Matzo Ball Soup – Once Upon a Chef

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Matzo ball soup, aka Jewish penicillin, is the ultimate comfort food.

This recipe comes from my dear friend Dana Kaminsky, who, according to my family, makes the best matzo ball soup. Whenever we go to Dana’s house for the Jewish holidays, the kids have matzo ball eating contests – my daughter holds the record for six, which was once cause for concern – and for every other matzo ball soup we try, the verdict is always the same: “not as good as Dana’s.”

Matzo ball soup is a two-part recipe that includes from-scratch chicken broth and matzo balls. Making the broth is a bit of a “potschke,” as my mother would say, meaning it requires some fussing. It’s not hard – you pretty much throw everything into a pot and forget it – but it needs to be completed over two days. Making the matzo balls, however, is easy. Dana’s recipe uses Streit’s Matzo Ball Mix, which may seem sacrilege, but the matzo balls are light, fluffy, and foolproof, so why reinvent the wheel?

Matzo ball soup is traditionally served as part the Passover seder, but of course you can enjoy it anytime of year. It is often referred to as “Jewish penicillin” because it always makes you feel better, whether you’re nursing a cold or just needing some comfort food. If you have two large pots, I suggest doubling the recipe and freezing some for later. You’ll be glad you did.

What you’ll need to make Matzo Ball Soup

Step-by-step Instructions

Step 1: Make the Chicken Broth

Begin by placing the chicken and vegetables in a 12-quart soup pot. Add about 6 quarts of water to fill the pot.

Bring to a gentle boil.

Boil gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes, skimming off any froth or scum as it forms.

Reduce the heat to low and add the bay leaves, parsley sprigs, celery seed, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper.

Cover and simmer 3½ hours more. Let the soup cool on the stovetop until the pot is no longer hot; then place the soup pot in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, remove the pot from the refrigerator and skim most – but not all – of the fat from the surface of the soup. Using tongs and a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and large vegetables from the soup and discard (they will be too mushy to serve). Place a fine mesh strainer over a very large bowl or soup pot, and pour the soup through the strainer to strain out all the remaining solids. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve.

Step 2: Make the Matzo Balls

Combine the oil and eggs in a large bowl, then add both bags of matzo ball mix.

Mix to combine, then let sit for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Wet your hands and gently roll the mixture into golf ball-sized balls (do not compact!).

Carefully drop the matzo balls into the boiling water.

Bring back to a boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 30 minutes. The matzo balls will increase significantly in size. The reason for cooking the matzo balls separately is that they would make the chicken broth cloudy and soak up much of the soup.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the matzo balls to a large plate or plastic container. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. (Note: if you’re making the matzo balls at the last minute, you can transfer them right from the boiling water into the chicken soup.)

Step 3: Serve the Soup

Bring the chicken broth to a simmer. Add the powdered bouillon, salt, and pepper to taste. Keep in mind that you’ll need a lot of seasoning – without enough salt, chicken soup is very bland.

Next, carefully drop the chopped carrots and matzo balls into the simmering broth. Cook until the carrots are cooked and the matzo balls are hot throughout. You’ll know everything is ready when the carrots are tender and the matzo balls float to the top.

Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with some fresh parsley or dill and serve.

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