Matzo Ball Soup

This classic recipe—complete with homemade chicken broth and light and fluffy matzo balls—has a few ingredients that may surprise you, but truly perfects this pinnacle comfort food. Long a symbolic dish of past hardships, matzo ball soup might be an essential component of the Passover feast and a recurring Hanukkah dish, but I personally enjoy it all year long.

When it comes to making your matzo balls, much like chicken wings, there are two divided camps: Team Floaters and Team Sinkers. Sinkers are called that because they “sink” to the bottom of the soup pot, tend to have more eggs, and are heavy and dense. On the other hand, floaters, which are the kind I use in this recipe, are puffier and lighter, and are my ideal choice for this soup. No matter your preference, this recipe is perfect for anyone wanting to improve upon the staple or a beginner trying their hand at it or the first time.

How To Make Matzo Ball Soup

INGREDIENTS

• The Broth: According to the Jewish cooking school I attended—my mother-in-law’s kitchen—great matzo ball soup starts with homemade chicken broth. Matzo balls are sponges for flavor—they soak up whatever is around them—so the time and effort you invest really pays off here. Plus, it couldn’t be easier: Throw a few roughly chopped vegetables (I like to add earthy turnips and parsnips in addition to the staple trinity of onion, carrots, and celery), a whole chicken or two, and yes, more chicken broth into a large pot and basically walk away for two hours. The herbs are also a must: Italian flat-leaf parsley has a brighter flavor than the curly kind; dill, which adds grassy, almost citrusy notes, is a prevalent ingredient in traditional Jewish cooking.
• The Matzo Balls: The matzo balls I was taught to make also have a few surprising ingredients. The first is chicken fat, known lovingly in the Jewish community as “shmaltz,” which gives the matzo balls a rich depth of flavor. It’s used in Jewish cooking the way lard is used in Southern cooking (very often), and it’s available in most supermarkets in the freezer aisle. The second ingredient is seltzer. While many recipes call for water, seltzer (the bubblier, the better) is used here as a leavening agent, making these matzo balls almost pillowy. If you don’t have seltzer on hand, water will do—but the result won’t be exactly the same.
  

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

To make this matzo ball soup truly legendary, we have to start building our foundation in the form of our ultra-savory broth. In a very large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, carrots, celery, turnip, and parsnip and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are fragrant, for about 2 minutes. Then, place the whole chicken on top of vegetables and toss so the chicken gets slightly covered in veggies and oil. Once incorporated, add the chicken broth, then pour in enough water to just cover the chicken.

Next, add the dill and parsley, and season it all with salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer. Cook, with the pot partially covered, for about 2 hours. Remove the chicken (I like to shred it for the soup or reserve for some of my favorite recipes for leftover chicken). Reserve a few pieces of carrot (we’ll slice these up and add it to the finished soup) and strain the broth into a large bowl or measuring cup; season with salt and pepper, then discard the remaining vegetables and herbs.

Now that our chicken soup base is ready, it’s time to make the all-important matzo balls. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs until whites and yolks are blended. Then add the melted chicken fat and seltzer and continue to mix well until combined. Next, add the matzo meal, seasoning the mixture with salt and pepper and mix again to combine, making sure all of the matzo meal is incorporated. Refrigerate the mixture until thoroughly chilled, which takes at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Using a medium cookie scoop (with about 3 Tbsp. capacity), scoop the matzo mixture and form into balls, smoothing their shape by rolling between slightly wet hands. It’s time for a dip! Drop the balls into the boiling water. Yes, they will sink initially, but I promise they will rise to the top as they cook.

Cook until they float, 10 to 15 minutes. Not sure if they’re quite done? You’ll notice that they’ll look dense and dark yellow in the center if they’re not 100% done.

Now it’s time to bring it all together. Add the cooked matzo balls to your soup or place into individual serving bowls and top with soup. Top your bowls with chicken (if using), the reserved carrot slices, and plenty of dill to finish things off.

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• Go meatless: If you're looking to enjoy this soup, but don't eat chicken, try our vegetarian matzo ball soup. It starts with a vegetable broth and our perfect matzo balls, then gets an upgrade with homemade everything seasoning chili oil.
• Make it happy-hour ready: Not in the mood for a big bowl of soup? Try our matzo ball shooters for a shareable version of this classic soup.
• Don’t skip the seltzer: It’s key to ensuring the matzo balls are fluffy and leavened. Whenever possible, opt for the bubbliest seltzer you can find!
  

Storage

If you have any leftovers, store the matzo balls and soup separately in airtight containers in the fridge (or freezer). The broth will stay good for around 3 to 4 days—when you’re ready to enjoy, simply boil the broth and drop your matzo balls in until heated through.

Want to freeze your matzo balls for later? After cooking them, place the matzo balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, you can transfer to a resealable plastic bag. They should keep for up to 2 weeks. To prepare, drop frozen balls into boiling broth and cook until heated through.