Easy and delicious these Irish soda farls are cooked in a dry skillet, then split and served with butter and jam or fill them with an egg and bacon for a fabulous breakfast sandwich!
Farl is a Gaelic word meaning “4 parts” or “quarters”, referring to the shape of farls which are quarters cut from a circle of dough. There are two main types of Irish Farls – Potato Farls and Soda Farls.
Potato Farls are made with mashed potatoes and are a savoury side dish. Soda Farls are akin to soda bread but are made on a griddle or in a heavy skillet. Served warm, soda farls are wonderful with butter and jam or used for a bacon and egg breakfast sandwich.
What you’ll need
This soda farls recipe is incredibly easy to make, requiring only a skillet and a few simple ingredients.
A griddle or a cast iron skillet – I love the cast iron skillet soda farls. I’ve included recipes that will work in either a 10-inch cast iron skillet (8-inch bottom-diameter) or a 12-inch bottom-diameter cast iron skillet (10-inch bottom-diameter). You can also use a flat griddle, preferably cast-iron. If you don’t have either one, a good heavy-bottomed skillet will work, though the cooking time may differ a bit.
All-purpose Flour – also known as plain flour. Be sure to measure the flour using the stir, spoon and level method or better yet, use a kitchen scale and the gram measurements provided.
Buttermilk – real buttermilk is highly recommended for the best flavour. If you need to, you can make buttermilk by souring regular milk with lemon juice or white vinegar. Instructions are in the Recipe Card below.
Baking Soda – they wouldn’t be soda farls with the soda!
You’ll also need – salt, water and a clean tea towel to wrap them in after cooking (to keep them soft and warm).
How to make Irish soda farls
- Start by whisking together the flour, baking soda and salt until well combined.
- Add the buttermilk to the bowl and stir in.
- Add a bit of water, only as needed, to bring the dough together into a moist, but not sticky dough.
- The finished dough in the mixing bowl.
- Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and form into a ball.
- Pat the dough out into an even 8-inch diameter circle.
- Cut the circle into 4 quarters.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat, place the farls into the skillet and immediately reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 4 minutes.
- After 4 minutes, flip the farls and cook the other side for 4 minutes.
- Position the farls on a cut edge and cook for 1 minute, then adjust to the other cut edge to brown for 1 minute as well.
- Transfer the farls to a clean tea towel.
- Cover the farls with the tea towel and allow to stand for at least 10 minutes before splitting and enjoying warm.
Recipe video
Recipe tips!
- Making soda farls is very much like making biscuits. The amount of liquid needed to get the right consistency will vary from kitchen to kitchen, so be sure to add the water in small increments, adding just as much as is needed to bring the dough together.
- Adjust the heat under the skillet as needed to prevent the outside from browning too quickly. We want the outside to be browned eventually, but it needs to happen slowly enough so that the inside will cook through. The farls will need to cook for 4 minutes on each side and 1 minute on each of the two cut edges.
- Allow the farls to sit wrapped in the tea towel for at least 10 minutes before slicing. This will keep the farls soft and warm.
- Cooking times shown assume using a cast iron skillet, which retains heat very well. If you are using a thinner or lighter skillet, cooking time may vary.
How to serve soda farls
- Split and enjoy Irish soda farls warm with butter or add a bit of jam.
- Split and toast to enjoy with your favourite topping.
- Top the farls with jam or sweetened berries and whipped cream.
- Split and enjoy your farls for a bacon and egg breakfast sandwich.
- Split and butter and add to a breakfast plate, such as the traditional Full Irish breakfast or Northern Ireland’s “Ulster Fry”. This breakfast includes bacon, sausage, fried eggs and black pudding, soda bread or farls and often potatoes, either in the form of potato farls or boxty.
- Break apart and use for dipping in soups and stews.
- Split and dip in French toast custard (milk and eggs) then fry and top with your favourite toppings.
Soda farl variations
- Make some Wheaten Farls by replacing half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. You will probably need to increase the liquid amount a bit, as whole wheat flour will absorb more liquid.
- Sweeten them up with a tablespoon of sugar, a bit of vanilla in the dough and maybe some currants or raisins.
- Make them savoury by adding some shredded cheese and a pinch of mustard powder.
- Add some herbs, spices or seeds to bring some extra flavours or textures to the farls.
Making ahead, storing and freezing
Soda farls are best enjoyed freshly cooked and warm but they can be made ahead and re-warmed to enjoy later. To re-warm, wrap in foil and pop into a 350F oven until warmed through about 10 minutes or split and toast.
Soda farls will also freeze well. Wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, slightly rounded in the measure
- 1/2 teaspoon fine table salt, slightly rounded in the measure
- 3/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon (190 ml) buttermilk, well-shaken *see Note 1 below
- 2 Tablespoons water, to use only as needed
Equipment
- Cast Iron skillet (or a flat griddle or other heavy skillet at least 8-inches bottom diameter)
- Clean tea towel
Instructions
- Add the flour to the mixing bowl. Add the baking soda and salt and use a whisk to combine well. Add the buttermilk to the bowl and use a wooden spoon to stir in, moistening as much of the flour as possible. If there is still some dry flour in the bowl, drizzle a bit of water around the edges and stir in. You are aiming for a dough that is evenly moistened, but not sticky.
- Remove the dough to a floured work surface. LIghtly flour the top of the dough and then form the dough into a ball. Use the palm of your hand to pat the dough out into an evenly thick 8-inch diameter circle (flour your hands if you feel they are sticking to the dough a bit). Use a sharp knife to cut the dough circle into 4 quarters. Tip! If your skillet is larger than 8 inches bottom diameter, you can roll the dough round slightly larger (9-inches-ish). This will make farls that are a bit thinner. They may cook a little more quickly.
- Heat a cast iron skillet (or similar heavy-bottomed skillet) over medium heat on the stovetop. When warm, REDUCE THE HEAT UNDER THE SKILLET TO MEDIUM-LOW and sprinkle with a bit of flour. Transfer the dough quarters into the skillet. Allow the farls to cook undisturbed over medium-low heat for 4 minutes. Tip! Have a peek at the underside after a couple of minutes of cooking. If they are browning too quickly, reduce the heat under the pan slightly.
- After 4 minutes, flip the farls onto the other side and cook that side for 4 minutes. Tip! I find it easiest to remove one of the farls to a plate, then flip the other 3 over in the pan, then return the other farl to the pan. I also like to reduce the heat under the skillet after flipping just slightly, as the pan is retaining heat well at this point. This prevents the 2nd side from over-browning.
- After both sides are browned, stand the farls on one of the cut edges to cook for 1 minute. Adjust the farls to place the other cut edge down to brown the other cut edge.
- Remove the farls to a clean tea towel and wrap the farls in the tea towel. This keeps the farls soft and retains the warmth, as well. Allow to stand for at least 10 minutes before slicing in half and enjoying warm. The farls will stay warm in the tea towel for quite some time. Once cooled, you can transfer the farls to an airtight container.
- Farls will keep for about 2 days at room temperature. Re-warm in the microwave, by toasting or by wrapping in foil and placing in a 350F for 5-7 minutes or until warmed through. Farls also freeze well. Wrap well and freeze up to 3 months.
Notes
Tips!
Making soda farls is very much like making biscuits. The amount of liquid needed to get the right consistency will vary from kitchen to kitchen, so be sure to add the water in small increments, adding just as much as is needed to bring the dough together. Adjust the heat under the skillet as needed to prevent the outside from browning too quickly. We want the outside to be browned eventually, but it needs to happen slowly enough so that the inside will cook through. The farls will need to cook for 4 minutes on each side and 1 minute on each of the two cut edges. Cooking times shown assume using a cast iron skillet, which retains heat very well. If you are using a thinner or lighter skillet, cooking time may vary.How to serve soda farls
- Split and enjoy Irish soda farls warm with butter or add a bit of jam.
- Split and toast to enjoy with your favourite topping.
- Top the farls with jam or sweetened berries and whipped cream.
- Split and enjoy your farls for a bacon and egg breakfast sandwich.
- Split and butter and add to a breakfast plate, such as the traditional Full Irish breakfast or Northern Ireland’s “Ulster Fry”. This breakfast includes bacon, sausage, fried eggs and black pudding, soda bread or farls and often potatoes, either in the form of potato farls or boxty.
- Break apart and use for dipping in soups and stews.
- Split and dip in French toast custard (milk and eggs) then fry and top with your favourite toppings.
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Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Jennifer! Hello, I am a long time follower and first time poster. My father made this weekend mornings to have with bacon and eggs. Thanks for the post, as much for the memories as the recipe.
I’m so glad Paula :) Food memories are the best!