Chicken and Matzo Ball Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is matzo ball soup made of? ›

This matzo ball soup is a very simple comfort food dish, made of chicken stock, sliced carrots, fresh parsley or dill, and, of course, matzo balls.

You can't overcook a matzo ball. It's not possible. But you can absolutely under cook one. So if you need to leave it in longer, that's OK.

Add some chopped cooked chicken, loads of chopped parsley, simmer a bit more and season. Add some veggies like onions, celery, and carrots to give it a heartier flavor. And don't forget herbs like thyme and bay leaves for an extra kick!

Add to that the benefits of vitamins A, C, and D in the broth, the anti-inflammatory properties of the soup vegetables, and a boost of energy from the carbohydrates in the matzo balls, and you've got a recipe for feeling better!

Poaching in chicken broth instead of water produces the most flavor-packed matzo balls; using a separate broth for poaching and serving ensures a serving broth that isn't cloudy.

MATZAH BALL HINTS:

* Unless otherwise stated, cover the matzah balls as they simmer. DON'T PEEK! Somehow, peeking causes the matzah balls to fall. * Add some of your favorite herbs or spices to any of these recipes.

Get schmaltzy: Schmaltz, or rendered chicken fat, is like gold. And you deserve nothing but the best. The flavor and texture that schmaltz gives a matzo ball is nothing that vegetable oil can really compare to, which is why if you can get it (or make it!), use the good stuff.

Vinegar – A spoonful of vinegar is a quick fix when you find yourself with a bowl of dull, flat-tasting soup. Just a small amount of acid will brighten up the flavors. 2. Soy Sauce – Soy sauce is another item that's ideal for brightening up and adding depth of flavor to an otherwise dull soup.

Aside from the match-made-in-heaven, the real reason you should be adding lemon to chicken soup is because of its acidic properties. If you look at almost any soup recipe (or most recipes in general), you'll find they all have something in common: some type of acidic ingredient whether it's citrus, vinegar, or tomato.

How do you fix tasteless chicken soup? ›

Woody herbs like rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, tarragon, and marjoram release tons of flavor as they slowly simmer in stock. Give them a rinse and toss in a big handful of sprigs per quart of store-bought stock.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

But adding salt and other spices early in the cooking process allows their flavors to blend into the entire soup—and adding salt to veggies right away actually pulls out more flavor from them. These are the essential seasonings every cook should have.

Matzo is itself typically made of wheat flour mixed with some water, and salt and sometimes olive oil for flavor. It's rolled very thinly and baked quickly at a high temperature. Talmudic tradition dictates that matzo should be completed in under 18 minutes, from mixing the dough to fully baked.

According to Jewish law, there are five grains that may be used for making matzo: wheat, barley, spelt, rye, or oat. The most common variety is made with wheat flour. In recent years, manufacturers have also begun making gluten-free matzo using potato starch and other non-traditional flours.

Traditionally, matzo ball soup was a Passover meal, consumed in remembrance of the unleavened bread that Jews ate when they were fleeing Egypt. During Passover, Jewish people would buy Matzo bread from their local bakery and use day-old leftover crumbs to make the balls.

Dense matzo balls taste more of the matzo itself (and also schmaltz—rendered chicken fat—if you've used it). Light matzo balls have more air pockets, and are therefore able to absorb more broth, which means they will taste more of the broth.