Matzo ball soup is the epitome of comfort food: a savory chicken soup made with a whole chicken and tons of veggies, and matzo balls as the vessels to soak up all that goodness.
We have been attending Passover seders at my grandma Nana’s house for as long as I can remember. My aunt, a truly incredible cook, as done most of the cooking in recent years. But the recipe for matzo ball soup has always been Nana’s. It is one of the dishes that defined my childhood; a rich, comforting broth with perfectly fluffy matzo balls. And even with all the incredibly tasty dishes on our Passover table, matzo ball soup remains my all-time favorite.
THE (ABRIDGED) STORY OF PASSOVER
Passover is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. In it, Moses is told by God to demand freedom for his people. When the Pharaoh refuses, God sends ten plagues onto the people of Egypt. The last of these is the death of the first born son of every family. The Jews, however, are told by God to paint their doors with the blood of a sacrificed lamb. This allows their households to be “passed over,” by God, sparing their sons.
When finally the Pharaoh grants their freedom, the Jews only have a short time to pack their things and flee Egypt. They had planned on bringing bread for their journey (which would ultimately take 40 years), but there was no time for the bread to rise. This is why we eat matzo and only unleavened bread for the eight days of Passover.
THE PERFECT MATZO BALL SOUP
For those who don’t know, matzo balls are made with a ground up form of matzo (the unleavened bread eaten on Passover). Nana always goes the simple route for her matzo balls; she just uses the pre-packaged mix. You can certainly try your hand at making homemade matzo balls. But the pre-packaged mix is essentially the same as one you’d make homemade, and the matzo balls come out perfectly light and fluffy. And anyway, the true star of this matzo ball soup is the chicken broth. It is rich and savory, made with whole bone-in chicken pieces, carrots, celery, leeks, parsnips, onion, garlic and herbs.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR THE PERFECT MATZO BALL SOUP
- DON’T SKIP ANY OF THE HERBS OR VEGGIES TO MAKE THE BROTH!
This base of matzo ball soup is a homemade chicken stock, and you want to impart as much flavor into it as possible. Carrots, celery, onion, leeks, parsnips, garlic, parsley and dill (my favorite!) are all essential to making the broth rich and flavorful.
- CHILL YOUR MATZO BALL MIX BEFORE FORMING THE MATZO BALLS
This is a step you’ll see on the pre-packaged mix, if you’re using it. Make sure you don’t skip this. Chilling will ensure your matzo balls don’t fall apart when you cook them.
- COOK THE MATZO BALLS INSIDE THE SOUP, OR A SEPARATE POT OF SALTED BOILING WATER
The matzo balls can be cooked right in the chicken broth for ease and added flavor. But you can also boil the matzo balls separately, which will ensure your broth doesn’t get cloudy.
- DISCARD MOST OF THE VEGGIES BEFORE SERVING YOUR SOUP
This one is optional. In Nana’s recipe, she discards all the veggies except the carrots and celery. Cut these up and add these back to the soup For a heartier, more veggie forward soup, feel free to do the same with the parsnips and leeks.
- RESERVE THE CHICKEN FOR SERVING
When the soup is done cooking, remove the chicken pieces and discard the skin and bones. Shred the meat and add it back to the soup for serving. There will be a lot of chicken and not all of it has to go into the soup. I make chicken salad with the leftovers.
- MAKE A BIG BATCH AND FREEZE THE LEFTOVERS
Making matzo ball soup does take a little bit of time and effort, but this recipe makes a big batch. Freeze it, even with the matzo balls inside, to eat later.
SEDERS OF MY CHILDHOOD
The Passover seder is the ritual feast that is done in remembrance of the story of Passover. It involves the telling of the story, the recital of prayers, and the eating of symbolic foods. The ones of my childhood hold a special place in my heart, but I’m the first to admit that the seder is LONG. Some are upwards of two hours. And as a little kid, waiting for that long to eat, I would get HUNGRY. Little bites of the traditional seder foods – parsley dipped in salt water and hard boiled eggs – felt like the most delicious things I had ever tasted. Not to mention the tiny cups of Kedem grape juice – used in place of ritualistic wine – that were like invigorating elixirs.
By the time the matzo ball soup – our first dinner course – came out, I was ready to inhale it. Honestly, I would have inhaled it even if I hadn’t been hungry from the long seder, it’s just that good. We generally only had matzo ball soup once a year at Passover, and that made it even more special. It took all my restraint not to gorge myself on it, knowing there would still be many tasty courses to come. And while I still only have it a few times a year, matzo ball soup remains one of my all-time favorite foods.
My Nana’s matzo ball soup will always hold a very special place in my heart. And having the recipe for myself now is even more special. I have received a piece of family history. And now I don’t have to wait for Passover to have it; I can make it any time I want.
Nana’s Matzo Ball Soup
Equipment
- 1 large stock pot
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
- 6 carrots, peeled
- 6 celery stalks
- 3 parsnips
- 2 leeks, cleaned and trimmed
- 1 onion, sliced in half
- 4 cloves of garlic, smashed
- 1 bunch parsley (optional: reserve some for garnish)
- 1 bunch dill (optional: reserve some for garnish)
- 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1 box matzo ball mix, both packets, approx. 5oz
Instructions
- Put the celery and carrots in the bottom of a large stock pot. Add the chicken pieces, followed by parnsips, leeks, onion, garlic, parsley dill and salt. You can cut the veggies in half if needed to fit better in the pot. Fill the pot with water, about 6 quarts, until it just covers the top of the vegetables. Bring it to a boil.
- Once the soup boils, reduce it to a simmer. You will see a white foam appearing on the top; skim this off. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
- Remove from heat and let the soup cool for 30 minutes. While the soup cools, mix your matzo ball mix according to the directions on the package, putting it in the fridge to set.
- Break down your soup. Set a strainer over a large bowl and use tongs to remove vegetables, greens and chicken, putting these in the strainer to catch the soup the drips off in the bowl underneath. This can be added back to the soup. Break down the chicken: discard the skin, bones and tendons and shred the meat. Some of the chicken can be added back into the soup or set aside for serving, and the rest can be saved for chicken salad. Cut up the carrots and celery (optional: the leeks and parnsips as well) and add them back into the soup or set aside for serving. Set the strainer over another large pot and drain the rest of the soup through it to remove the last of the veggies.
- Shape your matzo balls and cook. Bring the soup broth back to a boil, or alternatively bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the matzo balls according to the directions either in the stock or in the water; boiling in water will leave you with a clearer broth.
- Serve your soup with the chicken and vegetables, if set aside. Garnish with dill or parsley.
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