Matzo Ball Soup Recipes From Classic to Vegetarian

With Passover season in the air, it’s time to start looking for some ways that you can celebrate at home. One major thing you and your family can do is make some home-cooked meals. And what better meal to have than Matzo Ball soup?

This article contains a collection of three different preparations for Matzo Ball soups from three different chefs. Whether you’re wanting the recipe for a classic soup or looking for a more vegetarian meal, this article has got you covered.

See also: 3 Next-Level Passover Recipes from Celeb Chefs to Spice Up Your Seder

Classic Matzo Ball Soup

Andrew Zimmern is an American chef and restaurateur well-known for his television and radio personality. On his YouTube channel, Andrew creates a step-by-step video on how to create a classic Matzo Ball Soup. Below are the ingredients he used and the directions on how to create it.

Ingredients:

Matzo Balls

• 5 large eggs, 3 separated
• ¼ tsp of cream of tartar
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp of onion powder
• ½ tsp of baking soda
• ½ tsp of baking powder
• 2½ tsp of kosher salt
• Pepper
• ¼ cup of melted chicken fat (schmaltz)
• ¼ cup of minced onion
• 1¼ cups of matzo meal

Make Soup

• 2 quarts chicken stock
• One 3-pound chicken
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, thinly sliced
• 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• ⅓ pound rutabaga, peeled and diced
• 4 large parsley sprigs, plus more for garnish
• 4 large dill sprigs, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, for forming the matzoh balls

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, beat the 3 egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the garlic powder, onion powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, 3 egg yolks, 2 whole eggs and pepper. Whisk to incorporate. Add the schmaltz, minced onion, beaten egg whites and matzoh meal. Fold together until fully combined. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the batter and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
3. In a large pot, bring the chicken stock to a simmer. Add the whole chicken, and return the stock to a simmer. Cover and cook for about an hour, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and let cool slightly, then shred the meat. Discard the skin and bones. Reserve half of the chicken meat for another use.
4. Strain the soup into another pot set over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, rutabaga, chicken meat, parsley and dill sprigs. Remove the matzoh ball batter from the fridge. Using the vegetable oil to keep your hands moist and prevent the batter from sticking, roll golf-ball sized matzoh balls and gently place in the soup. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 25 minutes.
5. Serve, garnishing with chopped dill and parsley.

Turkey Matzo Ball Soup

With 4.18 million subscribers on YouTube, Food Wishes offers you an easy and delicious way to make turkey Matzo Ball Soup. This recipe makes eight Matzo Balls.

Ingredients:

Turkey Broth

• 3 to 4 pounds of roasted turkey bones and meat scraps (use everything you have, the fattier the pieces the better)
• At least 2 quarts of water or chicken broth, or enough to cover
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery

Matzo Balls

• 2 large beaten eggs
• 2 tablespoons of rendered melted turkey fat
• 1 teaspoon of fine salt
• ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• A pinch of cayenne
• 2 tablespoons of seltzer or club soda
• ½ cup of matzo meal

Soup

• 2 tablespoons of rendered melted turkey fat
• 1 cup of diced onion
• ½ cup of diced carrot
• ½ cup of diced celery
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 6 cups of very rich turkey or chicken broth (see recipe above)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon of chopped dill
• 8 cooked matzo balls

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients from the turkey broth recipe, and simmer on low for 3 hours or until all the meat falls off the bones and it’s flavorless.
2. Skim and reserve at least 4 tbsp of the melted fat that rises to the top.
3. Strain, and you should have about 6 cups of broth. If you have more, reduce down to 6 cups (do not season with salt until reduced). If you didn’t get quite 6 cups, just add some chicken broth to make up the difference.
4. Mix all of the ingredients for the Matzo Balls and chill for at least 30 minutes.
5. Boil the balls in salted water (1½ quarts water with 1½ tbsp salt) for 30 minutes and serve with turkey broth.
6. Combine with the soup and enjoy!

Vegetarian Matzo Ball Soup

If you’re looking for a meatless Matzo Ball meal, Martha Stewart has got you covered. She has created a vegetarian Matzo Ball soup for those who want to create their own vegetarian version of this delicious soup.

Ingredients:

Matzo Balls

• 4 large eggs
• ¼ cup of vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon of coarse salt
• A pinch of freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup of matzo meal
• ½ cup of seltzer

Soup

• 2 teaspoons of olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 cup of peeled, chopped sweet potatoes
• 1 cup of peeled, chopped parsnips
• One 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 8 cups of water (or homemade or store-bought, low-sodium vegetable broth)
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• ½ cup of minced fresh dill
• Coarse salt and freshly ground peppers

Directions:

Matzo Balls

1. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, salt and pepper until well combined.
2. Add matzo meal and seltzer; mix to combine.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Soup

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion, celery, carrot, sweet potato, parsnips, ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
3. Add water or broth, bay leaves and thyme. Reduce heat and let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. Do not let liquid come to a boil. Remove from heat; strain and discard solids. Add dill and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm until ready to serve.
4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Line a baking sheet with wax paper and set aside
5. Moisten hands with water and, using your hands, form matzo batter into about 1½-inch balls. At this point, matzo balls can be transferred to freezer until frozen and then transferred to airtight containers and kept frozen for up to 1 month. Frozen matzo balls can be added directly to boiling water.
6. Place matzo balls in boiling water; cover and cook until light and fluffy, about 20 minutes. Carefully transfer matzo balls to warm soup; serve immediately.

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