I kind of wore myself out this past weekend with long days and lots of exciting activities. So when I finally made it home to New Orleans, I was feeling tired, achy, and in need of a warm cozy meal. Matzo ball soup has been on my “to do” list for a looooong time, so I thought this was the perfect opportunity to give it a try.
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What Is Matzo Ball Soup?
Matzo or Matzah Ball Soup is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dish that is often served during Passover. It’s a chicken soup filled with delicious dumplings made out of matzah meal (crushed unleavened bread), eggs, chicken fat (or another fat or oil), and broth. The dumplings cook in the soup and soak up all the delicious flavor of the soup as they cook. This soup is absolutely delicious and soul-warming, and there’s just nothing in the world like it.
I’m a Newbie
I’ll readily admit, I’ve never made matzo ball soup before this week, but part of this blog is sharing with you as I learn how to make new things. I read through some fantastic tutorials and myth busters about matzo balls over at Serious Eats, looked through a bazillion matzo ball soup recipes, and then I finally felt confident trying it myself. I created a hybrid recipe between what was on the package of my matzo meal and the tips given by Serious Eats. They were surprisingly simple to make and the final soup was like a big, warm hug. Success!
Try These Authentic Matzo Ball Soup Recipes
Before you try the version I made below, make sure you check out some of these authentic Matzo Ball Soup Recipes to see what it’s really all about. And hopefully, you’ll get to learn some more about the rich culture and history behind this awesome soup in the process.
Matzo Ball Soup
Servings 5 (2 cups soup, 3 matzo balls each)Ingredients
SOUP
- 1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil ($0.04)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.37)
- 3 carrots ($0.32)
- 3 stalks celery ($0.56)
- 1 chicken breast (about 3/4 lb.)* ($1.33)
- 6 cups chicken broth** ($0.76)
- 2 cups water ($0.00)
- Freshly cracked pepper ($0.05)
- Few sprigs fresh dill ($1.19)
MATZO BALLS
- 3 large eggs ($1.13)
- 3 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil ($0.12)
- 3/4 cup matzo meal ($0.80)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder ($0.02)
- Freshly cracked pepper ($0.02)
- 3 Tbsp water ($0.00)
Instructions
- Mince the garlic and dice the onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté the garlic, onion, celery, and carrots with the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat until the onions are soft and transparent (about five minutes).
- Add the chicken breast, chicken broth, 2 cups water, some freshly cracked pepper, and one or two sprigs of dill to the pot. Place a lid on the pot and let it come up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
- While the soup is simmering, mix the matzo ball dough. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and vegetable oil. Add the matzo meal, salt, baking powder, and a little freshly cracked pepper to the eggs and oil. Stir until well combined. Finally, add 3 Tbsp water and stir until smooth again. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to allow the matzo meal time to absorb the moisture.
- After the chicken soup has simmered, carefully remove the chicken breast and shred it with a fork. Return the shredded chicken to the soup. Taste the broth and adjust the salt if needed.
- Once the matzo ball mix has refrigerated and stiffened up, begin to form it into ping pong sized balls. Drop the balls into the simmering soup as they are formed, returning the lid to the pot after each one. Once all the matzo balls are in the soup, let them simmer for 20 minutes without removing the lid. Make sure the soup is gently simmering the entire time.
- Add a couple sprigs of fresh dill just before serving.
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Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Matzo Ball Soup – Step by Step Photos
I made a very simple/quick chicken soup as a vehicle for my matzo balls. It begins with 2 cloves of garlic, one yellow onion, three carrots, and three stalks of celery. Mince the garlic and dice the onion, carrots, and celery.
Sauté the garlic, onion, carrots, and celery with 1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil in a large pot over medium heat until the onions are soft and transparent (about five minutes). Once the onions are soft, add one chicken breast (about 3/4 lb.). You can buy skin on and bone in chicken, just be sure to remove the skin first. The bones can be removed when you shred the chicken and will give the soup great flavor.
Also Add six cups of chicken broth and two cups of water (or all chicken broth, if you prefer). Also, add a couple of sprigs of dill and a little freshly cracked pepper. Place a lid on the pot, let it come up to a boil, then turn the heat down to low. Let the soup simmer for 30 minutes. I use Better Than Bouillon to make broth because it has great flavor, is quite inexpensive compared to boxed or canned broths, and it keeps in the refrigerator for just about forever.
While the soup is simmering, mix the matzo ball dough. Add 3 large eggs and 3 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil to a bowl. Whisk until smooth.
Add 3/4 cup matzo meal, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, a little freshly cracked pepper, and 3 Tbsp of water to the bowl. Stir until smooth. Let the mix refrigerate for 30 minutes so the matzo has time to absorb water and plump up.
This is what the matzo meal looks like, BTW. Kind of like bread crumbs, but it’s cracker crumbs. Take note, this is plain matzo meal, not matzo ball “mix”.
Once the soup has simmered for about 30 minutes, remove the chicken breast and use two forks to shred it. Return the shredded chicken to the soup. Taste the broth and adjust the salt if needed.
After the matzo ball mix has been refrigerated, it should be more stiff and dry.
Start forming the matzo ball dough into small balls, about the size of ping pong balls. Keep in mind that they’ll puff up a little as they cook. I got about 15 balls out of my mix. Drop the balls into the simmering soup one by one as they’re formed, making sure to return the lid after each one (to keep the broth simmering).
Once all the matzo balls are in the broth, let them simmer for about 20 minutes. Make sure the broth is simmering the whole time and the lid is not removed.
Once the matzo balls are puffed and cooked through, add a few more sprigs of fresh dill, then serve!
Mmmm, so warm and delicious!
You can’t go wrong with chicken and dumplings… in any form!
Jewish girl here! I love seeing traditionally Jewish recipes on mainstream blogs! Thanks for spreading the word on our cure-all (no joke, we call it the Jewish penicillin). Don’t worry if it’s not how our great great jewish grandmothers made it, sometimes theirs isn’t that great, anyway!
Thank you! :)
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’m looking forward to making this for the second time. I really appreciate that you have taken this traditional recipe and made it accessible to us, gentiles. I’ve never commented before on anything, but your blog is one of my go-to sources whenever it’s time to make my grocery list. There are some dishes on here that I make again and again.
Visiting the deli’s on Fairfax (Los Angeles) as a kid (now 66) they always had the tiny egg noodles added to the soup.
I’ve been making matzo ball soup my entire adult life and never saw it made this way. I take a whole chicken, cut up and boil in water for 30 minutes. I remove the chicken and add some boullian with the onion, celery, carrots and parsley. While that is reaching a boil I debone the chicken and remove the skin and also skim the fat from the soup. I dice the chicken and put aside. An old friend told me that she removes the vegetables, cuisinarts them and then adds them back to the soup, which is a great idea and gives more body to the soup. I do use packaged matzo ball mix but add chopped parsley. I am willing to part with my secret for great matzo balls: I put a dish towel under the lid to make sure to keep steam from escaping and I cook the matzo balls for at least 30 minutes, not 20. They always come out light and fluffy. Add chicken back to the soup before serving.
For Authenic Jewish Matzoh balls don’t use cooking oils, use chicken fat (schmaltz) that’s what gives the Authenic taste. Don’t worry about the cholesterol, you only use that in the matzoh balls( and I’m sure you don’t make them too frequently) My Grandmother lived until she was 94 and was sharp as a tack! One day I’m sure that the’ll say butter and schmatz are healthy for you. PS, Matzos are not crackers. Not even close. No leavning . That’s the idea, it’s for Passover and leavning is not allowed.
the author never stated it was authentic. Growing up my best friend was Jewish and her father made this soup and it was soooooo good. I’m going to try this recipe. The soup I remember didn’t have chicken or celery pieces or carrot pieces in it but I like this idea. Sounds like a good Christian way of making the soup to me. All you haters go home, I’m going to give it 5 stars
This is absolutely delicious. My sister and I made it the week you first posted it because it sounded interesting and I have made it dozens of times since. My husband and kids request it often and I’ve shared it with family and friends who have then asked for the recipe. I’m reading a lot of negative comments saying it isn’t traditional or “their way” and therefore not 5 star worthy, but it’s so damn good and makes me SO happy every time I make it. Thanks so much for sharing it, Beth!
I just made this, me and my husband are eating it now! All I can say is Thank You! I’ve never had Motzo Ball soup before and hands down, this is the most delicious Chicken soup I have ever made or eaten, superb. A+++
Would you suggest an alternative to the vegetable oil? I don’t use vegetable/canola oil. Would coconut oil or grape seed oil work? Or another alternative? Excited to try and make this for my Jewish boyfriend!
For this one just about any cooking oil will do, since you’re not using excessively high temperatures. You can use your favorite oil. :)
Oh please! There is no garlic in a Jewish chicken soup. There is no sauteing! Believe me, I am 98% Ashkenazi Jewish! For REAL Jewish chicken soup take a whole chicken, cover it in water, add 2 celery stalks, 2 onions, 6 carrots, 2 parsnips, a large bunch of parsley. Bring to boil, reduce to a very slow simmer, skim off all the scum that floats to the surface. Cook for about an hour. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill over night, the fat is easily removed as it forms a solid crust.
The matzo balls? Give yourself a break and buy a packet of ready mix from the supermarket.
This is a rude comment. She openly states she hasn’t made it before and there are many different takes on the recipe. I’m sure there are other Jewish people who have recipes that look quite different than yours.
Jacquie, my mom and grandmother cooked like you. But my great-grandmother and my dad’s side of the family cooked more like this and I think the younger generation is getting back toward everything-homemade because of our organic lifestyles.
I think the lack of seasoning in American Jewish cooking is generational, and related to the Depression and/or War era of our grandparents and great-grandparents, not “tradition” as you say. If you were all about tradition, you wouldn’t be using matzo mix from a box. But your soup sounds delicious, why don’t you create your own Real Jewish Cooking website…?
Jacquie,
I feel that this does not provide anything constructive to this recipe. Rather than commenting on how this recipe turned out for you, you are taking the opportunity to condescend and belittle. While I understand that your family has a traditional recipe, food is meant to be shared with others. Whatever makes this version easier or tastier to others does not affect you or your enjoyment of your own recipe. Also, she never claimed that this was an authentic representation of a traditional matzo ball soup.
Please treat others with politeness.
This was easy, delicious, and helped kick the colds and sniffles that have been hanging around our house. Thank you!
I had bought a box of Manischewitz matzo ball mix that was supposed to come with soup mix. But it only had the ball mix, no soup mix to be found! I used that to make the matzo balls, but this recipe to make the soup portion. I used thighs instead of breasts because it was cheaper, and regular bouillon cubes. It came out delicious, and it was very easy. A good weeknight recipe.
Any tips on making this vegetarian?
I think your best bet would to get a chicken flavored vegetarian broth. I don’t think vegetable broth would be good with this, but there are some brands that make “mock” chicken broths. I think even Better Than Bouillon makes one?
Wow, totally different recipe that I have ever seen or heard of. I have never made chicken soup that way. I always use either a whole chicken or parts, and the veggies are boiled with the chicken. Also, baking powder in matzoh balls? Never heard of that! I have been making both all my life. I will have to try the matzah balls that way just for ‘fun’, but not for Passover, of course. And your version of chicken soup WOULD be faster than mine (and my mother’s and my grandmothers, both of them.) Maybe I will give it a try this winter.
I make the balls of dough from eggs, butter, and buttermilk left at room temperature, add sifted self-raising cake flour gently until moistened, don’t over stir or handle too much; let dough sit at room temp 30 minutes to melt flavors together; when pot of bone broth; chicken or turkey or duck; is simmering with tender veggies like parsnips , carrots, cubes of sweet potato or yams; cubed pumpkin; are tender; drop T of dough balls; put on see thru glass lid on pot ; let dough balls puff up fluffy; turn off heat simmer; let the steam puff up dough balls 15 to 20 minutes; mince parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, chives – fresh!- for top sprinkle on each bowl.😃😁😘
Your way wouldn’t be kosher (you do not serve the child with the mother so no eggs and chicken and no milk with beef). That is why no eggs in matzo balls.
Eggs are pareve and treated like vegetables for kosher food. You can eat them with anything. Matzo ball recipes almost always have eggs–how else would they stick together?
The line from Deuteronomy is something like don’t boil a baby goat in its mother’s milk, which ofc has been interpreted to the nines by rabbis.
You are correct that adding the buttermilk would make it not kosher, if the soup is meat based.