Matzo Ball Soup

5 from 1 vote

Matzo ball soup is a traditional Jewish dish that has become a staple in my life since I was a kid. The flavor just feels like a warm hug to me!

Prep Time30

Cook Time2

Total Time2 30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Jewish

Servings:

Author: Lindsey Baruch

Ingredients

For the Matzo Balls

1 cup matzo meal
4 large eggs
1/4 cup olive oil or schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) vegetable oil works too
1/4 cup seltzer water
1/4 cup fresh dill finely chopped, and more for serving
salt and pepper to taste

For the Soup

6 cups chicken broth homemade chicken stock is preferable but store-bought works
3 large carrots peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley and fresh dill chopped (for garnish)
lemon squeeze to finish optional

Instructions

Begin by making your chicken broth (from scratch) if you are, otherwise you can skip this step! A tip if you are making your broth from scratch is to strain directly in the pot you made the broth, then you can just add the carrots and celery and finish the soup from there.
In a large bowl, whisk together the matzo meal, eggs, oil, seltzer water, dill, salt, and pepper until the mixture is well combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour (2 hours or longer is even better, too!)
In the meantime, prepare the soup. In a large pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the chopped carrots and celery to the pot. Reduce the heat to low and let the vegetables simmer for about 30 minutes or until they are tender.
Heat a separate pot of water and bring to a boil while you form your matzo balls. Once the matzo ball mixture has chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and begin shaping the mixture into balls. Using your hands, form the mixture into small balls, roughly 1 inch in diameter, or about 1 tablespoon. They will triple in size, so you don't want these too big before boiling! Set aside your balls on a baking sheet with parchment or platter.
Once your pot of water is boiling, add in salt and drop the matzo balls into the boiling water and let them cook at a gentle simmer for about 30-40 minutes minutes or until they are fully cooked through. They may feel soft to the touch on the exterior, but it does take some time for the inside to be cooked throughout as well, so just be patient!
Ladle the chicken soup into bowls, making sure to include a few matzo balls in each serving from the other pot. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, dill and loads of black pepper, if desired. Sometimes I like to add a squeeze of lemon juice as well.

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