Authentic Matzo Ball Soup
on Sep 30, 2025
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Make your Bubby 👵 proud with this Authentic Matzo Ball Soup! My community inspired this recipe by sharing their bubbies’ authentic recipes with me. I combined bits and pieces from each one to make it as authentic as possible. From mixing to simmering, this recipe takes a little over an hour and a half ⏱️. The result? A slow cooked tradition that literally feels like warm hug 🥰. A hearty bowl clocks in at around 200 calories, leaving you feeling light and satisfied. Enjoy your Matzo Ball Soup on its own, or as a starter alongside roasted chicken and veggies and a rustic loaf of no-knead bread 🍞 for a comforting meal.
Key Takeaways
- Authentic Matzo Ball Soup is a community-inspired recipe combining elements from various traditional recipes.
- The soup features rich Homemade Chicken Broth, giving it a comforting flavor.
- Key ingredients include matzo meal, schmaltz, eggs, and fresh herbs. Avoid common mistakes like overworking the batter for light and fluffy results.
- Serve your soup with roasted chicken, a green salad, or a rustic loaf of no-knead bread for a cozy meal.
- This recipe is adaptable for gluten-free diets and can be customized with herbs and veggies.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Authentic Matzo Ball Soup
Nothing warms the soul like a warm bowl of homemade Matzo Ball Soup. The secret to this cozy recipe? Rich, Homemade Chicken Broth that gives every matzo ball its comforting, authentic flavor. Once the broth cools, I skim the schmaltz 🐔 from the top and stir it into the dough for rich, savory flavor. Then, it’s time for some kitchen science 👩🔬. Mixing baking powder with seltzer water creates a reaction that gives them a light and fluffy ☁️ texture that simply melts in your mouth. The best part? You don’t have to wait for a holiday to enjoy it! Spoon 2-3 matzo balls into a soup bowl 🥣 and cover with 2-3 cups of liquid gold for that warm, cozy feeling anytime the mood strikes.
Ingredients
🍗 Chicken Broth: I like to serve 2-3 Matzo Balls with 2-3 cups of my Easy Homemade Chicken Broth for rich, authentic flavor.
🌾 Matzo meal: Be sure to use matzo meal, not matzo mix, for authentic dumplings.
🥚 Eggs: I use two eggs in this recipe to bind all the ingredients together.
🐔 Schmaltz: The magic ingredient, schmaltz (or rendered chicken fat) gives the matzo balls a distinct coziness. However, feel free to use oil as many do.
🌿 Dill: Add chopped dill to your mixture for added brightness.
🧂 Salt: Without it, matzo balls can be bland – even when simmered in a well-seasoned broth. Don’t skimp here.
☁️ Baking powder: When combined with the seltzer water, baking powder gives the matzo balls lift, resulting in a light, airy texture.
🫧 Seltzer water: The bubbles activate the baking powder for the fluffiest matzo balls ever.
Nonna’s Tip 💧
Wet your hands before shaping your matzo balls so they don’t stick.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overworking the batter: Mix until just combined. Over-mixing will create dense, gummy matzo balls.
- Not chilling the batter: Chill the batter so the matzo balls absorb all the liquid and firm up, preventing them from breaking apart during cooking.
- Not wetting your hands: Use cold, wet hands to gently shape your matzo balls so they don’t stick.
- Under- or over-simmering: Test for doneness by cutting through the middle to check that they’re uniform in texture and color, with no raw or doughy spots.
- Overcrowding the pot: Matzo balls expand as they cook. Use a large soup pot that gives them plenty of room so they don’t stick together.
- Boiling too hard: A gentle simmer is key, as a rolling boil can cause them to break apart.
Variations and Substitutions for Authentic Matzo Ball Soup
- I use my Homemade Chicken Broth 🍗 in this recipe, however you can also use veggie, beef, or even spiced or herbed broth for added flavor.
- Be sure to use matzo meal, NOT mix. However, if you can’t find matzo meal, you can always make your own. Simply buy a box of unsalted matzos and grind them in a food processor or blender until fine.
- If you’re gluten-free, you can pick up gluten-free matzo meal at most stores where traditional ingredients are sold.
- Add in your favorite herbs and spices, like fresh dill 🌿, parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder for more flavorful matzo balls.
- Traditionally, cooks 👩🍳 use schmaltz (aka chicken fat) for rich flavor. However, avocado oil 🥑, duck fat, or olive oil are good substitutes in a pinch. Keep in mind it will alter the flavor profile.
- Lastly, use your favorite add-ins to make a heartier soup. Some good ones are carrots 🥕, parsnips, celery, mushrooms, zucchini, leeks, or shredded chicken.
Best Served With
- Roasted Chicken and Potatoes and Oven Roasted Vegetables
- A Simple Green Salad
- A rustic loaf of No Knead Bread
- An Easy Plum Cake for dessert
Similar Recipes
Easy Homemade Chicken Broth
1 hr 35 mins
Greek Lemon Soup
1 hr 10 mins
Meatball Soup Recipe
50 mins
Dumpling Soup
10 mins
Common Questions
The main ingredient is matzo meal, which consists of finely ground matzo crackers. Additionally, the meal is mixed with schmaltz (rendered chicken fat), eggs, herbs and spices. Baking powder and seltzer water are also added to create light, fluffy matzo balls.
Matzo Ball Soup is generally considered a comforting and nourishing soup. However, you can easily adjust this recipe to suit your specific dietary needs, making the healthiest version for you. Additionally, you could consider the following swaps: low sodium broth, gluten-free matzo meal, and an oil lower in fat.
Schmaltz, or rendered chicken fat, is added to the mixture to create rich flavor. Additionally, mixing in other herbs and spices, like fresh parsley, dill, garlic powder, and onion powder can also kick the flavor up a notch!
Of course, you can swap the matzo meal for gluten-free matzo meal, which can be found at most grocers on the international aisle.
Make sure you chill your mixture for at least an hour to allow it to absorb the liquid. Then, form your matzo balls gently, using cold, wet hands. Finally, gently simmer your matzo balls – a hard boil could cause them to break apart.
Authentic Matzo Ball Soup
Ingredients
The Broth
- a few cups homemade chicken broth (or any) , for serving
The Matzo Balls
- ½ cup matzo meal, not matzo mix
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons melted chicken fat (or oil) , Note: once the homemade broth cools, skim the chicken fat that sits on top of the liquid and reserve.
- 1 tablespoon chopped dill, to taste
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder, will make them light
- 2 tablespoons seltzer water, I used Perrier
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add all of the ingredients and combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour so it hydrates.
- After an hour, take a small ice cream scoop and shape into equal sized balls. I like to shape them a bit smaller than a golf ball as they will triple in size as they cook.
- Tip: wet your hands so the mixture doesn’t stick.
- After you have shaped the matzo balls, drop them into a pot of boiling veggie broth or water. I like to use homemade or low sodium store bought veggie broth from Kettle and Fire as it’s very clean in ingredients but any will work.
- Boil for 30 minutes. Once done, add 2-3 matzo balls to a serving bowl and top with 2-3 cups of homemade chicken broth. Enjoy!
Notes
- Serving Broth: I use my Homemade Chicken Broth in this recipe, however you can also use veggie, beef, or even spiced or herbed broth for added flavor.
- Matzo Meal Substitute: Be sure to use matzo meal, NOT mix. If you can’t find matzo meal, you can make your own. Simply buy a box of unsalted matzos and grind them in a food processor or blender until fine.
- Gluten-free: If you’re gluten-free, you can pick up gluten-free matzo meal at most stores where traditional ingredients are sold.
- Mix-ins: Add in your favorite herbs and spices, like fresh dill, parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder for more flavorful matzo balls.
- Fat substitutes: Traditionally, schmaltz (aka chicken fat) is used for rich flavor. However, you could substitute for avocado oil, duck fat, or olive oil in a pinch. Keep in mind it will alter the flavor profile.
- Soup add-ins: Use your favorite add-ins to make a heartier soup. Some good ones are carrots, parsnips, celery, mushrooms, zucchini, leeks, or shredded chicken.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I was always too intimidated to try making this, but you made the instructions so easy to follow! Thank you!
The matzo balls turned out SO soft, and the broth turned out rich and delicious! These will be perfect for the fall season!