Absolutely delicious savory Seeded Asiago Rosemary Soda Bread, served with a chili flake, garlic and lemon butter. A perfect side for your stews!
When it comes to soda bread, I can go either way. I’ve done and enjoyed a sweet version, with this delicious Fig and Walnut Soda Bread with Honey Butter, so I thought a savory soda bread version was in order this year.
This savory Seeded Asiago Rosemary Soda Bread is absolutely delicious. Perhaps my favourite soda bread to-date! The texture is so lovely and the cheese and rosemary flavours make it the perfect side for your hearty stews, especially an Irish stew that you might be considering for St. Patrick’s Day.
And of course, this one just goes over the top with a spread of the delicious and easy chili butter, which is a simple mixture of butter, chili flakes, garlic and lemon juice, but creates the most wonderful combination of flavours with the bread.
Enjoy this one warm from the oven if you can. It comes together really quickly and doesn’t take long in the oven, so it’s easy to make as your stew cooks away.
Cook’s Notes for Seeded Asiago Rosemary Soda Bread with Chili Butter
This soda bread is best enjoyed when fresh and warm, though does keep well a couple of days at room temperature or freeze up to a month.
You can use any combination of seeds. I use sunflower, sesame, flax and poppy seeds (about 2 Tbsp of the sunflower and sesame and 1 Tbsp of the flax and poppy seed).
If you want to change it up a bit, you could use an aged white cheddar in place of the Asiago and/or some thyme leaves instead of the rosemary.
For a heartier loaf, you can replace up to 1 cup of the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour. This will create a loaf that is a little more dense, but with nice added flavour from the whole wheat.
I found my small, 6.5-inch Lodge cast iron skillet the perfect size for this bread. It’s 8-inches across the top and 6.5 inches across the bottom. If you don’t have that size skillet, a baking pan (such as an 8-inch round cake pan) will work fine as well.
Seeded Asiago and Rosemary Soda Bread with Chili Butter
A pretty and delicious soda bread, filled with cheese and rosemary and served with a great chili butter.
Ingredients
For bread:
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 5 Tbsp butter cut into 10 pieces
- 2 cups Asiago cheese grated
- Leaves from one 6-inch-long-ish sprig rosemary finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk plus more for brushing
- 1/3 cup mixed seeds sunflower, flax, sesame, poppy seed etc.
For Chili Butter:
- 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
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For bread: Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a 6 1/2-inch bottom diameter cast iron skillet (or 7-8 inch round baking pan) and set aside.
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Prepare the seed mixture and set aside (I used 2 Tbsp sunflower seeds, 2 Tbsp sesame seeds, 1 Tbsp flaxseed and 1 Tbsp poppy seeds)
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In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the butter pieces to the bowl and using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cheese and rosemary. Add enough buttermilk to the flour mixture to form a soft, sticky dough (I usually use all of the 1 1/2 cups). Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead gently a few times, just until smooth. Shape dough into a 7-inch-ish round.
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Sprinkle some of the seed mixture onto the bottom of a greased skillet or baking pan. Place dough on top of seeds. Brush top of dough with more buttermilk, then scatter remaining seeds over the top and sides of dough. Dip a knife in flour, then cut an shallow X into the top of the dough.
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Bake bread in preheated oven for about 40 minutes, or until browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with chili butter.
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For Chili Butter: Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl.
Hi Me again! I am going to bake this today, so excited. Am I able to double this recipe? Always worried about doubling..not sure what the trick to it is lol I think its the baking soda that always concerns me. Thanks in advance
Hi Ann Marie, yes you can double it. Just double everything and you’re good to go :)
This looks amazing! Can this be baked free form ( no loaf pan or tin?
Hi Ann Marie and yes, it absolutely can. Simply shape and bake on a baking sheet.
I can’t wait to try it this weekend!!
Such a dreamy bread, I could inhale this in one sitting! ;) Love the combination of asiago and rosemary!
Thanks Laura! It is a delicious combination :)
I could eat my weight in this beautiful soda bread. What a terrific combination of flavors and that chili butter … yum! Some of our favorite food memories from our trips to Ireland include fresh, warm soda bread eaten with a big hearty breakfast before heading out for the day. I don’t know why anybody would want to leave that gorgeous country! Love that small skillet too – I think I have one that very size! The texture looks more like a yeasted bread to me – a must try recipe for sure!
Thanks so much, Tricia! And yes, the texture was fabulous, but not a speck of yeast here (for a change :)
Love this savory spin Jennifer! I’ve only made sweet soda bread, so I’ll need to try this!
Thanks Mary Ann! Both are great :) I love this savory version as a side for stew especially.
There’s nothing better than a crusty seeded loaf, I could live on this bread for a week, pining and sharing!
Thanks Sue! We ate it with everything for several days :)
How much deliciousness is goin’ on here? From the bread to that chili butter? Yummy yum yum!!!
Thanks Dawn! We made short work of this one :)
Is it bad that I could make this my whole meal?! Wow! The flavor combination is spectacular and the chili butter simply takes it over the top! Wonderful!
Lol! I could too :) Thanks Annie!
Oh my goodness! You take soda bread to a whole new level Jennifer. This looks wonderful!
Thanks Chris!
Leave it to you to elevate the soda bread to heights previously unseen! I love the Asiago & rosemary flavors you weave in and the texture contribution of the seeds. All slathered with chili butter. Mmm.
Thanks Milena :)