This recipe for Dulse Seaweed Soda Bread is delicious and was more popular than the normal, wheat-based bread I baked for a seaweed foraging course, so I thought I’d share it with you here. The basis of this recipe came from my sister (the gluten-free bit), and the rest came from Prannie Rhatigan’s book; Irish Seaweed Kitchen. Prannie’s book made me feel normal – she adds seaweed to everything!

(The dry ingredients for my Gluten-free Dulse Soda Bread, sitting on top of Prannie’s Duileasc Soda Bread recipe page)

Dulse seaweed (Palmaria palmata) has various common names, including Duileasc in Ireland. Dulse is a natural partner to soda bread, and this gluten-free version is just as tasty. Think soft bread with a nice crust and lots of flavour but no annoying bits in it, though of course you can add seeds or nuts if you want. Dulse is also naturally salty so no extra salt needs to be added.

How to make gluten-free dulse seaweed soda bread;

Tasty Dulse Seaweed Soda Bread (Gluten-free)

Ingredients

• 300 g gluten-free oats
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tbsp dulse seaweed (dried and ground)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 325-50 g natural yoghurt

First combine all the dry ingredients (oats, bicarbonate of soda and dulse), then add in the egg and the natural yoghurt and combine well.

The mixture should be wet though fairly stiff, stiff enough to press into an oiled loaf tin. Preheat the oven to 180°C and bake for 90 minutes (1 and 1/2 hours), or until the bread is dark brown and has started to come away from the edge of the tin.

Leave in the tin for a few minutes before loosening around the edge with a fish slice, or similar and removed onto a cooling rack. Can be sliced warm or cold. Keeps well in a sealed container for up to 5 days (in the fridge). Wonderful fresh and great toasted too.

Find out how to identify dulse, where to find it, how to harvest it, its nutritional benefits and how to dry it in my seaweed book. Dulse is one of the seaweeds I often include in my seaweed courses too.