Susan Gubar’s Matzo Ball Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the ball in matzo ball soup made of? ›

While each family has its own recipe, all matzo balls are made of three key components: matzo meal, fat, and eggs. Matzo meal simply refers to matzo crackers that are ground up into a fine meal.

Add to that the benefits of vitamins A, C, and D in the broth, the anti-inflammatory properties of the soup vegetables, and a boost of energy from the carbohydrates in the matzo balls, and you've got a recipe for feeling better!

His answer was definitive: "When someone's matzo balls are super dense, it's typically because they have too many eggs, so it's too high in protein — so it binds a little too hard." So, if you're making matzo balls, pay attention to the ratios; a good recipe shouldn't lead you astray.

Store matzo balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Matzo balls are usually served in soup, but it's best to store them in a separate container. If stored in the soup, they can make the soup cloudy, or they can fall apart after absorbing too much liquid.

Traditionally, matzo ball soup was a Passover meal, consumed in remembrance of the unleavened bread that Jews ate when they were fleeing Egypt. During Passover, Jewish people would buy Matzo bread from their local bakery and use day-old leftover crumbs to make the balls.

The extra level of scrutiny — and the labor-intensive process required to make handcrafted matzah — is largely what accounts for its high price: anywhere from $20 to $60 for a single pound.

We give you the choice: Using schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) produces the most flavorful matzo balls, while vegetable or canola oil offer convenience.

Get schmaltzy: Schmaltz, or rendered chicken fat, is like gold. And you deserve nothing but the best. The flavor and texture that schmaltz gives a matzo ball is nothing that vegetable oil can really compare to, which is why if you can get it (or make it!), use the good stuff.

You can't overcook a matzo ball. It's not possible. But you can absolutely under cook one. So if you need to leave it in longer, that's OK.

How long can matzo balls sit in the soup? While matzo balls can cook in the soup, they tend to cloud the chicken broth. Try not to let the matzo balls sit in the soup longer than an hour or they may begin to absorb too much of the soup and fall apart. If separated from the soup, cooked matzo balls last about 5 days.

How to tell if matzo balls are done? ›

Carefully lower matzo balls into boiling water with a slotted spoon, adjusting heat as needed to maintain a low simmer. Cover pot and simmer over low heat, checking occasionally to make sure water isn't boiling too rapidly, until balls are very puffed and light in color, 30–40 minutes.

If you've followed instructions carefully, the balls should be floating on the surface of the water like billowy clouds of deliciousness. If they seem dense, they need to cook longer. Note that after you open the lid the first time, the matzo balls may sink to the bottom of the pot.

Matzo balls are a form of dumpling, but instead of a biscuit-type dough, they're made with matzo meal, a traditional Passover ingredient. As they cook in the broth, matzo balls lighten and become fluffy.

Matzo meal is a simple flour that must be made from one of five grains: wheat, spelt, rye, oats or barley. It can be either processed or made from whole grain flour. Either way, it is mixed with water and then heated to make matzo, also called matzo — the traditional unleavened bread of the Jewish Passover.

Matzah is typically made from wheat flour and made in a way that ensures it is unleavened.

You can get extra air into batter by using club soda instead of water, or by separating your eggs and whipping the whites separately. Letting matzoh ball batter stay longer in the fridge will generate a softer matzoh ball, more likely to float, because the matzoh meal takes up more water.