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.
Is one serving a piece?
12 servings for the entire bread so you need to slice it in half and each half of the bread needs 6 slices. One slice is a serving.
Is the calorie count with or without the raisins/currants? Thanks
Delicious! I made it with almond flour. I started with 1 3/4C flour, but needed the full 2 cuos.
I baked it the full time. It has a hard bottom crust, but soft inside . Great contrast.
Looking back at the comments it seems impossible that I have not tried this recipe before now! My husband is a diabetic…I made bean soup yesterday…he had a hankering for a nice heavy bread to go with it…this was a perfect choice for us! I did use almond flour (2 cups) instead of the ground sunflower seeds, and also substituted chia seeds for the flaxseed (and used baking soda instead of powder, as recommended). It was absolutely perfect! Great flavor, nice texture. Next time I am going to add caraway seed for a bit of extra flavor. This is a fantastic option. Thank you, Brenda!!!
Thank you so much!
I won’t make this because of the artificial sweetener you call for. There is no such thing as a safe artificial sweetener.
Are the total carbs listed in the recipe with or without the raisins? I need to know this for carb counting for medical purposes.
Raisins are optional so they are not included in the nutritional information.
Hi Brenda, I tried 6 times to sign up for and it wouldn’t go through. Can you please help?!?!
to sign up for what exactly?
I’ve made this recipe several times and turns out really good each time. I used almond flour and unsweetened almond milk each time instead of coconut milk and sunflower seeds. The trick is to remember to follow baking time to the tee.
Thanks and did you use the same amount as sesame?
I MADE THE IRISH SODA BREAD TODAY 3-18-20. IT IS DELISH, EASY TO PREPARE AND FUN! MY ONE QUESTION IS ABOUT STORING IT. SHOULD IT BE IN THE FRIG OR NOT? I DID USE THE BAKING POWDER BUT I REALLY LIKED THE IDEA OF THE SUNFLOWER SEEDS SO I USED THOSE INSTEAD OF THE ALMOND FLOUR. THE TEXTURE WAS VERY NICE AND FLAVOR PLEASING. I WILL DEFINITELY DO THIS AGAIN. MY PLAN FOR TOMORROW IS TO SLICE THE BREAD, SPREAD IT WITH SPICY MUSTARD AND GRILLED CHICKEN SLICES. IT WILL BE TOPPED WITH ROMAINE LETTUCE AND FRESH SPROUTS. I ALWAYS HAVE AVOCADO ON MY PLATE WITH GREEN JALAPENO STUFFED OLIVES . THANKS FOR SHARING THIS RECIPE. I SEE MANY POSSIBILITIES IN ITS FUTURE.
So glad you liked it!
Thank you for a nut free soda bread! I’m looking forward to trying! What would you recommend as a substitute for the Swerve ( doesn’t agree with my belly)? Would coconut sugar work?
Yes that would work though that will increase your carbs because it is a sugar and not sugar free.
Made this with almond flour this week and my non keto non low sugar husband ate the whole thing. You have a winner with this recipe.
I made this bread today using 2 cups almond flour and baking soda instead of baking powder. I was delighted at how good it was. Wanted to test it out before ST. Patrick’s Day. Will make it again.
Thank you for sharing your changes!Did you use 2 cups almond flour or more needed?
2 cups was enough.
Hi made this today. I used almond flour,added 4 tbs butter,golden flax,buttermilk. I don’t like raisins so I didn’t add those.
This was delicious! Thank you