This matzo ball soup is chicken and vegetables simmered with matzo balls in a savory broth with fresh herbs. A holiday classic that’s the ultimate comfort food and happens to be easy to make!
When I want to warm up on a cold day, I serve up a piping hot bowl of soup such as stuffed pepper soup, taco soup or this traditional matzo ball soup.
I grew up eating matzo ball soup, and now I make it on a regular basis for my own family. My version is simple to make, and comes out perfectly every time – no dense or heavy matzo balls here! If you’re making this recipe for Passover, be sure to check out some of my other Jewish recipes including matzo crack, charoset and tzimmes.
This matzo ball soup is one of my favorite chicken soup recipes along with chicken and wild rice soup, chicken tortellini soup and chicken pot pie soup.
Table of Contents
Matzo Ball Soup Ingredients
To make matzo ball soup you will need to make matzo balls with eggs, schmaltz or vegetable oil, club soda, matzo meal, baking powder and salt. For the soup make sure you have schmaltz or vegetable oil, onion, carrots, celery stalks, garlic, cooked chicken, Italian seasoning, chicken broth, parsley, salt and black pepper.
How Do You Make Matzo Ball Soup?
To make this matzo ball soup recipe, start with the the matzo balls. In a bowl beat 3 eggs. Whisk in schmaltz or oil and club soda. Stir in matzo meal, baking powder and salt. Refrigerate the mixture for at least an hour so that it becomes firm enough to scoop into round balls. To make the soup, cook yellow onions, carrots, celery and garlic with a little oil in a large pot. Stir in cooked chicken and seasonings, then pour in chicken broth. Add the matzo balls and simmer until the vegetables are tender and the matzo balls are cooked through. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, then serve and enjoy.
Tips For The Perfect Soup
- You can simmer a whole chicken to create your own chicken broth; however, I generally use a high quality store bought broth instead. It saves so much time!
- If you prefer to make your own broth, place a whole chicken in 12 cups of water with 2 sliced carrots, 1 onion cut into quarters, 2 stalks of celery, 5 cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon peppercorns and 10 sprigs of parsley. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 hours. Strain the broth, and remove the chicken meat from the carcass. Next, proceed with my recipe as directed.
- Traditional matzo ball soup contains schmaltz which is rendered chicken fat. You can make schmaltz by cooking the chopped skin of 8 chicken thighs together with 1/2 cup diced onion until the fat has rendered and the skin and onions are golden brown. Remove the browned bits and strain the fat to use in your cooking. Don’t want to make schmaltz? Use vegetable oil instead.
- You can make the matzo ball mixture up to 24 hours before you plan to use it.
- Any type of cooked chicken will work in this dish including leftover roasted chicken or rotisserie chicken. I typically roast bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts at 425 degrees F for 40 minutes, then dice or shred the meat.
- Feel free to use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked matzo balls to bowls for serving.
- You can use store bought Italian seasoning or make your own Italian seasoning.
Quick Tip
The use of baking powder produces light and fluffy matzo balls. If you prefer a denser matzo ball, either cut the amount of baking powder in half or omit it altogether.
Recipe FAQs
Matzo balls are considered to be a type of dumpling. The main difference between matzo balls and any other dumpling is that these balls are made with matzo meal, which is ground matzo crackers, and most other dumplings are made with all purpose flour.
Matzo ball soup is a chicken and vegetable soup with fluffy and delicious matzo balls cooked in the soup.
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Flavor Variations
My mom often adds other ingredients to her soup to make it special, here are some options to customize the flavors to your tastes.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add more veggies such as green beans, zucchini, frozen corn, parsnips or potatoes.
- Noodles: It’s fairly common to add noodles to matzo ball soup. I typically see long noodles such as egg noodles or spaghetti in this dish.
- Herbs: While I typically top my soup with a little chopped parsley, other types of herbs are also nice such as fresh dill, chives or a little fresh thyme.
There’s nothing better than a big bowl of matzo ball soup to celebrate the holidays or to brighten up a chilly day!
More Soup Recipes You’ll Enjoy
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Olive Garden Minestrone Soup
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Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
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Matzo Ball Soup Video
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Matzo Ball Soup
Ingredients
For the matzo balls
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup melted schmaltz OR vegetable oil schmaltz is rendered chicken fat
- 3 tablespoons club soda seltzer water
- 3/4 cup matzo meal
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the soup
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil OR schmaltz
- 1/2 cup onion finely diced
- 3/4 cup carrots peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced
- 3/4 cup celery sliced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 cups chicken broth I use low sodium
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
For the matzo balls
- Place the eggs in a bowl and beat well. Whisk in the fat and club soda. Add the matzo meal, baking powder and salt, then stir until well combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour.
For the soup
- Place the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery to the pot and cook for 4-5 minutes or until softened.
- Add the garlic to the pot and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer.
- Use a tablespoon or a small scoop to make 1 inch matzo balls. Drop the balls into the soup.
- Cover the pot and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until balls are puffed and vegetables are tender.
- Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.
Notes
- You can simmer a whole chicken to create your own chicken broth; however, I generally use a high quality store bought broth instead. It saves so much time!
- The use of baking powder produces light and fluffy matzo balls. If you prefer a denser matzo ball, either cut the amount of baking powder in half or omit it altogether.
I made this for the first time ever tonight and omg perfection. My husband, who usually gives me a “it’s alright” said, “baby this is the best soup I’ve ever had in my life!” And keeps going on and on. Thank you so much! I know this is going to be a staple in our home now.
Absolutely delicious. My first time making matzo ball soup. Next time, I’ll double the soup because the balls soak up a lot of broth. Winner.
About how many matzo balls does this recipe make?
It should be about 18!
Your recipes really have helped me in preparing dinners. I went from one hundred percent stressed out even thinking about cooking to at least seventy five percent with way more confidence. Thank you so very much.
I’ve tried many, but this is My favorite matzo ball recipe. I use my own chicken soup recipe. I store the cooked matzo balls separate from the soup and add them in the bowls at serving time, so they do not get soggy!!
HI. If you make the matzo balls in advance, can you freeze them uncooked? Would you then let them thaw before boiling, or boil them in the soup from frozen?
I think you’d need to cook them first and then freeze them after.
Is it possible go make them in advance and freeze?
Yes that will work!
When my Daughter went away to college she was a nervous wreck. This soup was the ONLY thing she could get down. It literally saved her from an ulcer. IT IS Jewish Penicillin; delicious, satisfying, soothing to the stomach and the soul.
This soup was a huge hit! It was the first time I made it and it turned out perfect. Delicious and so filling!
This soup comforts the soul, it was so incredible, light and delicious. I served it with garlic bread and it made for the perfect dinner.
Oh my goodness – those giant matzo balls and big, gorgeous chunks of veggies! This soup DOES NOT mess around lol! Such a timeless holiday classic, and wonderful comfort food for any chilly evening, all winter long!
Yummy! This looks so delicious and tasty! My husband is going to love this recipe! I can’t wait to give this a try!
One of my favorite soups that, I can’t believe, I’ve never made! So glad to have this recipe on hand – such a comforting dish!
This is the perfect soup for fall!! I LOVE It!!
Such a warm and comforting soup!! Its incredibly delicious!
This is so delish and comforting! Thanks for the recipe!
This soup is so delicious! Love the flavors
This matzo ball soup couldn’t look any more perfect!
I have always wanted to try this, it looks so delicious!