Affectionately nicknamed “Jewish Penicillin,” Matzo Ball Soup is a comforting Jewish dumpling soup known for its soothing broth and tender dumplings made from matzo meal (ground matzo). While traditionally served during Passover, don’t let that stop you from enjoying this soul-hugging soup year-round.
The Best Matzo Ball Soup Recipe
Matzo ball soup is like a warm hug from my childhood. All of my closest friends were Jewish, and I was fortunate to learn about many of their holidays and traditions.
When it comes to making matzo balls, everyone has their own way of doing things. Depending on how you make them will determine if they are light and fluffy (floaters) or dense and chewy (sinkers).
I prefer matzo balls that are lighter—the kind that I can easily slice with a spoon. So, you’ll find those kind of matzo balls here. If you prefer denser matzo balls, no worries—I’ve added some tips below.
Key Ingredients: Broth and Matzo Balls
Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Matzah ball soup has two main parts: the matzo balls and the soup in which their served.
- Matzo Balls: The dumplings in this recipe are made from matzo meal (Manischewitz mix, aka ground matzo), eggs, vegetable oil, chicken broth (or water), and seasoning including salt, fresh dill, and fresh ginger. For more flavor, you can try adding some grated onion or onion powder. The mixture is formed into balls and cooked directly in the soup broth or in a separate pot of salted water.
- Soup: Typically, matzo ball soup consists of a clear chicken broth flavored with vegetables like carrots, celery, and onions. The matzo balls are served in the broth, absorbing its flavors. Swapping for vegetable broth makes it easy to make vegetarian matzo ball soup.
Matzo Ball Soup: Sinkers vs. Floaters
Simply put, “sinkers” are dense, while “floaters” are light. Makes sense. I found my matzo balls to be quite light (without adding baking powder or seltzer water), but the general rule when it comes to making matzo balls is this:
- For fluffy, light floaters: Add approximately 1 teaspoon of baking powder per 1 cup of matzo meal and replace the chicken stock with seltzer water. Cook for a longer time.
- For something in the middle: Use approximately 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of baking powder or replace half of the chicken stock with seltzer water per 1 cup of matzo meal.
- For sinkers: Don’t use either baking powder or seltzer water and cook for less time.
How to Make Matzo Ball Soup
1. Prepare then Chill the Matzo Ball Mixture: Add all of the ingredients for the matzo balls to a large bowl and mix well. Avoid overmixing as this can lead to dense matzo balls. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until chilled. Chilling allows the matzo meals to absorb the liquid, making the dough easier to handle. The matzo ball mixture can be made up to 24 hours in advance.
2. Make the Homemade Broth/Stock (optional): For the best-tasting soup, try making homemade broth or stock. You can make homemade chicken stock, homemade turkey stock, or even homemade vegetable stock. If you are limited on time, you can make chicken broth in less than 45 minutes.
Add approximately three pounds of chicken thighs to a large pot and cover with three quarts of cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Allow the chicken to cook until it is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot, shred it, and set aside. Then, strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer and set aside. Homemade broth/stock can be made up to 3-5 days ahead of time.
3. Cook the Soup: Soften the carrots, onion, and celery in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once they have started softening, add approximately 3 quarts of homemade stock or broth (step 2). Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cover with a lid.
4. Shape and Cook the Matzo Balls: With wet hands, shape the chilled matzo mixture into small balls about the size of a golf ball. Gently drop each ball into the simmering pot of soup OR cook them separately in a pot of boiling salted water. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook undisturbed for about 25-35 minutes.
- Cooking matzo balls in a separate pot of boiling water (or even broth) is a personal preference. Some people swear by cooking their matzo balls in their soup stock, while others, like me, like to cook them separately.
5. Serve: Transfer 2-3 matzo balls to a soup bowl filled with your homemade soup. Garnish with fresh dill, salt, and black pepper, to taste.
Cooking Tips
- Cover the pot with a lid while the matzo balls are cooking. This helps them steam and expand properly.
- Don’t overcrowd the pot. Matzo balls expand like crazy – at least double or triple in size. Cook them in batches if necessary to ensure they have enough room to expand.
- Make it your own. Classic matzo ball soup may be my favorite, but there are countless ways to change it up and make it your own. Try adding shredded chicken or turkey or veggies like kale, spinach, parsnips, or mushrooms.
Storage
When storing leftover matzo ball soup, store the matzo balls and soup separately. This prevents the matzo balls from soaking up too much broth and turning mushy. Transfer the soup and matzo balls to airtight containers and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
Can You Freeze Matzo Ball Soup?
Ensure the soup and matzo balls are brought down to room temperature before separating them -separating the matzo balls from the soup helps maintain their texture. Store the soup and matzo balls in freezer-safe containers or bags, leaving a little space at the top of the container, as the soup will expand as it freezes. Freeze for up to 4-6 months. Thaw the frozen soup and matzo balls overnight in the refrigerator.
More Soup Recipes,
- Turkey Soup Recipe
- Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe
- Caldo de Pollo Recipe (Mexican Chicken Soup)
- Albondigas Soup Recipe (Mexican Meatball Soup)
- The Best Chicken Soup Recipe
- Egg Drop Soup
- Soothing Pastina Soup
If you try making this Homemade Matzo Ball Soup Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
RECIPE CARD
Matzo Ball Soup Recipe
Ingredients
For the Matzo Balls
- 4 large eggs
- 4 tablespoon vegetable oil - or schmaltz (rendered chicken fat)
- 2 tablespoon low sodium chicken stock - or seltzer water (for fluffier matzo balls)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill - minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger - grated
- 1 cup matzo meal
For the Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium onions - diced
- 5 large carrots - peeled and chopped
- 5 stalks celery - chopped
- 3 quarts homemade chicken stock - homemade is best but store-bought is ok
- 4 cups shredded chicken - optional
- salt and black pepper - to season
- fresh dill - to garnish
Instructions
- Whisk the eggs, vegetable oil, and chicken stock together in a large bowl. Stir in the salt, fresh dill, and fresh ginger followed by the matzo meal. Mix well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until chilled (you may prepare ahead of time and chill overnight if necessary).
- As the matzo ball mixture rests in the refrigerator, start making the soup. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes or until the onions start to soften and turn translucent. Add the carrots and celery to the onions and mix well to combine. Continue to cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or so, stirring often.
- As the vegetables are softening, fill a wide, deep pan or stockpot with salted (add approximately 2 teaspoons). Bring to a boil over high heat.
- With the vegetables softened, add approximately 3 quarts (12 cups) of homemade chicken or turkey stock and shredded chicken (optional) to the vegetables. Combine and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer as you finish preparing and cook the matzo balls.
- With wet hands, shape the chilled matzo mixture into small balls about the size of a golf ball. Gently drop each ball into the pot of boiling water and repeat until all the dough has been used.
- Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook the matzo balls undisturbed for about 30-40 minutes.
- Transfer 2-3 matzo balls to a soup bowl filled with your homemade soup. Garnish fresh dill, salt, and pepper, to taste.
Jessica’s Notes
- I cook my matzo balls in a separate pot of salted boiling water as it results in a clearer soup broth. If this makes no difference to you, feel free to cook your matzo balls directly in your veggie-filled soup stock.
- Speaking of stock, for the best-tasting matzo ball soup, make your own homemade chicken stock or homemade turkey stock. If you don’t have time to make homemade stock, poaching chicken in water also works and will taste fresher than store-bought broth.
- To store and freeze leftover matzo balls: use a slotted spoon to transfer them from the pot of salted water to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You may also transfer your cooked matzo balls to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze them. Once frozen, transfer them to a large freezer-safe bag and keep them frozen until ready to reheat in your favorite vegetable or chicken soup.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
How do I make this vegetarian?
You can use a rich vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make a vegetarian version of matzo ball soup.
Schmaltz is chicken fat. Lard is pork fat, not a likely ingredient in a Jewish dish. Schmaltz is also good shmeared on rye bread.That was before they discovered colesterol.