Best 7 Best Matzah Balls Recipes

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Matzah balls are a traditional Jewish food typically served in chicken soup, known for their light and fluffy texture. They are typically made with a combination of matzah meal, eggs, and water or broth, and are seasoned with salt, pepper, and sometimes other herbs and spices. Matzah balls can be cooked in a variety of ways, including boiling, baking, or frying, and are often served with a variety of toppings, such as chopped parsley, dill, or even a drizzle of hot schmaltz.

This article includes three different recipes for matzah balls:

- Classic Matzah Balls: These matzah balls are made with a combination of matzah meal, eggs, water, and seasonings. They are boiled in chicken soup until they are cooked through and fluffy.

- Baked Matzah Balls: For those who prefer a slightly crispier matzah ball, this recipe bakes the matzah balls in the oven until they are golden brown.

- Fried Matzah Balls: If you're looking for a crispy and flavorful matzah ball, this recipe fries the matzah balls in hot oil until they are golden brown.

No matter which recipe you choose, you're sure to enjoy these delicious and versatile matzah balls.

Let's cook with our recipes!

BEST MATZAH BALLS



Best Matzah Balls image

These can be tricky to get the right consistency. After years of experimenting with the basic recipe, I found these to come out soft but not falling apart. If you like firm/hard-middle matzah balls, either reduce the seltzer or add 1/4 cup matzah meal.

Provided by Weekend Cook

Categories     Side Dish

Time 1h15m

Yield 16

Number Of Ingredients 7

4 eggs
6 tablespoons olive oil
⅓ cup club soda
2 tablespoons club soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups matzo meal, or more as needed
4 quarts water

Steps:

  • Whisk eggs and olive oil in a bowl until combined; stir both amounts of club soda and salt into egg mixture. Mix matzo meal into wet ingredients to form a workable dough; if mixture is too wet, stir in 1/4 cup more matzo meal. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Wet your hands and form matzo ball dough into walnut-size balls. Gently place matzo balls into boiling water. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer matzo balls until tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 105.8 calories, Carbohydrate 10.2 g, Cholesterol 46.5 mg, Fat 6.4 g, Fiber 0.4 g, Protein 2.7 g, SaturatedFat 1.1 g, Sodium 98.5 mg, Sugar 0.3 g

THE BEST MATZO BALL SOUP RECIPE



The Best Matzo Ball Soup Recipe image

We've tested every trick in the book to figure out exactly how to make the perfect matzo balls-whatever that means to you.

Provided by Daniel Gritzer

Categories     Lunch     Dinner     Entree     Side Dish     Snack     Appetizer     Appetizers and Hors d'Oeuvres     Soups and Stews

Time 1h45m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 10

4 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup seltzer or water (see note)
1/4 cup Schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) or neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil (see note)
1 cup matzo meal
1/8 to 1 teaspoon baking powder (optional; see note)
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
3 quarts good-quality homemade chicken stock , divided
Finely diced carrot and celery, for garnish
2 fresh dill sprigs, plus picked fresh dill fronds for garnish

Steps:

  • Meanwhile, divide stock evenly between two pots, season both with salt, and bring to a simmer. Add diced carrots and celery and dill sprigs to one pot and simmer until just tender; discard dill sprigs and keep warm.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 683 kcal, Carbohydrate 75 g, Cholesterol 208 mg, Fiber 2 g, Protein 30 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, Sodium 1426 mg, Sugar 12 g, Fat 28 g, ServingSize Serves 4, UnsaturatedFat 0 g

MATZO BALLS



Matzo Balls image

Provided by Ina Garten

Time 55m

Yield 18 to 20 matzo balls

Number Of Ingredients 6

4 extra-large eggs, separated
1/2 cup good chicken stock
1/4 cup rendered chicken fat, melted
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for egg whites
1 cup matzo meal

Steps:

  • Whisk together the egg yolks, chicken stock, chicken fat, parsley, and salt. Stir in the matzo meal. In the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are stiff. Whisk them into the matzo mixture until it is smooth. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, or until the mixture is thick.
  • Form balls the size of golf balls by shaping them with 2 spoons, rolling them with your hands, or scooping them with a small ice cream scoop. Drop them into simmering chicken stock and cook for 30 minutes, or until fully cooked and puffed, turning once. Remove and serve hot in chicken soup.

MATZO BALL SOUP WITH CELERY AND DILL



Matzo Ball Soup With Celery and Dill image

Greater than the sum of its parts, matzo ball soup is a wonderful combination of three very simple things: chicken broth (golden brown, deeply savory, lightly seasoned), matzo balls (tender, eggy, schmaltzy dumplings made with ground matzo) and garnish (celery and fresh dill, lots of it). The key to keeping the chicken juicy, tender and something you're excited to eat is by gently simmering the stock (which will also keep the broth crystal clear rather than muddied). You can pick the meat from the chicken and add it back to the soup if you like, or save for next-day chicken salad. For the matzo balls, matzo meal is preferred for its fine texture, but know that you can also grind your own from matzo boards in a food processor.

Provided by Alison Roman

Categories     soups and stews, main course

Time 3h

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 (4- to 4 1/2-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces, or 4 to 4 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts
2 large yellow onions, unpeeled, quartered
2 garlic heads, unpeeled, halved crosswise
4 celery stalks, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
Kosher salt
1 cup matzo meal (not matzo ball mix), or 1 cup finely ground matzo boards
1/4 cup finely chopped chives
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
5 large eggs
1/3 cup chicken fat, grapeseed oil or unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup club soda or seltzer
3 to 4 celery stalks, thinly sliced on a bias, plus any leaves
1/2 cup chopped dill leaves
Freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Prepare the broth: Combine chicken, onions, garlic, celery and carrots in a large pot. Cover with 12 cups water and season with salt. (If your pot can't handle all that water, fill the pot with as much as you can, and add remaining water as it reduces.)
  • Bring to a strong simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low so that the broth is gently simmering.
  • Continue to gently simmer, uncovered, until the broth is extremely flavorful and well seasoned, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Using tongs, remove breasts, thighs and legs from the pot (let any skin and bones fall into the pot), leaving everything else behind.
  • Pick the meat from the chicken, discarding any fat, skin, bones, cartilage or any drier pieces of meat that you wouldn't find delicious to eat. Set meat aside to either put back into your soup, or to use in another dish (chicken salad, etc).
  • Strain broth (you should have about 10 cups) and return to the pot. Season with salt and pepper (it should be as seasoned and delicious as you'd want it to be when serving). Keep warm, if using same day, or let cool and refrigerate overnight.
  • As broth sits, prepare the matzo balls: Combine matzo meal, chives and 1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt in a medium bowl. Using a fork, incorporate eggs until well blended. Add chicken fat, followed by club soda, mixing until no lumps remain. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until mixture is firm and fully hydrated, at least 2 hours (and up to 24 hours).
  • Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Using your hands, roll matzo ball mixture into balls slightly smaller than the size of a ping pong ball (about 1 1/4-inch in diameter), placing them on a plate or parchment lined baking sheet until all the mixture is rolled (you should have about 24 matzo balls).
  • Add matzo balls to the boiling water and cook until floating, puffed and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. (You can always sacrifice one, plucking it from the broth and cutting it in half to check that it's cooked through. The texture should be uniform in color and texture, and the balls shouldn't be dense or undercooked in the center.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the matzo balls to the chicken broth.
  • Add celery (and some of the picked chicken meat, if you desire) and season again with salt before ladling into bowls, topping with dill, celery leaves and a crack of freshly ground pepper.

KOSHER PERFECT MATZO BALLS



Kosher Perfect Matzo Balls image

OK, OK, I know; your bubbie made the perfect matzo balls. But they are finicky little rascals that are made a 1000 different ways and everyones bubbies always made them best. What I want to share here is the simplest, no nonsence methode of the creation of soft and/or firm matzo balls; for just like white and dark meat people, there are soft and firm matzo ball people.

Provided by Yosef Vernon

Categories     Clear Soup

Time 50m

Yield 18-24 Matzo Balls

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 cup matzo meal
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons oil or 4 tablespoons melted schmaltz (fat)
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 tablespoons water or 4 tablespoons broth
baking powder (delete for firm matzo balls)
1 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
1 tablespoon dried parsley (optional)
1 teaspoon dill weed (optional)
1/2 teaspoon pepper (optional)

Steps:

  • Follow these instructions carefully.
  • Measure and mix dry ingredients into a bowl.
  • Individually break the eggs into a clear glass, discarding any with blood spots, and then pour into a second bowl.
  • Add oil or schmaltz (and water or broth for firm matzo balls) to the eggs and stir gently with a fork until the yolks are broken and the oil just mixed.
  • Pour egg mixture into the dry mixture and gently mix with the fork.
  • DO NOT OVER MIX.
  • Treat it like a muffin mixture; if you over mix they will be tough.
  • Place in the fridge for 1 hour.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil on the stove.
  • After matzo ball mix has set, gently remove teaspoon fulls of the batter and roll into 1-2" balls and drop into the water.
  • When all the balls are in the water leave it to boil until all the balls float to the top, then lower the temperature to a rolling simmer for 40 minutes and your matzo balls will be ready.
  • DO NOT STIR AT ANY TIME.
  • The matzo balls may be removed from the water with a slotted spoon and served in soup, with a stew, as a side dish with gravy or placed on a cookie sheet and frozen covered for a later use.

FLUFFY MATZAH BALLS



Fluffy Matzah Balls image

If you like light, airy matzah balls, you'll like this recipe. It's my son David's favorite, especially when his grandmother makes the matzah balls.

Provided by Joan Nathan

Categories     Passover     Spring     Kosher

Yield Yield: about 12 large, soft matzah balls

Number Of Ingredients 6

4 large eggs
2 tablespoons chicken fat or vegetable oil
1/4 cup seltzer, club soda, or chicken broth
1 cup matzah meal
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
N/A freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • 1. Mix the eggs well with a fork. Add the chicken fat or oil, soda water or chicken broth, matzah meal, and salt and pepper and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours.
  • 2. Dip your hands in cold water and make about 12 balls slightly smaller than Ping-Pong balls.
  • 3. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add salt and place the matzah balls in the water. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes until soft.
  • Tip: I often make chicken soup and matzah balls ahead. After cooking the matzah balls I just place them in the warm soup, which I then freeze. The liquid keeps them fluffy. I defrost the soup, reheat, and serve. If you like them more al dente, use large eggs and cook a shorter time.

JOAN NATHAN'S MATZO BALL SOUP



Joan Nathan's Matzo Ball Soup image

For children (and arguably most adults), the most welcome Passover dish is chicken soup with matzo balls. My matzo balls, neither heavy as lead nor light as a feather, are al dente, infused with fresh ginger and nutmeg. I like to freeze them, and the soup, in advance.

Provided by Joan Nathan

Categories     appetizer

Time 4h15m

Yield About 15 matzo balls

Number Of Ingredients 9

4 large eggs
1/4 cup schmaltz (rendered chicken fat), coconut oil or vegetable oil (kosher for Passover)
1/4 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 cup matzo meal
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 to 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, dill or cilantro
1 teaspoon salt, more for cooking
Black pepper

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, combine the eggs, schmaltz, stock, matzo meal, nutmeg, ginger and parsley. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Gently mix with a whisk or spoon. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours or overnight.
  • To shape and cook the matzo balls, fill a wide, deep pan with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. With wet hands, take some of the mix and mold it into the size and shape of a Ping-Pong ball. Gently drop it into the boiling water, repeating until all the mix is used.
  • Cover the pan, reduce heat to a lively simmer and cook matzo balls about 30 to 40 minutes for al dente, longer for light. If desired, the cooked matzo balls can be transferred to chicken or vegetable soup and served immediately. Alternatively, they may be placed on a baking sheet and frozen, then transferred to a freezer bag and kept frozen until a few hours before serving; reheat in chicken or vegetable soup or broth.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 67, UnsaturatedFat 1 gram, Carbohydrate 4 grams, Fat 5 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 2 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 60 milligrams, Sugar 0 grams, TransFat 0 grams

Tips:

  • Use the right matzo meal. Coarse matzo meal will give you a lighter matzo ball, while fine matzo meal will give you a denser matzo ball.
  • Don't overmix the batter. Overmixing will make the matzo balls tough. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
  • Let the batter rest. Letting the batter rest for at least 30 minutes will allow the matzo meal to absorb the liquid and make the matzo balls more tender.
  • Poach the matzo balls in a large pot of salted water. The water should be at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil.
  • Don't overcrowd the pot. The matzo balls should have enough room to move around and cook evenly.
  • Cook the matzo balls until they are cooked through. The matzo balls should be firm and springy to the touch.

Conclusion:

Matzo balls are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed in many different ways. They are a classic addition to chicken soup, but they can also be served as a side dish or appetizer. Whether you are looking for a traditional recipe or something more modern, there is a matzo ball recipe out there for everyone. With a little practice, you'll be able to make perfect matzo balls every time.

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