Passover dinner would not be the same without a bowl of this light, brothy matzo ball soup.
Options for a Heartier Matzo Ball Soup
If you want to make a heartier bowl of soup, you can add chicken meat. Just poach some chicken breasts or tenders in the chicken broth until cooked through, and then shred or cut them into bite-sized pieces before adding the meat back to the soup. If you’re making your chicken stock from scratch, you could also poach some chicken breasts or thighs along with the bones and add them to your soup before serving. Once Passover is over and you no longer need to observe the dietary laws of the holiday, think about adding some noodles or kreplach (a.k.a. meat-filled dumplings) for a really deluxe bowl!
Tips for Perfect Matzo Balls
Chill the matzo mixture for at least two hours before shaping the matzo balls (or up to a day ahead). This gives the matzo meal plenty of time to absorb the liquid and results in matzo balls with better texture and that don’t fall apart during cooking.Keep the pot covered while cooking the matzo balls! This helps them cook more quickly and evenly.When done, the matzo balls should all be floating on the top of the water and will have doubled in size.
Making Your Matzo Balls Float
One last note about making the matzo balls: Dense matzo balls are “sinkers.” They stay on the bottom of the pot. Proper matzo balls (a.k.a. “floaters”) should bob to the surface of the pot while they’re cooking. Note that the matzo balls won’t be fully cooked when they first float—they’ll still need a full 40 minutes of cooking time—but floating matzo balls are a good indication you didn’t mess up your matzo balls!
Can You Free Matzo Balls?
The texture may not be be quite as perfectly fluffy, but yes, you can freeze matzo balls! Cook them first, then let them fully cool and blot them dry. Freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet, transfer to a ziplock bag or freezer container, and freeze for up to a month. Reheat matzo balls from frozen by gently simmering in chicken stock or broth until warmed through.
More Great Passover Recipes!
Charoset with Apples, Dates, and Walnuts Chocolate and Hazelnut Matzo Toffee Deviled Eggs with Horseradish and Dill Instant Pot Beef Brisket Matzo Brei
2 large eggs 2 tablespoons schmaltz (chicken fat), melted, or any neutral-flavored oil 2 tablespoons water 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup matzo meal
For the soup:
6 cups chicken stock, homemade or store-bought 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced thinly (about 1/8-inch thick) 2 inner ribs of celery, peeled and sliced thinly (about 1/8-inch thick)
To serve:
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or dill Freshly ground black pepper
Use your hands to roll the matzo ball mixture into approximately 1-inch balls. As you finish rolling each ball, gently drop it into the simmering water. When all of the matzo balls are in the water, immediately cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let the matzo balls simmer, covered, for 40 minutes, until they have floated to the top and roughly doubled in size. Avoid uncovering the pot while the matzo balls are cooking (a covered pot helps the matzo balls cook more evenly and quickly). Simmer the vegetables in the broth until they’re tender, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep the broth covered so it stays hot while the matzo balls finish cooking.
