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This is the easiest recipe for Matzo ball soup that you will ever find. Even a beginner can make this Jewish matzo ball soup, and it tastes amazing! Soft delicious Matzo balls in a tasty chicken stock – so warm and comforting!
Matzo ball soup is a classic Jewish recipe that’s been around for thousands of years. Matzo balls are ball-shaped dumplings that are served in a chicken soup. Matzo ball ingredients are matzo meal, eggs, oil and water.
Matzo ball soup is a historic Jewish comfort food and it is always a part of traditional Jewish holiday menus. Matzo ball soup is a staple recipe for the Jewish holiday of Passover that celebrates the Exodus of the Jewish people from Egyptian slavery. Matzah is an unleavened bread that is a symbol of freedom for Jews as it was the first food eaten by the newly freed people. During Passover, leavened breads are forbidden and only Matzah is allowed, so it’s a perfect time to make a Matzo ball soup! But of course, you don’t have to wait until Passover to make this delicious soup – Matzo ball soup can be enjoyed year around!
If you searched for Matzo ball soup recipes online, I’m sure you found that most of them are really complicated and impractical for today’s busy cook. Well, look no further – this is the easiest Matzo ball recipe you will ever find! It uses store-bought chicken broth so you don’t need to make it from scratch. No simmering the chicken for hours, straining the stock and removing chicken bones :) You just concentrate on the star of the recipe – the Matzo balls!
How To Make The Matzo Ball Soup Step By Step:
These easy instructions take the mystery out of the matzo ball soup making process :)
Step 1: Make the Matzo balls
Mix the Matzo ball dough ingredients, shape into balls and cook them in boiling water
Step 2: Flavor the chicken stock
While the Matzo balls are cooking, flavor the chicken stock by simmering it with carrots, onion and celery.
Step 3: Add the Matzo balls to the soup
Put the cooked Matzo balls into the chicken stock and finish cooking them there so they soak up the chicken soup flavor.
That’s all there is to it :) You might be thinking – why not cook the Matzo balls directly in the chicken stock to save a step? The reason why we cook Matzo balls in water first, as opposed to cooking them right away in the chicken stock, is to avoid making the soup cloudy.
Enjoy this delicious Matzo ball soup – it’s a true comfort food!
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Easy Matzo Ball Soup Recipe
This easy Matzo ball soup recipe is made in under an hour from start to finish! Delicious Matzo balls in comforting chicken broth - so yummy!
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Jewish
Ingredients
Garnish
- 1/4 bunch fresh dill or parsley chopped
Instructions
Mix the Matzo meal with eggs and oil, then refrigerate it for 15 minutes.
Bring a large pot of water with 1 tbsp of salt to a boil.
Using wet hands, roll the Matzo mixture into 1-inch balls (to not over-mix, or it will make the Matzo balls tough).
Carefully drop the Matzo balls in the water using a slotted spoon.
Reduce the heat to simmer and cook the Matzo balls for 30 minutes.
While the Matzo balls are cooking, add chicken stock, onion, carrots and celery to a separate pot. Bring to boil, then reduce the heat to Low and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the onion with a slotted spoon and discard. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Carefully take out the Matzo balls with a slotted spoon and transfer them into the chicken stock. Simmer for another 10 minutes.
To serve, laddle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped dill or parsley.
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FAQs
The matzo tends to disintegrate once it has been in too long. To keep them from water-logging, the matzo balls are simmered for 30–40 minutes and then removed from the broth and held in a warming oven, then set in the bowl just before serving.
Why didn t my matzo balls fluff up? ›
Go by texture and doneness. It won't be light and fluffy unless it is fully saturated with broth and cooked all the way to the center. Serve two or three matzo balls per bowl with hot chicken soup ladled over them.
Can I make matzo balls the day before? ›
The matzo ball mixture can be made 1 day ahead, covered and stored in the refrigerator; then form into balls, just before cooking. Matzo balls can be fully assembled and simmered up to 2 days ahead and kept submerged in chicken stock in the refrigerator.
What causes matzo balls to fall apart? ›
After all, letting your dough rest in the fridge gives the matzo time to absorb the liquid in the recipe and bind together. Without this crucial step, your matzo balls will certainly fall apart before you even serve them.
Should matzo balls float or sink? ›
There are two camps of people, those who like their matzo balls to float “floater” and those who prefer them to sink, “sinkers.” If you prefer dense matzo balls, they will sink in the soup and have a rich, toothsome quality, whereas floater will be airy, soft and fluffy.
What is the best oil to use for matzo balls? ›
We give you the choice: Using schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) produces the most flavorful matzo balls, while vegetable or canola oil offer convenience. Optional seltzer helps to aerate the matzo balls so that they're light and tender, while optional baking powder allows you to make insanely light and fluffy ones.
Do matzo balls float when done? ›
Whether you prefer a light and fluffy matzo ball or a chewier and denser one, there is a recipe out there for you to try. One thing is for sure though, every matzo ball floats right out of the pot, then sinks. Even the dense and chewy version sunk after soaking in broth overnight.
How long to refrigerate matzo balls before cooking? ›
Store the mixture, covered, in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours, or overnight.
How do you know when matzo ball soup is done? ›
Once all of the matzo balls are in the boiling water, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove 1 matzo ball with a slotted spoon. Cut in half to check for doneness. The matzo ball is done when the inside is not dark or wet.
Can you over boil matzo balls? ›
Note that they'll “look done” after about 10 minutes, however it really does take around 45 minutes to cook all the way to the center of the ball. If you cut one open and the center looks yellow and grainy, like the batter, it's not done yet. You can't overcook a matzo ball. It's not possible.
Can I still eat an unopened box of Yehuda plain matzo from last year? - Quora. After experiencing eating a year old box at a friend's Passover Seder this past weekend, the answer is yes. Though, a box of matzo from a few years tasted very stale and was unedible.
Why are my matzo balls so dense? ›
His answer was definitive: "When someone's matzo balls are super dense, it's typically because they have too many eggs, so it's too high in protein — so it binds a little too hard." So, if you're making matzo balls, pay attention to the ratios; a good recipe shouldn't lead you astray.
What is a substitute for schmaltz in matzo balls? ›
To make matzo balls, you also need fat. Rendered chicken fat, called schmaltz, is traditional, but you could substitute oil or butter (though butter conflicts with kosher dietary restrictions prohibiting combining meat with dairy).
Why does matzo hurt my stomach? ›
So, as you digest this fiber-less treat, it makes its way into the stomach and intestines, slowly creating hard, dry, slow stool. It's reasonable for that to lead to constipation and discomfort, especially if you're eating large quantities of matzo each day, Zolotnitsky explains.
Why are my matzo balls mushy? ›
Don't be tempted to store matzo balls in your chicken soup; they will absorb the liquid and become mushy. It's much better to store them separately and heat them with your soup.
Do you store matzo balls in water? ›
Cooked matzo balls may be stored in the refrigerator, covered in water, up to 3 days.
How long can matzo ball mix stay in the fridge? ›
One: let the matzo ball mixture sit in the fridge for at least 45 minutes before you form and cook them (know that the mixture can be refrigerated in a container for up to a few days).
