Matzo Ball Soup

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Continuing down the path of ultimate comfort food, we arrive at the absolute gold standard of restorative soups: Matzo Ball Soup.

Often affectionately called “Jewish penicillin,” a warm bowl of golden chicken soup centered around pillowy, tender matzo balls has a magical way of making everything feel better on a cold or tiring day.

The Great Debate: Sinkers vs. Floaters

When it comes to matzo balls (dumplings made from matzo meal, eggs, fat, and liquid), home cooks generally fall into two passionate camps:
  1. The Sinkers: Dense, heavy, and chewy. (Usually caused by omitting leavening agents or packing the mixture tightly).
  2. The Floaters: Light, airy, billowy spheres that melt the moment they touch your tongue.
Achieving the coveted “floater” status comes down to a few kitchen secrets.

Secrets to Making Cloud-Like Matzo Balls

  • The Fat Choice Matters: Traditional recipes call for schmaltz (rendered chicken fat), which gives the matzo balls an unbeatable, deeply savory flavor. If you don’t have schmaltz on hand, melted unsalted butter or a neutral oil works well.
  • Don’t Skip the Seltzer: Using sparkling water or seltzer instead of plain water or broth introduces tiny air bubbles into the mixture, giving the dumplings a light, fluffy lift as they cook.
  • Chill the Batter: Once you mix your matzo meal, eggs, fat, and a splash of seltzer, put the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 30 to 60 minutes. Warm matzo batter is sticky and impossible to roll; chilling firms up the fat so you can easily shape smooth balls that hold their structure.
  • Simmer Separately (and Covered): Never cook your matzo balls directly in your serving broth, or they will absorb all the liquid and cloud the soup. Instead, boil them gently in a separate pot of salted water with a tight-fitting lid for about 20 to 30 minutes. The steam trapped under the lid helps them expand into fluffy clouds!

The Supporting Cast (The Broth)

  • The Golden Broth: A rich, slow-simmered chicken stock loaded with classic aromatics—sweet carrots, celery, onions, and plenty of fresh dill and parsley.
  • Serving: Drop your cooked, fluffy matzo balls into your hot, strained chicken broth just before serving, garnish with an extra shower of fresh dill, and enjoy.
Are you looking for a traditional recipe to whip up a batch of matzo balls, or are you exploring more classic soup recipes?

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