It’s almost Passover, so naturally you’d expect your friendly neighborhood food blogging family at The Woks of Life to have a Matzo Ball Soup recipe ready for the occasion.
Welllll…while we probably aren’t the first food blog you’d think of when looking for a matzo ball soup recipe, you may be surprised to learn that our family and matzo ball soup go way back.
Story time!
Our History with Matzo Balls
I first learned of the matzo ball’s existence at around eight years old, at a Passover dinner at my cousin Jennifer’s house (fun fact: my uncle is Jewish). Having this Jewish branch of our family meant that:
- My sister and I got to be majorly jealous of Jen when she got presents for both Hanukkah AND Christmas.
- Kaitlin and I went to a Jewish sleepaway camp, where we were definitely the only non-Jewish kids. (Of course, this fact did not stop us from enjoying the rare and coveted twice-a-summer blintz breakfast as much as everyone else.)
- We were introduced early on to the magical world of Jewish cuisine, from brisket and latkes to kasha varnishkes and of course, matzo balls.
My dad was also no stranger to Jewish cuisine. He grew up in the middle of the Borscht Belt of upstate New York (Sullivan County, specifically), where my grandpa cooked in hotels and restaurants serving vacationing Jewish families.
The result? This Chinese American food blogger is not only very familiar with many of these Jewish classics, I actually crave them on a regular basis. Along with my boyfriend Justin (aka the NJB––”Nice Jewish Boy”––I’ve managed to snag), I break out the matzo meal to make matzo ball soup whenever the mood strikes.
The Great Matzo Ball Debate: Floaters vs. Sinkers
What kind of matzo ball person are you? The kind that likes light and fluffy floaters? Or chewy, dense sinkers?
My dad is a fan of light and fluffy matzo balls. My mom is a fan of chewier ones. My uncle Barry, whose preferences I grew up with, was a fan of dense matzo balls that we affectionately called “cannonballs.” I myself like a matzo ball with a bit of chewiness and bite to it, perhaps with a slightly softer outer layer.
Whatever your matzo ball preference, this recipe has you covered:
- If you like chewy and dense matzo balls that resist your spoon’s slicing action, make this recipe and omit the baking powder entirely.
- If you like a matzo ball that’s slightly lighter on the outside but still a bit dense in the middle, add ¼ teaspoon baking powder to the matzo ball mixture.
- If you like them even lighter, up that to ½ teaspoon baking powder.
- And if you want your matzo balls even lighter, you can add even more baking powder (I would only go up another ¼ teaspoon or so), and sub in seltzer water for the chicken/vegetable stock that the recipe calls for.
- How long you cook your matzo balls will also determine their texture. Shorter cooking times will yield al dente matzo balls, while longer cooking times will lead to lighter matzo balls.
The Importance of Good Stock
Beyond the matzo ball mixture, the key to a good matzo ball soup is the stock. Though we have many great stock recipes on the Woks of Life, like my mom’s homemade chicken stock, I like to make stock from a roasted chicken carcass for this soup.
For more details on how to roast a whole chicken and make stock using the carcass, check out my 2-part recipe for Roast Chicken & Stock.
In preparation for this recipe, I actually roasted a chicken for dinner the day before to make the stock (my baked whole chicken with vegetables). Never let a good chicken carcass go to waste!
Of course, you can also use store-bought if you like, and you can also use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock to make this vegetarian. Beyond that, you can include vegetables in your soup or just have a clear broth, and choose whether or not to include shredded chicken or dill.
I wrote this recipe to be flexible, so that you could adjust it to your own taste preferences.
With that, let’s get into the recipe!
Our Matzo Ball Soup Recipe
In a medium to large mixing bowl, add the matzo meal, vegetable oil (or schmaltz, which has more flavor), stock, eggs, and nutmeg. At this point, you can add ¼ to ½ teaspoon baking powder for lighter matzo balls, or omit the baking powder altogether if you like your matzo balls denser.
Season with a teaspoon of salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.
Gently mix all the ingredients together with a fork, and don’t overwork the mixture. Cover the mixture and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
To make the soup, add the chicken/vegetable stock to a pot along with the diced celery, carrots, and onion.
Bring to a boil, and lower the heat to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile, bring a wide, deep skillet or pan filled with salted water or stock to a boil. Wet your hands, and form the chilled matzo mixture into balls, each about the size of a ping pong ball. Drop them into the boiling liquid as you make them.
Cover the pan, and simmer them for 30-45 minutes. The longer you simmer them, the lighter they will get. I usually boil mine for around 35 minutes for more al dente matzo balls.
By the time your matzo balls are done, your soup should also be ready. Taste the soup for seasoning and adjust to taste. Transfer the matzo balls to bowls and cover with your soup. You can also add shredded chicken and sprigs of fresh dill if desired. Serve immediately!
Matzo Ball Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup matzo meal (120g)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil or schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) (60 ml)
- ¼ cup chicken or vegetable stock (60 ml)
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon baking powder (optional addition for lighter matzo balls)
- Salt and pepper
- 6 cups high quality chicken or vegetable stock (1400 ml)
- 4 ribs celery (diced)
- 3 medium carrots (diced)
- 1 small onion (diced)
- Shredded chicken (optional)
- Dill sprigs (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium to large mixing bowl, add the matzo meal, vegetable oil (or schmaltz, which has more flavor), stock, eggs, and nutmeg. At this point, you can add ¼ to ½ teaspoon baking powder for lighter matzo balls, or omit the baking powder altogether if you like your matzo balls denser.
- Season with a teaspoon of salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.
- Gently mix all the ingredients together with a fork, and don’t overwork the mixture. Cover the mixture and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- To make the soup, add the chicken/vegetable stock to a pot along with the diced celery, carrots, and onion. Bring to a boil, and lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- Meanwhile, bring a wide, deep skillet or pan filled with salted water or stock to a boil. Wet your hands, and form the chilled matzo mixture into balls, each about the size of a ping pong ball. Drop them into the boiling liquid as you make them.
- Cover the pan, and simmer them for 30-45 minutes. The longer you simmer them, the lighter they will get. I usually boil mine for around 35 minutes for more al dente matzo balls.
- By the time your matzo balls are done, your soup should also be ready. Taste the soup for seasoning and add salt to taste. Transfer the matzo balls to bowls and cover with your soup. You can also add shredded chicken and sprigs of fresh dill if desired. Serve immediately!
Notes
Nutrition
Zipporah says
Sarah, thank you so much for posting this recipe. My father’s grandmother (my Big Bubby) made cannonball matzo balls. Since her passing in 1967 my dad has been on a quest for the matzo balls of his youth. My mother could never quite replicate them. The Internet seems fixated on light and fluffy matzo balls. I took up the challenge when my mother passed away, but I have failed miserably. My dad is now 98 and had all but given up on this piece of his culinary history. Thanks to you I was able to make him chicken soup with matzo balls that are substantial, not delicate. I will be tweaking the recipe to try and increase the heaviness, but just as is, they are wonderful. * * * * *
Sarah says
Aww thank you so much for this comment! I love this. To make them denser, just cook them for a bit less time! I think that’s what’s great about the matzo ball in general…once you know what levers to tweak, you can make many different versions that can cater to many individual preferences. :)
Selina says
Hi, am a longtime lurker and sometimes maker of your recipes. There is more to Jewish cooking than European, If you’re interested, check out Claudia Roden’s cookbooks and recipes. An someone whose origin is Iraqi Jewish, I can tell you that there is more on offer than what people typically know as Jewish food. I can even give you a recipe for a traditional dish that I make a lot. Let me know if you are interested
Sarah says
Thanks for the suggestions, Selina!! Would also love whatever recipes you have to share––my email is [email protected].
Cheryl says
Please no baking powder!!! Matzo balls are traditionally served at Passover, when no leavening is allowed – including baking powder.
And it’s not necessary. To produce delightfully light matzo balls without it, do the following: 1) combine all the matzo ball ingredients EXCEPT the liquid first. 2) Use ice-cold seltzer for the liquid. 3)Allow batter to rest at least 1 hour – longer than that is not necessary.
I’ve been making matzo balls for 50 years, to universal acclaim; trust me on this one.
Sarah says
Hi Cheryl, it was my understanding that baking powder can be kosher for Passover (I think it was this New York Times article I read: https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/05/dining/05leav.html), but thank you very much for sharing your own method! I do often make them without baking powder myself, and just cook them a bit longer to make them softer. Will have to try using seltzer as well.
Cheryl says
I guess one can always learn!
But I’m sticking to my seltzer recipe. I suspect that the giant fall-apart-soft type of matzo ball you often find in delis (think Katz’s in NYC, if you’re familiar with it) are made with baking powder. My don’t fall apart. They are delicately toothsome.
Sarah says
I will definitely have to try it, Cheryl! Thank you!
Penny Eisenberg says
Hi Sarah- I read that article too, but there are a lot of Jews who would never use baking powder or baking soda for Passover. To us it seems to violate the basic concept of no leavening at Passover. If you are going to use it, it must be labeled “Kosher for Passover”. Personally, I like matzo balls dense, but not coarse. I add even more matzo meal to my recipe, but I mix the wet ingredients first, and then whisk in the matzo meal, which changes the texture of the ball, from coarse and dense, to smooth and dense. I love and subscribe to your site, and have used many of your recipes. Penny Eisenberg, author of Passover Desserts
Sarah says
Thanks for the clarification, Penny! And for sharing your own method!!
Jo Ann Glaessgen says
Your stuff is excellent. True. Have to source the ingredients. I miss just shopping in Astoria. Please keep it coming
Sarah says
Thank you, Jo Ann!
Tom says
Ausgezeichnet !! Another good use for my instant pot chicken stock.
Shalom
Sarah says
Thanks for taking the time to comment Tom!