Matzo ball soup is a Jewish classic, usually enjoyed during Passover. It takes only 5 ingredients and is much easier to make than you think. Plus, I'm sharing how to make the matzo balls either fluffy or dense, depending on your preference!
Why this Recipe Works
The matzo balls are cooked in water instead of stock. Different broths and stock have different ingredients in them. This changes the density of the liquid, which changes the cooking time. Cooking in water produces a consistent matzo ball.
I love a fluffy matzo ball, and this recipe delivers. I add sparkling water or seltzer to produce a fluffy matzo ball.
You can use your favorite, preferably homemade, stock, bone broth, or soup. I use homemade bone broth, but you can use whatever you have in the freezer or even bouillon.
Ingredients
duck fat - melted. Schmaltz (chicken fat) is the traditional ingredient, and you can substitute it with vegetable oil. I've never made it with coconut oil, but have heard that it works, too. Just make sure to melt it first.
sparkling water - or seltzer. Aerates the matzo balls and makes them light and fluffy. If it isn't Passover, you can use baking powder, instead.
matzo meal - basically ground up matzah. If you can't find matzo meal, you can break up matzah and place it in a food processor. Pulse until it's evenly ground.
Soup Base Variations & Garnishes
You can customize matzo balls by adding vegetables to the broth, switching up the soup base, and adding many garnishes. You can even add some flavoring to the matzo balls themselves if that is your preference, though it isn't mine.
Soup Base Variations
- Homemade Bone Broth - what I use most often, and usually have in the freezer.
- Dashi - a Japanese broth made from kombu seaweed. I use a version made with bonito.
- Miso - a simple, easy way to add flavor. You can add in scallions and ginger, too. Please note that miso is not kosher for Passover.
- Tea - Hear me out! I love adding Genmaicha tea to a plain bone broth. It adds a nutty, earthy flavor that is fantastic. See the photo below.
- Ab Goosht - Persian "meat water" made by adding salted meat, onions, spices, and dried limes to water and simmering over low heat. I'm working on a recipe for the blog and will share soon.
Garnish Ideas
- Fresh herbs like dill or cilantro
- Freshly grated ginger and scallions
- Chili oil
- Chopped roasted or steamed vegetables
Fluffy or Dense? You Choose.
I'm team fluffy, but I know that's not everyone's cup of tea. Choosing one versus the other is simple: If you want dense matzo balls that sink, leave out the sparkling water. If you want the fluffy ones that float, add the sparkling water.
You can take the fluffy ones a step further by folding in beaten egg whites. I just don't usually have the ambition to go this far.
How to Make this Recipe
Whisk the 4 eggs with ¼ cup duck fat, schmaltz, or vegetable oil in a medium bowl. Add 1 cup of matzo meal, ¼ cup sparkling water or seltzer, and season with salt. Mix with a fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed.
In the meantime, bring a pot of water to boil in a large pot. (Not the stock/broth.) With wet hands, roll the mixture into ping-pong sized balls, approximately 1.5 inches in diameter and drop them into the boiling water.
Lower to a simmer, and simmer covered for 20 minutes. It's ok to peek, but do not cook them uncovered.
In the meantime, heat your stock/broth. Serve the strained matzo balls in the heated stock/broth.
Matzo Ball Soup FAQs
Strain the matzo balls from the boiling water, let them cool to room temperature, and keep them in a sealable container in the refrigerator.
If you want the fluffy ones that float, add the sparkling water or seltzer. When it isn't Passover, you can also use baking powder. If you want dense matzo balls that sink, leave out the sparkling water.
The soup takes like chicken noodle soup. Matzo balls are dumplings that often don't have much flavor, like a saltine or pasta. Most of the flavor comes from the soup base and the shmaltz or fat that is added to the matzo balls.
More Jewish Recipes for Passover
It's that time of year that we are looking for kosher for Passover recipes. Here are some of my favorites:
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Matzo Ball Soup
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup matzo meal
- ¼ cup duck fat schmaltz, or vegetable oil
- salt I use ½ teaspoon sea salt, but season to your taste.
- ¼ cup sparkling water or seltzer
- 4 cups stock/broth
Instructions
- Whisk the 4 eggs with ¼ cup duck fat, schmaltz, or vegetable oil in a medium bowl.
- Add 1 cup of matzo meal and ¼ cup sparkling water or seltzer, and season with salt. Mix with a fork. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed.
- Bring a pot of water to boil in a large pot. (Not the stock/broth.)
- With wet hands, roll the mixture into ping-pong sized balls, approximately 1.5 inches in diameter and drop them into the boiling water.
- Lower to a simmer, and simmer covered for 20 minutes. It's ok to peek, but do not cook them uncovered.
- In the meantime, heat your stock/broth.
Notes
- Homemade Bone Broth - what I use most often, and usually have in the freezer.
- Dashi - a Japanese broth made from kombu seaweed. I use a version made with bonito.
- Miso - a simple, easy way to add flavor. You can add in scallions and ginger, too. Please note that miso is not kosher for Passover.
- Tea - Hear me out! I love adding Genmaicha tea to a plain bone broth. It adds a nutty, earthy flavor that is fantastic. See the photo below.
- Ab Goosht - Persian "meat water" made by adding salted meat, onions, spices, and dried limes to water and simmering over low heat. I'm working on a recipe for the blog and will share soon.
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