Dilled Matzo Ball Soup is an easy updated version of one of the world’s great comfort foods ~ the dilled matzo balls are light, fluffy, and delicious!
The headliners of matzo ball soup are the matzo balls, without them, you just have chicken soup. They remind me that, with a little ingenuity, you can make the most delicious things from the humblest ingredients. Traditional matzo balls are made with not much more than cracker meal and eggs. But in the hands of a skilled cook they turn into tasty buoyant little dumplings.
I’m foregoing the prepackaged mixes and making mine from scratch with matzo crackers.
Matzo is a simple flat cracker made from flour and water. It’s basically an unleavened bread traditionally eaten during Passover to commemorate the ancient Jews’ hasty exodus from Egypt. It’s easily ground up in a food processor and it yields better, fresher results than packaged mixes. Like graham cracker crumbs made fresh from the crackers…why on earth pay somebody else to smash up crackers for you?
Some beaten egg, a tiny bit of oil, and a little broth or water makes these basic dumplings. Lots of fresh dill makes them more colorful and interesting.
In the venerable old delis here in Los Angeles they make their matzo balls huge. They give you one ginormous ball that fills your entire bowl, and it can be a little overwhelming. You have to attack it with a knife and fork. I like mine more on the delicate side, both in size and in texture.
I use the tiniest size scoop I can find so I can make small, uniform balls. You can make them any size you want, but I think the smaller ones cook more evenly and come out better.
And don’t forget that matzo balls expand as they simmer, so you’ll always end up with bigger dumplings after they’re cooked.
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Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup finely ground matzo
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp seltzer water (or broth)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh dill
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 5 stalks celery, sliced (I use the inner stalks and chop the leaves, too)
- 8 cups chicken stock
- approx. 3 cups cooked chicken meat (I used the breast meat from a rotisserie chicken)
- 2 bay leaves
- salt and fresh pepper to taste
- large handful fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- First make the matzo balls. Beat the eggs and add in the oil.
- Mix in the matzoh and salt.
- Add the water and dill and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
- Using a scoop or small spoon, make rounded balls out of the dough and set on a tray. I used a 1 1/4 inch scoop and got 21 balls.
- Bring lots of salted water to a boil and drop the matzoh balls in. Cover, lower the heat slightly, and let them simmer for about 15 minutes. Gently remove them to a plate.
- To make the soup, melt the butter in a soup pot and saute the onion and carrot for about 10 minutes.
- Add the celery and cook for another few minutes.
- Add in the stock, chicken meat, bay leaves and salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for about 15 minutes. Don't cook so long that the carrots become soft and mushy.
- Just before serving, put the matzo balls into the soup and heat them through.
- Finish with a large handful of chopped fresh parsley and garnish with some dill leaves.
Note:
- If we’re not going to eat all the soup at one time, I only add the amount of matzo balls needed for that serving. The rest can be stored separately and added to the soup the next day. This just prevents them from getting soggy.
Dilled Matzo Ball Soup is warm, hearty, restorative, resonant with historical significance, and the essence of home and family. It can also beat the heck out of a cold or flu. It’s one of the world’s great soups.
21 Comments
Danielle Leah Hirsch
April 7, 2015 at 8:46 pmHow many servings does this recipe make? Thanks!
Sue
April 8, 2015 at 4:24 amThis will serve approx 6, Danielle, I just updated.
Marie Czarnecki
February 24, 2015 at 7:23 pmMake your recipes “PRINT FRIENDLY”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Todd Albala
October 5, 2012 at 2:27 amsue: the traditional way to cook the matzo balls is to use schmaltz ( rendered chicken fat) instead of oil. It makes the flavor of the matzo balls soo intense
icakepops
September 28, 2012 at 1:09 amLovely soup! So colorful it must be healthy! The dill is a nice touch.
From Beyond My Kitchen Window
September 27, 2012 at 11:07 pmI have never had matzo-ball soup. It looks delicious and the dill must add a brightness to the bland crackers. Great looking bowl of soup!
Inside a British Mum's Kitchen
September 27, 2012 at 7:31 pmWhat a beautiful bowl of soup! so healthy and delicious – love the matzo balls –
Mary x
Sue/the view from great island
September 27, 2012 at 8:36 pmThere is something beautiful about a simple chicken soup, especially as we head into fall after a long hot summer!
Mary
September 27, 2012 at 6:31 pmMy sister serves matzo soup (non-homemade) on a semi-regular basis, but I have never tried it and had no idea what was in it. This sounds much much better than regular dumplings that don’t appeal to me at all!
Sue/the view from great island
September 27, 2012 at 7:57 pmI agree, regular dumplings are kind of gross and glutenous. These are much better.
Stephanie
September 27, 2012 at 5:45 pmHow did you make those crackers?!! Do share. They look amazing. I love when people make things from scratch like this…graham crackers, wheat thins…..
Sue/the view from great island
September 27, 2012 at 7:58 pmOh gosh, that would be beyond my patience…they are just the regular matzo that come in a box. I think most grocery stores carry them in one section or another. Would be fun to try to make them, though!
Tricia @ saving room for dessert
September 27, 2012 at 4:24 pmThat is a beautiful soup and great information. I’ve never even tried Matzo Balls or Matzo Ball Soup – yes I live under a rock. Just one question – where’s the bacon???
Mary
September 27, 2012 at 6:30 pmbwahahaha, I burst out laughing at this, Tricia. I’ve never tried matzo balls either, so apparently, we share a rock. I’ll share some bacon, too.
Sue/the view from great island
September 27, 2012 at 7:59 pmI had my fill of bacon yesterday, I’m officially moving on…
Tabitha
September 27, 2012 at 3:32 pmYou made them from the crackers? Bowing to you! I always make chicken soup whenever we have a roast chicken, it feed us for almost 5 days, I only made dumplings for the first time for it last week, must try these.
Sue/the view from great island
September 27, 2012 at 8:02 pmYou’re one up on me, I don’t think I’ve ever made dumplings.
Averie @ Averie Cooks
September 27, 2012 at 2:59 pmI honestly had no idea how to make Matzo balls…I admit it. I had no idea that you just food process up the crackers! My husband would love it if I’d make this. He loves his matzo ball soup! Hope you had an easy fast yesterday if you were fasting!
Sue/the view from great island
September 27, 2012 at 8:25 pmThanks Averie—I think it’s a great kid friendly soup, too.