Ultimate Matzo Ball Soup

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American, Dairy-free, Kosher

Keyword: Fall, Fleishig, Healthy, Husband-approved, Kid-friendly, Make-ahead, Meat, Nut-free, Pesach, Shabbat, Winter

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Passive Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 3 hours

Servings: People

Calories: 422kcal

Matzo Ball Soup is a Jewish classic, sometimes called Jewish penicillin. This classic chicken soup is packed with hearty flavors and fluffy matzo balls.

Print Recipe

Equipment

Soup Pot
Soup Bag or Cheesecloth

Ingredients

KNEIDLACH

4 Eggs
¼ Cups Seltzer
2 Tablespoon Oil
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ teaspoons Black Pepper
1 Cup Matzo Meal
6 Quarts Water
Extra Kosher Salt

SOUP

2 Tablespoons Oil
1 Cup diced Onion (about 1 onion)
1 Cup diced Celery (about 2 celery)
1 Cup diced Carrot (about 1 large carrot)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1.5 pounds skinless Chicken Thighs (not boneless)
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
½ teaspoon Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Turmeric
½ teaspoons Sage
½ teaspoons Basil
1 Quart Chicken Stock
4 Cups Water
2 Bay Leaves

Instructions

KNEIDLACH

Beat Eggs until very light
Add Seltzer, Oil, Kosher Salt, Black Pepper. Whisk well.
Add Matzo Meal. Whisk until combined.
Refrigerate for at least one hour, up to overnight.
Bring 6 quarts of very salty Water to a boil.
Using a cookie scoop (2 Tablespoons), create balls of the matzo mixture. Roll them tightly in your hands.
Drop the balls into the boiling water. Boil on a Medium High heat with the lid on for 30 minutes.

SOUP

In a stock pot (at least 8 qt), heat Oil on medium.
Add Onion, Celery, Carrot and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft.
Add Garlic, Kosher Salt, Black Pepper, Turmeric, Sage, Basil, Stock, Water. Stir and bring to a boil.
Place all of the Chicken into a soup bag or knot it up in cheesecloth. Add the bag of chicken to the soup. Lay Bay Leaves on top.
Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for one hour.
After one hour, pull out the bag of chicken and the two Bay Leaves. Reduce heat to low to keep warm.
Allow the chicken to cool a little before touching. Cut open the cheesecloth and with your fingers, (I like to wear gloves for this) separate the meat from the bones, and place only the meat back into the soup.
Add the cooked matzo balls and keep warm until ready to serve.

Notes

Using skinless thighs keeps the amount of oil down, but if you prefer, cool the soup in the refrigerator and then skim the oil from the surface before reheating and serving. The bones add a lot of nutrients and flavor; however, this soup can be made with cut up chicken breast instead. Soup keeps well for 6 months in the freezer or up to a week in the refrigerator.

Nutrition