Matzo Ball Soup

This is my take on the traditional Jewish soup, and it’s chockful of soft veggies, shredded chicken, savory chicken broth, and the fluffiest matzo balls ever (the kind that floats perfectly in your bowl!). I spent a ton of time researching this recipe when I first made it, and I’m excited to share my tips and tricks with you here.

All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious. An absolute comfort food but in a flash! Definitely going on permanent rotation!”

COZY Matzo Ball Soup

Matzo or Matzah Ball Soup is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dish that is often served during Passover and is commonly known as ‘Jewish penicillin.’ It’s a chicken soup filled with delicious dumplings made out of matzo meal (crushed unleavened bread), eggs, chicken fat (or another fat or oil), and broth. This recipe is a simplified, short-cut version that I’ve developed based on different recipes I’ve come across, tutorials I’ve watched, and myth-busters I’ve read.

It’s certainly not authentic, but it’s delicious and perfect for anyone looking for a comforting, easy-to-make method, even if it’s your first time making it! However, I highly recommend checking out some authentic recipes before you give my one a go to see what it’s really all about. The Jewish Food Society and Chabad both have great options.

This soup is absolutely delicious and soul-warming, and there’s just nothing in the world like it. - Add more or less chicken: When I first made this recipe all those years ago, I only used one boneless, skinless chicken breast.

I’ve since upped the amount to two to make this recipe even heartier, but to save some money, you can definitely stick with just one. The soup will still have plenty of savor; it’ll just be more brothy with fewer chicken pieces! - Let the dough rest before adding to the soup.

As you can see from the process photos below, there’s a big difference in the texture of the dough immediately after mixing and then after letting it rest. I let the dough rest in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up and rehydrate, which makes it easier to form into balls and stops them from retreating apart in the soup.

- Make the dough ahead of time! You can make the matzo ball dough ahead of time and store it in the fridge overnight before forming into balls and cooking.

Matzo Ball Soup Recipe

- 1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil ($0.04)

- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16) - 3 stalks celery ($0.56)

- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.25 lb.)* ($6.25) - 6 cups chicken broth** ($1.02)

- Freshly cracked pepper ($0.01) - Few sprigs fresh dill ($0.65)

Matzo Balls

- 3 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil*** ($0.12) - 3/4 cup matzo meal**** ($1.02)

- 1/2 tsp baking powder ($0.04) - Freshly cracked pepper ($0.01) - Mince the garlic and dice the onion, celery, and carrots.

Sauté the garlic, onion, celery, and carrots with the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat until the onions are soft and transparent (about five minutes). - Add the chicken breast, chicken broth, 2 cups water, some freshly cracked pepper, and one or two sprigs of dill to the pot.

Place a lid on the pot and let it come up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

- While the soup is simmering, mix the matzo ball dough. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and vegetable oil.

Add the matzo meal, salt, baking powder, and a little freshly cracked pepper to the eggs and oil. Stir until well combined.

Finally, add 3 Tbsp water and stir until smooth again. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to allow the matzo meal time to absorb the moisture.

- After the chicken soup has simmered, carefully remove the chicken breast and shred it with a fork. Return the shredded chicken to the soup. Taste the broth and adjust the salt if needed.

- Once the dumpling mix has refrigerated and stiffened up, begin to form it into ping pong sized balls. Drop the balls into the simmering soup as they are formed, returning the lid to the pot after each one.

If the dough is a little sticky, I recommend wetting your hands to help form the dough into balls. This will prevent it from sticking to your hands and make it easier to work with.Once all the dumplings are in the soup, let them simmer for 20 minutes without removing the lid.

Make sure the soup is gently simmering the entire time. - Add a couple sprigs of fresh dill just before serving.

See how we calculate method costs here.

How to Make Matzo Ball Soup Step-by-Step Photos

Mince 2 cloves garlic and dice 1 yellow onion, 3 carrots, and 3 stalks celery.

Gather the rest of your ingredients. Sauté the prepared garlic, onion, carrots, and celery with 1 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil in a large pot over medium heat until the onions are soft and transparent (about five minutes). Once the onions are soft, add 2 chicken breasts.

Add 6 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of water (or all chicken broth, if you prefer). In addition, add a couple of sprigs of dill and a little freshly cracked pepper. Place a lid on the pot, let it come up to a boil, then turn the heat down to low.

Let the soup simmer for 30 minutes, while you make the dumplings. While the soup is simmering, mix the matzo ball dough.

Add 3 large eggs and 3 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil to a bowl. Add 3/4 cup matzo meal, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, a little freshly cracked pepper, and 3 Tbsp of water to the bowl.

Let the mix refrigerate for 30 minutes so the matzo has time to absorb water and plump up. Once the soup has simmered for about 30 minutes, remove the chicken breast and use two forks to shred it. Return the shredded chicken to the soup.

Taste the broth and adjust the salt if needed. After the matzo ball mix has chilled for 30 minutes, it should be more stiff and dry.

Start forming the dough into small balls, about the size of ping pong balls. Keep in mind that they’ll puff up a little as they cook.

I usually get about 15 balls out of my mix. If the dough is a little sticky, I recommend wetting your hands to help form the dough into balls. This will prevent it from sticking to your hands and make it easier to work with.

Drop the balls into the simmering soup one by one as you form them, making sure to return the lid after each one (to keep the broth simmering). Once all the dumplings are in the broth, let them simmer for about 20 minutes.

Make sure the broth is simmering the whole time and don’t remove the lid. Once the dumplings are puffed and cooked through, add a few more sprigs of fresh dill, then serve!

Mmmm, so warm and delicious! You can’t go wrong with chicken and dumplings—in any form!

Storage and Reheating

Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

I usually store everything together in one container, but you can as well separate the matzo balls from the soup and store them separately to stop them from soaking up too much broth. To reheat, use the microwave or gently simmer the soup on the stove until heated through. You can as well freeze the soup and dumplings (separately) for up to 3 months.

Just be sure to defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.