Soda Farls
Quick griddle-cooked soda bread, cut into quarters and ready in 30 minutes: the other half of the Ulster fry.
AI assistance: the introduction, ingredient list, method, tips and FAQ on this page were drafted with an AI writing tool, working from long-established traditional methods. Named editor who reviewed it: owner to supply How we work
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 16 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Makes
- 4 farls
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Course
- Bread
- Cuisine
- Northern Irish
Soda farls are soda bread cooked on a griddle instead of in the oven. The dough is patted into a round and cut into four (a "farl" is a quarter), then cooked on a dry, floured griddle until risen and speckled brown.
In Northern Ireland they are eaten warm with butter and jam, or split and fried alongside potato bread as part of an Ulster fry.
Ingredients
Cups use the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart. Weighing is more accurate.
- 250 g plain flour (US: all-purpose flour), plus extra for dusting
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (US: baking soda)
- ½ tsp salt
- 225 ml buttermilk, you may need a little more
Equipment
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- Bakestone, griddle or heavy frying panHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
- Large mixing bowlHow to chooseShop on Amazon(affiliate link, opens in a new tab)
Method
- 1
Heat a griddle or large heavy frying pan over a medium-low heat and dust it lightly with flour. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a bowl and make a well in the middle.
Photo: Ukko-wc via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped - 2
Pour in most of the buttermilk and mix quickly into a soft, slightly sticky dough, adding the rest if it is dry. Turn out onto a floured surface, knead just enough to bring it together, and pat into a round about 2 cm thick. Cut into four farls.
Photo: Nenad Stojkovic via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped - 3
Cook the farls on the floured griddle for 7–8 minutes on each side, until risen, lightly browned and hollow-sounding when tapped. The flour on the griddle will brown; that is normal.
Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped - 4
Cool slightly in a clean tea towel to keep them soft. Split and butter while warm, or fry the split halves in a little butter for an Ulster fry.
Photo: O'Dea via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped
Tips
No buttermilk? Stir 1 tbsp lemon juice into 225 ml whole milk and leave for 10 minutes.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Raw in the middle | Griddle too hot | Cook over a lower heat for longer; keep the round no thicker than 2 cm |
| Dense farls | Dough over-kneaded | Mix and shape quickly: the bicarbonate starts working as soon as it meets the buttermilk |
Frequently asked questions
What is a farl?
A quarter of a round of bread: the word comes from an old Scots word meaning a fourth part.
What can I use instead of buttermilk?
Stir 1 tbsp lemon juice into 225 ml whole milk and leave it for 10 minutes.
How do I eat soda farls?
Split and toasted with butter, or fried in bacon fat as part of an Ulster fry.
Guides for this recipe
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Card photos: A cast iron skillet, NMorales (WMF) via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; Stacked cream-coloured ceramic mixing bowls, RLiverpool2021 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; A flat round iron griddle, Rajani Gairshail via Wikimedia Commons, CC0; Two cast iron skillets, one newly seasoned and one dark with use, FiveRings at English Wikipedia via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain; A slice of apple pie served with custard, Acabashi via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped; Champ: mashed potato with chopped spring onions, in a pan, Glane23 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped; A slice of rocky road topped with pink and white marshmallows on a plate, Andy Li via Wikimedia Commons, CC0. All credits: image credits.