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:
Where can I find chicken fat (schmaltz)?
You can find it at most butcher shops or at your grocery store’s butcher counter. Alternatively, you can make it yourself by roasting chicken skin in the oven until crispy and saving the reserved fat (schmaltz.)
What is the significance of matzo ball soup?
In the Passover meal, matzo represents the unleavened bread that the Jewish people ate while fleeing Egypt.
How do you store leftover matzo ball soup?
Keeping the matzo balls and chicken stock separate, store them in the fridge in air-tight containers for 4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave when ready to eat it again.
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)
Ingredients
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.
This Matzo Ball Soup recipe is a comforting classic. Perfectly seasoned and delicious!
hope you all had a lovely passover, this year my Brother in law and nieces joined us after my sister passed away in January this year. So that made it more special. My mother in law always brings her matza ball soup as hers is light and fluffy where as mine are always like bombs! Hopefully your recipe will help! Thank you xoxo
SomethingAboutCupcakes
That’s so wonderful Beverley!! Too funny about yours always being like bombs.. I’m sure they aren’t that bad. :)
Are the matzo balls cooked separately from the chicken broth? If so, are they prepared in some type of seasoned broth and then added to the prepared broth?
Thank you — Joann
No they are cooked in the broth!
Liz, this looks so good and I’m glad to have come across a Matzo ball soup recipe- I fell in love with it when I ate it at a restaurant/deli in New York!
Let me know if you try it!!
I’ve never tried matzo ball anything before! But this soup does look and sound very delicious – you definitely have inspired me to make the recipe.
Oh I hope you try it!! It’s comfort food for the soul!
What brand do you consider a high quality chicken stock?
Smart Chicken is my favorite!
There is nothing more magical than matzo ball soup!! I live for my grandmother’s, too. Floaters or sinkers, they are delicious either way!! YUM!
haha so funny I was just learning from Bree Hester that some families love sinkers!!
I have zero clue as to why I have been scared to make a matzo ball soup! This looks amazing and so delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Dude. You MUST make it some time!!!
Micah and Jacob were twins on Easter! I love the pics so much. I really love matzo ball soup, it’s what I crave when I’m not feeling well actually. I have never made it at home but instead get it from a chain Jewish deli nearby…lol. I need to make this for my in laws! They would love it (and me!!!)
I meant to text you that!!!!! I love that so much!!! Twinners!!!
Gorgeous pictures! This soup looks amazing!
Thank you my friend!!
I have always wanted to make matzo ball soup … now I can. Thank you got sharing! Your family is adorable!
Awww thank you so much Emily!!
I love heirloom family recipes. So cool that now you have the recipe. This one is very similar to my family recipe too!
Yes totally!! I do too. :)
Yummy!! That sounds oh so good!! I’ve never ate Matzo Balls before! Are they like dumplings?
Yes very similar to dumplings but they are very light and fluffy – almost melt in your mouth!
Squeal!!!!! SO excited about this one!!!!! Every time I visit my grandparents in Ohio we go visit my favorite Jewish Deli and get a giant bowl of matzo ball soup!! Love.
No way!!! That’s so cool!! I hope you love this Tina!! Please tag me on Instagram if you make it – I know your little girl will love the matzo balls!!
This recipe really takes me back – I haven’t had matzo ball soup since I was a child. My mother used to make it occasionally for my Jewish father and I remember liking it, though I would not describe her matzo balls as fluffy. I remember them being rather dense, but the flavor was wonderful. At some point I’ll have to try this recipe. Thanks for posting it and ‘for the memories’…
These are very fluffy and light. They almost melt in your mouth. I hope you try it!! Glad you enjoyed the post. :)
I have always wanted to try my hand at matzo ball soup, but haven’t taken the plunge. Thank you, Aunt P, for your recipe. It’s time I take a shot at it!
You can totally handle this Dara!! It’s definitely not difficult just takes a little labor of love. Totally worth it though!! Do it for your boys! :)
I ate my weight in matzo ball soup (and chopped chicken liver – my mom’s famous recipe that will bring you to your knees!) Saturday night. It’s my sister’s recipe…one of these days I’ll need to make hers and your Aunt Patsy’s and battle it out for the title!
Oh my gosh I’d love to try your mom’s chopped liver!!! I wish we were celebrating together!!! And by celebrating I mean having a matzo ball eating contest.
Thank you thank you for posting this recipe!
I am not Jewish, but grew up in Florida where I had many Jewish friends and learned to adore traditional Jewish food! Since moving to NC, I don’t have easy access to those foods and miss them dearly, I can’t wait to make this!
I made your Challah bread recently and it was so wonderful!
Yes!! Everyone loves matzo ball soup! In fact, Aunt Patsy isn’t Jewish either – she’s on my mom’s side, not the Jewish side of my family. :) I hope you love this!!