Looking for more yummy soups? I recommend Lentil Soup, Roasted Cauliflower Soup, Chicken and Dumplings, and Potato Leek Soup.
Why I love this recipe:
The Real Deal – if you want really traditional, amazing matzo ball soup, start with a whole raw chicken, cooked to make the broth for the soup. It’s an easy step that makes all the difference in flavor. (If you have to use store-bought chicken broth as a short-cut, I have those instructions too). Cold-Buster – it’s the most comforting soup on a chilly night, and some people say the broth can cure any cold! Matzo Balls are so easy to make from scratch and are the star of this soup.
How to make Matzo Ball Soup:
Make Broth: Add chicken to a large stock pot with celery, onion, carrot, bay leaf, parsley, peppercorns, and salt. Cover ingredients with about 3.5 quarts (14 cups) cold water. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium low and cook, uncovered, for about 2 hours. Skim off foam that rises to the surface. Remove chicken pieces to a large bowl and set aside until cool enough to handle and remove the meat from the bones. Strain stock through a fine sieve strainer, discarding all vegetables and seasonings so you are only left with the stock. (You want at least 10 cups of broth, so if the broth reduced more than that, add additional water + bouillon, to the soup). If time permits, refrigerate stock for a few hours or overnight, so you can skim off any fat (schmaltz) to use to make the matzo balls. Flavor: Return broth to a pot and add carrots and celery. Taste the broth and season broth with chicken bouillon base, salt and pepper, to taste, as needed to make a flavorful broth. Make Matzo Balls: In a medium mixing bowl mix eggs and schmaltz (chicken fat) (or oil or melted butter) together with a fork. Add Matzo Meal, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder and mix until combined. Mix in seltzer water (or broth or water) until well combined. Cover bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to overnight. Form Matzo Balls: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop matzo mixture into 15 golf-ball sized portions–about 1 1/2-tablespoon size–and gently, loosely roll into balls. Place on baking sheet. (Tip: wet hands will help keep the batter from sticking to them). Cook Matzo Balls: Heat a large pot of boiling water. Drop matzo balls into boiling water, cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 30 minutes, flipping balls once or twice during cooking. Finish and Serve: When matzo balls are halfway through cooking, start warming the chicken broth. Add cooked matzo balls to the hot broth, along with cooked chicken. Ladle chicken matzo ball soup into bowls and garnish with fresh dill and cracked black pepper.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: I recommend making matzo ball soup over the course of 2 days. Day 1: make the broth and the matzo ball dough. Day 2: cook matzo balls and finish soup. To Freeze: Freeze soup broth (without matzo balls) in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months. To freeze matzo balls (cooked or uncooked) but them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet and “flash freeze” for 1 hour. Then place them in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Matzo balls can be added to soup and simmered until cooked/warmed without the need to be thawed. This post contains affiliate links.
