very sure about is that my food processor didn't ground the sunflower seeds very finely, so at the end I had some half sunflower seeds in it, instead of finely ground sunflower seeds. I tried to ground it for some time in the food processor, but it was starting to release its oil and getting sticky, forming like a butter that I had to fork to separate, still with chunks of seeds. I wonder if that's what didn't let the bread rise altogether.
Flavour wise, living in Ireland, I know for a fact that it doesn't taste like the traditional recipe, but I was prepared for it. It has sunflower flavour blended with something strong that I can't put my finger on, but it kind of reminds me of fish food for some reason, not very nice! Lol!
I will definitely try this again with some changes, swapping sunflower with almond flour and maybe adding some herbs to maximise the flavour. I also thought this could be a good recipe for a low carb falafel, adding cumin to the mix.
Having said (all) that, I must thank you Brenda for sharing this recipe, because I've been wanting to try a low carb Irish soda bread but I wouldn't have a clue where to start without your advice!
Katie
What a lovely recipe! I did the almond flour version and I added caraway seeds I crush lightly in my stone to release their flavor! My grand parents came from Ireland and I grew up with soda bread scones and biscuits all made by hand! Unfortunately I can't do carbs but thanks to people like you I don't have to go without! I'm baking. Low carb sugar free blueberry scones to have with my tea in the morning! Your bread with my evening tea! It's so amazing warm with Keri gold butter! Thank you for this recipe! Many Irish blessing to you and your family!
Lindsay
How much almond flour did you use?
Christine Jarvis
I made this recipe and the squirrels loved it! The flavor is too much like just eating sunflower seeds. Works in a pinch but nothing like soda bread.
Brenda
Option is to make with almond flour but for my family with nut allergies, sunflower seed works perfect and my kids and hubby loved these.
Jessica
Can it be baked in a different type of dish?
Brenda
sure
Lillian
How much almond flour corresponds to 2 cups of sunflower seeds? Thanks!
Amy
Great recipies!! Thank you so much for sharing these. I've lost over 100lbs on low carb and I've been doing it for over 2 years. It was rough to get started, but I used a 21 day sugar detox program which helped a lot. Check out the reviews of it http://www.lowcarbreviewsite.com/21-day-sugar-detox/
Redha
Hi there, It looks tasty. I make a flaxseed cake with baking soda and lemon juice instead baking powder to avoid Aluminum found in baking powder. For sweetners I use raisin, banana puree and sometimes honey. A fat, I use only virgin olive oil instead butter even when I make a bread loaf home. Try to avoid butter or vegetable oils. Thanks for the recipe, I give it try one day. Ciao
Anita
My hubby loves making soda bread - I'll need to try this grain free version for him! And I hear you about kids. My daughter is 2, and I already get teary thinking about when she'll become a teenager!
Colleen (Souffle Bombay)
Great thinking outside the box so grain-free folks can enjoy some soda bread!
Melanie
I've never tried making soda bread. But your post has inspired me to give it a whirl. It's supposed to snow AGAIN this weekend, so no better time than the present!
Paula - bell'alimento
What a great grain free alternative!
Heather | girlichef
I don't know, you could have just told us it was green for St. Paddy's Day and nobody would've been the wiser ;). This sounds fantastic...and I'm so intrigued by the use of sunflower seed flour I've been seeing around lately.
Cookin Canuck
My eldest turned 13 in the fall and, while there have been up and down hormonal moods, things have been good overall. I'm crossing my fingers that continues! I adore soda bread and this looks so tempting.
Kirsten/Comfortably Domestic
I had the hardest time when my oldest turned twelve. For some reason that age feels so pivotal. I'm glad that you had a good looking bread to celebrate the milestone.
Lora @cakeduchess
I know the teen years are challenging, but Renee is right, breathe...lots of patience. I'm going through it now and I feel the same way about wondering where did the playing with dolls stage go? Goes so fast. I think you nailed this soda bread, Brenda! Looks great!
Nutmeg Nanny
I have the worst luck with making soda bread. In fact a few years I just gave up making it. I think I need to try this grain free version 🙂
Lana | Never Enough Thyme
Wow. Who would have thought you could make a grain-free soda bread! Great job.
Renee - Kudos Kitchen
Bless you as you venture into the teenage years! You'll be fine as long as you remember to breathe and remember they won't last forever (they only feel like it).
That said, your bread look delicious and you should "rest" assured knowing you doing your very best for you, your family and a whole world of people with dietary restrictions!
Bethany+S
The 2 cups of seeds are measured before pulverizing. So how much flour does that produce? I'd like to try it with almond flour, but the recipe would definitely require less than 2 cups, right?
Sandra
I just made recipe with 2 cups of blanched super fine almond flour and 2 teaspoons of baking soda, instead. Worked great!
Brenda
Thanks for sharing!
The Food Hunter
Perfect fr my gluten free friends
Stephanie @ Back for Seconds
This looks like another winner, Brenda! Yum!!
kellie @ The Suburban Soapbox
I definitely am not Type-A. Not even a hint of it. This bread looks spectacular and I love that it's low-carb.
Marjory @ Dinner-Mom
A wonderful grain-free alternative! I have two young teen girls and things are moving waaay to fast for me too! Deep breaths!!!!!