Easy Low Carb Nut Free Keto Irish Soda Bread Recipe
This Low Carb 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!
Grain Free Irish Soda Bread (Low Carb, Sugar Free, Nut Free Option)
This Grain Free Irish Soda Bread is a delicious low-carb twist on the traditional Irish quick bread that’s often served around St. Patrick’s Day.
My version is keto friendly, gluten free, sugar free, and grain free, yet still delivers the rustic texture and slightly tangy flavor that makes classic soda bread so comforting.
When I first published this recipe back in 2015, sunflower seed flour wasn’t easy to find in grocery stores. So I created a nut-free Irish soda bread by grinding raw sunflower seeds in my food processor to make homemade sunflower seed flour.
Today, thankfully, sunflower seed flour is widely available, which makes this recipe much easier to prepare. No grinding required!
Simply use sunflower seed flour for a completely nut-free low-carb soda bread, or substitute almond flour if you don’t have nut allergies.
This updated method saves time while keeping the same hearty, satisfying results.
What Is Traditional Irish Soda Bread?
Traditional Irish soda bread is a simple quick bread made without yeast. Instead, it rises thanks to the reaction between baking soda and buttermilk, which creates bubbles that help the bread rise.
Historically, soda bread became popular in Ireland during the 1800s because it was inexpensive and easy to make, requiring only a few basic ingredients.
The most traditional recipes contained just four ingredients:
- Flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Buttermilk
Modern versions—especially in the United States—often include additions like butter, eggs, sugar, or raisins.
My recipe keeps the rustic texture and flavor of soda bread, while making it grain free and low carb so it fits a keto lifestyle.
Why You’ll Love This Low Carb Irish Soda Bread
If you’re following a low carb, keto, or sugar-free lifestyle, traditional soda bread made with wheat flour simply doesn’t fit your macros.
This recipe solves that problem.
It’s:
✔ Grain free
✔ Gluten free
✔ Sugar free
✔ Keto friendly
✔ Low carb
✔ Nut free option
✔ St. Patrick’s Day perfect
And it still delivers the rustic, hearty loaf texture that Irish soda bread is known for.
It’s also a wonderful bread to serve alongside:
- soups
- stews
- corned beef and cabbage
- or simply toasted with butter.
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.
Nut Free Irish Soda Bread
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.
Nut-Free vs Almond Flour Options
One of the most common questions I get from readers is:
Can I make this bread with almond flour instead of sunflower seed flour?
Yes!
This recipe works beautifully either way.
Nut-Free Version
Use sunflower seed flour for a completely nut-free loaf.
This is perfect for:
- nut allergies
- school safe baking
- those avoiding almond flour
Sunflower seed flour gives the bread a hearty texture similar to whole-grain breads.
Almond Flour Version
If you don’t need a nut-free option, you can substitute fine blanched almond flour.
Almond flour creates a slightly softer crumb and lighter color.
Both versions are low carb and keto friendly.
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.
Why I Love Sunflower Seed Flour
Sunflower seed flour has become one of my favorite nut-free low carb baking flours.
Benefits include:
- naturally grain free
- nut free
- gluten free
- mild flavor
- high in healthy fats
- good source of vitamin E and magnesium
It’s also a great option for people who enjoy keto baking but want a break from almond flour.
If you’ve ever ground sunflower seeds in a food processor before, you’ll appreciate how much easier this recipe is now that sunflower seed flour is readily available.
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)
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
Tips for Perfect Soda Bread Texture
Soda bread is very different from yeast bread.
Because it relies on baking soda instead of yeast, the dough should be handled very gently.
Traditional soda bread dough is typically mixed quickly and shaped into a round loaf without kneading.
Some tips for success:
• Don’t overmix the dough
• Shape into a rustic round loaf
• Score the top before baking
• Bake immediately after mixing
The classic cross cut on top of soda bread is both decorative and practical—it allows heat to penetrate the loaf during baking.
Perfect for St. Paddy’s Day
Irish soda bread is one of the most iconic foods served for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
If you’re celebrating but still want to stay low carb, this recipe is the perfect addition to your table.
Serve it with:
- Irish stew
- corned beef and cabbage
- grass-fed butter
- or toasted with cream cheese.
How to Store Grain Free Soda Bread
Because this bread doesn’t contain preservatives or wheat gluten, it’s best enjoyed within a couple of days.
Storage tips:
Room temperature: up to 2 days
Refrigerator: up to 5 days
Freezer: up to 2 months
Slices can also be lightly toasted to bring back the texture.
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
Easy Low Carb Nut Free Keto Irish Soda Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups sunflower seed flour or raw, unsalted sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1/4 cup Monk Fruit Allulose sweetener granulated
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter cold unsalted
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
Optional
- 1/4 cup raisins or currants
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- (Only needed if you are using sunflower seeds. Grind the sunflower seeds in a food processor.)
- Add the sunflower seed flour, flaxseed, coconut flour, sweetener, baking powder (or soda) and salt in a food processor and process to combine.
- Pulse in the butter.
- Add ingredients, eggs and coconut milk.
- 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 20 years and is the author of four cookbooks: Sugar-Free Mom, Naturally Keto, The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, and her newest release, Good, Better, Best (2025). Her work focuses on helping women detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar, and lose weight while enjoying delicious, nutrient-dense whole foods. Brenda is also the creator of the Midlife Macro™ Method and the weekly Midlife Macro Meal Plans™, designed specifically for women in perimenopause and menopause who want simple, high-protein, low-carb meals to support hormones, metabolism, and long-term health.She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and the Sugar Free Mom Tribe membership.
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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.
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.
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
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.
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!
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!
How much almond flour did you use?
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.
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.
Can it be baked in a different type of dish?
sure
How much almond flour corresponds to 2 cups of sunflower seeds? Thanks!
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/
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
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!
Great thinking outside the box so grain-free folks can enjoy some soda bread!
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!
What a great grain free alternative!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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 🙂
Wow. Who would have thought you could make a grain-free soda bread! Great job.
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!
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?
I just made recipe with 2 cups of blanched super fine almond flour and 2 teaspoons of baking soda, instead. Worked great!
Thanks for sharing!
Perfect fr my gluten free friends
This looks like another winner, Brenda! Yum!!
I definitely am not Type-A. Not even a hint of it. This bread looks spectacular and I love that it’s low-carb.
A wonderful grain-free alternative! I have two young teen girls and things are moving waaay to fast for me too! Deep breaths!!!!!