In the realm of culinary comfort foods, matzo ball soup reigns supreme. Originating from Jewish cuisine, this delectable dish is a heartwarming symphony of flavors and textures. The savory broth, brimming with aromatic vegetables like celery and carrots, forms the foundation of this classic soup. Tender matzo balls, crafted from a mixture of matzo meal, eggs, and schmaltz, add a delightful chewiness and a subtle nutty flavor. The addition of fresh dill lends a refreshing herbaceousness, while a sprinkle of black pepper adds a touch of piquancy. This article presents a collection of carefully curated matzo ball soup recipes, each offering a unique twist on this beloved dish. From the traditional rendition to variations that incorporate chicken or turkey, there's a recipe here to suit every palate. Whether you're a seasoned cook or a culinary novice, these recipes will guide you effortlessly towards creating a pot of matzo ball soup that will warm your soul and bring joy to your table.
Let's cook with our recipes!
THE BEST MATZO BALL SOUP RECIPE
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
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
GREEN CHICKEN SOUP WITH DILL MATZO BALLS
Enliven traditional chicken soup with spring-y fennel and a dose of fresh green kale. Dill-flecked matzo balls bring the classic to another level.
Provided by Leah Koenig
Categories Soup/Stew Chicken Passover Kid-Friendly Lunch Sugar Conscious Dairy Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Kosher Small Plates
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 19
Steps:
- For the soup:
- Place chicken, celery, carrots, onions, fennel, garlic, bay leaf, and parsley and dill with stems in a large pot. Add cold water to cover by 1". Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low. Gently simmer, partially covered, skimming off any foam that accumulates, until chicken is very tender and falling off the bone, about 1 1/2-2 hours.
- While the soup is simmering, make the matzo balls: Using a fork, mix together the eggs, oil, matzo meal, seltzer water, dill, and 2 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and keep water at a simmer.
- Moisten your hands with water. Scoop out a rounded tablespoonful of chilled matzo ball batter and very gently pat into a 1" ball (avoid squeezing too hard or rolling too much). Drop into simmering water and repeat with remaining batter. Cover pot and gently simmer until matzo balls are tender and puffed, 40-45 minutes. Drain matzo balls and return to the pot; cover and keep in a warm place.
- Remove chicken and vegetables from the chicken broth with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cutting board; let rest until cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, discarding solids. Return the strained broth to the pot. Using your fingers, remove chicken meat from bones and shred into bite-sized pieces. Slice vegetables into bite-size pieces. Place chicken and vegetables in broth, cover pot, and set aside in a warm place until ready to serve.
- To serve, add kale to broth and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until kale softens, 3-5 minutes. Season soup generously with salt and pepper.
- Divide matzo balls among bowls and ladle soup on top. Garnish with chopped parsley and dill before serving.
- Do Ahead
- Matzo balls can be cooled to room temperature, then stored, covered, in the fridge up to 1 day. Soup can be made until just before adding kale, cooled to room temperature, then stored in a covered container in the fridge up to 1 day. Reheat, then add kale and simmer for a few minutes before serving.
CELERY AND PARSNIP SOUP WITH GREEN ONION-DILL MATZO BALLS
Categories Soup/Stew Onion Passover Celery Parsnip Kosher Kosher for Passover Bon Appétit
Yield Makes 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Melt margarine in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add next 5 ingredients. Cover; cook 10 minutes. Add 6 cups stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered until vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes.
- Working in batches, puree soup in blender until very smooth, adding celery leaves to each batch. Return to pot. Thin with more broth, if desired. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill until cold. Cover; keep chilled.)
- Rewarm soup. Serve with Green Onion-Dill Matzo Balls.
MATZO BALL SOUP
This is a classic matzo ball soup. Using chicken fat from the broth as well as seltzer creates incredibly light and fluffy matzo balls. This one-pot dish will certainly cure whatever ails you!
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 3h
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Place the chicken in a large pot so it fits snugly and fill the pot with enough water to cover the chicken by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, using a ladle to skim the foam that rises to the surface. Add the garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt and continue cooking for another 30 minutes. Skim any fat that rises to the surface and reserve. You should have about 1/4 cup -- if necessary, add vegetable oil to equal 1/4 cup and set aside to cool slightly. Add the celery, carrots, onion and parsley sprigs to the pot and continue to cook until the vegetables are soft and the chicken is tender but not falling apart, about 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs and chicken fat in a medium bowl, then stir in the seltzer, chopped dill, matzo meal and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt until combined; cover and refrigerate. Chill until the mixture is firm, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
- When the chicken is cooked, carefully remove it from the broth with a slotted spoon and place on a rimmed baking sheet along with the vegetables; let cool. Return the broth to a simmer. Scoop heaping tablespoons of the matzo mixture, using your hands to gently roll them into balls (wet your hands to prevent sticking). Carefully drop the matzo balls into the simmering broth. Cover and simmer on low until the matzo balls are completely cooked through and fluffy, about 1 hour.
- While the matzo balls cook, pick the meat from the chicken and roughly chop it, discarding the skin and bones. Slice the celery and carrots into 1/4-inch-thick pieces and discard the onion and aromatics.
- When ready to serve, return the chicken, celery and carrots to the broth. Increase the heat to high to bring the soup to a simmer, then remove from the heat. Gently ladle the soup in to serving bowls, being careful not to break up the matzo balls. Top with fresh chopped dill and serve.
JOAN NATHAN'S MATZO BALL SOUP
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
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:
- To make your matzo balls light and fluffy, make sure to beat the egg whites until they are stiff peaks before folding them into the matzo meal mixture.
- If you don't have a meat grinder, you can grate the carrots and celery instead.
- You can use any kind of chicken broth or stock for this soup. If you're using a low-sodium broth, you may want to add a little salt to taste.
- If you want a thicker soup, you can add a cornstarch slurry. To make a cornstarch slurry, mix together equal parts cornstarch and water until it forms a smooth paste. Then, stir it into the soup and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the soup has thickened to your desired consistency.
- Serve your matzo ball soup with a sprinkle of fresh dill or parsley.
Conclusion:
Matzo ball soup is a classic Jewish dish that is perfect for a cold winter day. It's hearty, flavorful, and comforting. With a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time, you can make this delicious soup at home.
The tips and tricks in this article will help you make the best matzo ball soup possible. So next time you're looking for a warm and satisfying meal, give this recipe a try.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love