It’s been almost 10 years since I first shared this recipe for Matzo Ball Soup, and to this day, it’s still one of my favorite dishes for when I’m tired, achy, and in need of a warm, cozy meal. This is my take on the traditional Jewish soup, and it’s chockful of soft veggies, shredded chicken, savory chicken broth, and the fluffiest matzo balls ever (the kind that floats perfectly in your bowl!). I spent a ton of time researching this recipe when I first made it, and I’m excited to share my tips and tricks with you here.
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What Is Matzo Ball Soup?
Matzo or Matzah Ball Soup is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dish that is often served during Passover and is commonly known as ‘Jewish penicillin.’ It’s a chicken soup filled with delicious dumplings made out of matzo meal (crushed unleavened bread), eggs, chicken fat (or another fat or oil), and broth. The dumplings cook in the soup and soak up all the delicious flavor as they cook. This soup is absolutely delicious and soul-warming, and there’s just nothing in the world like it.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy matzo ball soup recipe:
- Chicken Breasts: I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but you can also use bone-in (just remove the skin before adding to the soup).
- Chicken Broth: This brings the bulk of the flavor, so I recommend using a good quality broth. I use Better Than Bouillon to make broth because it has great flavor, is quite inexpensive compared to boxed or canned broths, and keeps in the refrigerator for just about forever. And because I cook the chicken directly in the broth, it still gets infused with that great chicken flavor.
- Carrots, Celery, and Onion: These are the traditional vegetables used in chicken soup, and they add a lot of flavor to the broth. l dice mine into bite-sized pieces, so they’re still fairly chunky but are easy to eat along with the soup.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic adds a nice depth of flavor to the broth.
- Matzo Meal: This is the main ingredient in the soup dumplings. Matzo meal is made from ground-up matzo crackers and can be found in grocery stores and online. Be sure to use matzo meal, NOT matzo ball ‘mix.’
- Baking Powder: Makes the matzo balls extra light and fluffy! You can use a ‘Kosher for Passover baking powder’ if making this recipe for Passover.
- Eggs: For binding the dough and adding moisture to the dumplings. I use large eggs in this recipe.
- Vegetable or Canola Oil: Traditional matzo ball soup recipes often use chicken fat (aka schmaltz) for the dumplings, but I find vegetable or canola oil works just as well and is easier to find. Feel free to use chicken fat if you have it, though!
- Water: I add a few cups of water to the soup and add a little to the dumpling dough to help rehydrate the matzo meal.
- Fresh Dill: This herb adds a bright, fresh flavor to the soup. I don’t recommend skipping the dill, but parsley can be a good substitute if you can’t find it.
- Salt & Black Pepper: These are the only seasonings I use in this recipe. The broth should have plenty of flavor from the chicken and vegetables, so just a little seasoning is all you need.
Cost-Saving Option
When I first made this recipe all those years ago, I only used one boneless, skinless chicken breast. I’ve since upped the amount to two to make this recipe even heartier, but to save some money, you can definitely stick with just one. The soup will still have plenty of flavor; it’ll just be more brothy with fewer chicken pieces!
- Let the dough rest before adding to the soup. As you can see from the process photos below, there’s a big difference in the texture of the dough immediately after mixing and then after letting it rest. I let the dough rest in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up and rehydrate, which makes it easier to form into balls and stops them from falling apart in the soup.
- Wet your hands. If the dough is a little sticky, I recommend wetting your hands to help form the dough into balls. This will prevent it from sticking to your hands and make it easier to work with.
- Roll the dough into ping-pong-sized balls. They’ll expand and become bigger as they cook, so you don’t want to start with a dough ball that is too large. I usually get about 15 matzo balls from this recipe, but it’ll depend on how big or small you make them.
- Cook the matzo balls separately for a clearer broth. This is totally optional and not something I personally do. However, I’ve seen a few recipes where the dumplings are cooked in a separate pot of chicken broth before being added to the soup before serving. Doing this creates a clearer broth in the soup and could be a good option when prepping this recipe ahead of time. BUT it also means making an extra pot of chicken broth (which will up the overall cost of the recipe) and adds extra steps. It’s up to you if you want to take this approach!
- Make the dough ahead of time! You can make the matzo ball dough ahead of time and store it in the fridge overnight before forming into balls and cooking.
Storage and Reheating
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I usually store everything together in one container, but you can also separate the matzo balls from the soup and store them separately to stop them from soaking up too much broth. To reheat, use the microwave or gently simmer the soup on the stove until heated through. You can also freeze the soup and dumplings (separately) for up to 3 months. Just be sure to defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
A Beginner-Friendly Recipe!
This recipe is my take on chicken matzo ball soup. It’s a simplified, short-cut version that I’ve developed based on different recipes I’ve come across, tutorials I’ve watched, and myth-busters I’ve read. It’s certainly not authentic, but it’s delicious and perfect for anyone looking for a comforting, easy-to-make recipe, even if it’s your first time making it!
However, I highly recommend checking out some authentic recipes before you give my one a go to see what it’s really all about. The Jewish Food Society and Chabad both have great options.
Matzo Ball Soup Recipe
This is an easy, short-cut version of Matzo Ball Soup, a warm and comforting Jewish Soup served during Passover.
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Soup
- 1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil ($0.04)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.40)
- 3 carrots ($0.75)
- 3 stalks celery ($0.56)
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.25 lb.)* ($6.25)
- 6 cups chicken broth** ($1.02)
- 2 cups water ($0.00)
- Freshly cracked pepper ($0.01)
- Few sprigs fresh dill ($0.65)
Matzo Balls
- 3 large eggs ($0.75)
- 3 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil ($0.12)
- 3/4 cup matzo meal ($1.02)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder ($0.04)
- Freshly cracked pepper ($0.01)
- 3 Tbsp water ($0.00)
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Mince the garlic and dice the onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté the garlic, onion, celery, and carrots with the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat until the onions are soft and transparent (about five minutes).
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Add the chicken breast, chicken broth, 2 cups water, some freshly cracked pepper, and one or two sprigs of dill to the pot. Place a lid on the pot and let it come up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
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While the soup is simmering, mix the matzo ball dough. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and vegetable oil. Add the matzo meal, salt, baking powder, and a little freshly cracked pepper to the eggs and oil. Stir until well combined. Finally, add 3 Tbsp water and stir until smooth again. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to allow the matzo meal time to absorb the moisture.
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After the chicken soup has simmered, carefully remove the chicken breast and shred it with a fork. Return the shredded chicken to the soup. Taste the broth and adjust the salt if needed.
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Once the dumpling mix has refrigerated and stiffened up, begin to form it into ping pong sized balls. Drop the balls into the simmering soup as they are formed, returning the lid to the pot after each one. Once all the dumplings are in the soup, let them simmer for 20 minutes without removing the lid. Make sure the soup is gently simmering the entire time.
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Add a couple sprigs of fresh dill just before serving.
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**I use Better Than Bouillon to make inexpensive broth in the exact quantity that I need.
Serving: 1servingCalories: 394kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 32gFat: 18gSodium: 1761mgFiber: 2g
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How to Make Matzo Ball Soup – Step by Step Photos
Mince 2 cloves garlic and dice 1 yellow onion, 3 carrots, and 3 stalks celery. Gather the rest of your ingredients.
Sauté the prepared garlic, onion, carrots, and celery with 1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil in a large pot over medium heat until the onions are soft and transparent (about five minutes).
Once the onions are soft, add 2 chicken breasts. Add 6 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of water (or all chicken broth, if you prefer).
Also, add a couple of sprigs of dill and a little freshly cracked pepper. Place a lid on the pot, let it come up to a boil, then turn the heat down to low. Let the soup simmer for 30 minutes, while you make the dumplings.
While the soup is simmering, mix the matzo ball dough. Add 3 large eggs and 3 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil to a bowl. Whisk until smooth.
Add 3/4 cup matzo meal, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, a little freshly cracked pepper, and 3 Tbsp of water to the bowl. Stir until smooth.
Let the mix refrigerate for 30 minutes so the matzo has time to absorb water and plump up.
Once the soup has simmered for about 30 minutes, remove the chicken breast and use two forks to shred it. Return the shredded chicken to the soup. Taste the broth and adjust the salt if needed.
After the matzo ball mix has chilled for 30 minutes, it should be more stiff and dry.
Start forming the dough into small balls, about the size of ping pong balls. Keep in mind that they’ll puff up a little as they cook. I usually get about 15 balls out of my mix.
Drop the balls into the simmering soup one by one as you form them, making sure to return the lid after each one (to keep the broth simmering). Once all the dumplings are in the broth, let them simmer for about 20 minutes. Make sure the broth is simmering the whole time and don’t remove the lid.
Once the dumplings are puffed and cooked through, add a few more sprigs of fresh dill, then serve!
Mmmm, so warm and delicious! You can’t go wrong with chicken and dumplings—in any form!
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