Wholemeal soda bread was not the plan. The plan was to walk to the panadería in the village. Then it started raining. This is the November 2024 version of making do — a round loaf built from wholemeal flour, oatmeal, oat milk, lemon juice, and a handful of fresh rosemary from the garden. The lemon juice curdles the oat milk into a rough buttermilk substitute that activates the baking soda. No yeast, no proving, no waiting. Thirty minutes in a Dutch oven and it was done. It worked. It worked well enough to write down.

Wholemeal Lemon and Rosemary Soda Bread – Wholemeal Soda Bread – The Flexible Chef

INGREDIENTS

• 450g wholemeal flour
• 50g oatmeal
• 400ml oat milk
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda (not baking powder)
• 1 tablespoon runny honey
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Semolina for the base (or baking parchment)

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan) with the Dutch oven inside so it heats up with the oven.

In a large bowl mix the wholemeal flour, oatmeal, baking soda, rosemary, and salt.

In a separate bowl whisk together the oat milk, lemon juice, and honey. Leave to stand for a few minutes — the lemon juice will curdle the oat milk into a buttermilk substitute that activates the soda.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry and combine thoroughly until you have a sticky dough. You may not need all of the liquid — stop when the dough comes together. Knead briefly for about 30 seconds, then shape into a ball.

Slash deeply across the top with a bread knife and dust with flour.

Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven and scatter a little semolina on the base to prevent sticking, or line with baking parchment. Lower the dough in, put the lid on, and place in the oven. Turn the temperature down to 180°C immediately.

After 25 minutes remove the lid and bake for a further 15–20 minutes until the crust is deep brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the base.

Leave to cool on a wire rack before cutting.

WHOLEMEAL SODA BREAD – THE FLEXIBLE CHEF'S NOTES

The baking soda is doing the leavening work here — make sure it is baking soda and not baking powder, which won't give the same result. The oat milk and lemon combination is a reliable dairy-free buttermilk substitute; it needs a few minutes to curdle before it's ready to use. Don't overwork the dough — 30 seconds of kneading is enough. Soda bread toughens quickly if you handle it too much.

This keeps reasonably well for a day but is best eaten on the day it's made — ideally still slightly warm, with butter.

FOOTNOTE

This wholemeal soda bread recipe is part of the Bread Hub — browse the full collection for more bread recipes from Casa Adora and the road.

Find more recipes and food adventures here.

Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef.