Classic Matzo Ball Soup (Jewish Penicillin)

The only matzo ball soup recipe you’ll ever need, each bowl is brimming with deep chicken flavor and light, fluffy matzo balls. 

I am so excited to share my Aunt Patsy’s famous Matzo Ball Soup recipe! While every Passover my family gets together for an enjoyable seder, I can’t say we aren’t distracted by the thoughts of dinner. What can I say, we’re a family that loves food! Matzo ball soup…the pièce de résistance! Light, fluffy matzo balls floating in rich, velvety, almost silky chicken stock. There’s a reason they call it Jewish penicillin – this soup cures all, and doesn’t have to be eaten just at Passover.

Ingredients

• Chicken stock: I like to make homemade, its super easy and you can make it in bulk and store it for later. But store bought chicken stock will also work nicely!
• Matzo ball mix: My go to is Manischewitz, but your local grocery store might carry a different brand.
• Eggs: Used as a binder for the matzo balls.
• Chicken fat: Also known as schmaltz, it’s a common ingredient in Jewish cooking and adds rich, delicious flavor.

How To Make Matzo Ball Soup

Start your matzo ball soup by making your chicken stock. You can also use store bought, but making it from scratch adds an extra punch of flavor.

In a large stock pot, add your cut carrots and celery.

Then add a whole chicken, and cover with water.

And add the cut onion and garlic.

Then add fresh parsley and thyme sprigs to the pot.

Pour in the chicken base.

And finish with some salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about an hour, or until the chicken is fully cooked.

Refrigerate so the fat all gathers at the top and you can easily skim it off. Then reheat and strain into another large pot so you’re left with just the broth. You can keep the chicken to add back into the soup or shred it to use in other dishes.

To make the matzo balls, crack your eggs into a medium sized bowl and whisk them together.

Then add the oil or schmaltz.

Then add the matzo ball mix.

Mix together until ingredients combine to make a dough.

Once dough is formed, use a tablespoon and your hands to form little dough balls.

Add the balls one by one to the hot pot, leaving plenty of room for the balls to expand.

Let cook until the matzo balls have doubled in size.

Ladle some hot chicken broth into your bowls, and add a couple matzo balls to each. Serve garnished with chives or parsley, maybe adding some shredded chicken, and enjoy your Matzo Ball Soup!

Frequently asked questions:

More Family Recipes

• Shabbat Challah Bread
• Classic Hummus with Toasted Pine Nuts
• Garlicky Greens with Caramelized Onions
• Meat Stuffed Grape Leaves

Passover Recipes

• Charoset (Apple and Walnut Salad)
• Easy Hard Boiled Eggs
• Beef Brisket
• Syrian Salad
• Za’atar Roasted Carrots and Green Beans

Eat It, Like It, Share It!

Did you try this soup? The next time you make it, snap a picture and share it to your socials! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your meal.

Whether you’re celebrating Passover or simply can’t resist a comforting bowl of matzo ball soup, I urge you to try my family recipe. Let me know how it goes in a comment below!

Your spoon is waiting.

Classic Matzo Ball Soup (Jewish penicillin)

4.59 stars average

The only matzo ball soup recipe you’ll ever need, each bowl is brimming with deep chicken flavor and light, fluffy matzo balls.

PREP: 1 hr

COOK: 2 hrs

TOTAL: 3 hrs

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Servings: 8

Ingredients

 

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Chicken Stock

• ▢ 1 whole chicken 4-5 pounds
• ▢ 2 carrots (peeled and cut in thirds)
• ▢ 5 celery ribs and leaves (cut in thirds)
• ▢ 6 cloves garlic (smashed whole skin removed)
• ▢ 1 large yellow onion (quartered outer layer removed)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon chicken base (dissolved in 1/2 cup boiling water)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 10 tablespoon parsley sprigs (1 dried parsley)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)

Matzo Balls

• ▢ 1 box Manischewitz Matzo Ball Mix
• ▢ 4 large eggs
• ▢ ¼ cup oil or chicken fat (schmaltz)
• ▢ fresh or dried chives (optional garnish)

Instructions

 

Preparing the Chicken Stock:

• Place all of the chicken stock ingredients (whole chicken through thyme) in a large stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil the reduce heat to a simmer.
• Remove lid and let the stock simmer on low until the chicken falls off the bones – about one hour.
• Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly with more salt, pepper or herbs to taste.
• Remove from heat and let cool. Refrigerate stock overnight so that you can easily scape off the fat from the chilled soup in the morning. In the morning, scrape off fat layer from the top while soup is still cold.
• Reheat stock over medium heat until warmed through. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.
• To strain, place a large mesh colander over another large stockpot and strain stock.

Prepare Matzo Balls:

• Prepare according to package instructions, usually mixing the matzo ball mix, eggs, and oil into a dough.
• Take about a tablespoons worth of dough and roll into a ball. The key to fluffy, perfect balls is to cook them in a wide, deep soup pan so that the balls have space to expand. It doesn't need to be as deep as it needs to be wide.

To Serve:

• Ladle hot chicken broth into a bowl and add one or two matzo balls. Sprinkle with chives to serve. If you kept the chicken meat from making the stock, you can add that to the soup as well.

Notes

To save time, you can use a high quality canned chicken stock instead of making your own.

My aunt discards the chicken from the stock-making process because she feels it’s quite flavorless and cooked through at that point but you’re welcome to reserve the meat and add to the soup later.

For gluten free, look for the Gluten Free Matzo Ball Mix.

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Nutrition

Calories: 325kcalCarbohydrates: 29.3gProtein: 16.4gFat: 14.8gSaturated Fat: 2.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 12.3gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 1504mgFiber: 1.1gSugar: 7.6g

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