For many people around the world, there is no greater comfort food than a warm bowl of soup. Matzo ball soup was my family’s starter for every Jewish holiday and often made an appearance at our Friday night Shabbat dinner. Our matzo ball recipe was so good that I would forget there was a full meal to follow and instead fill up on the fluffy, slightly salty matzo balls. I couldn’t get enough!
I used to make these doughy dumplings with a matzo ball mix. Once I learned how to make matzo balls from scratch, I never went back. Homemade matzo balls are just as fast to make and use only a handful of ingredients. You’re sure to love them, but what’s more, everyone else is sure to love you for bringing the best-ever matzo balls to the table.
What is a matzo ball?
Matzo balls are Jewish soup dumplings made from matzo meal. They’re kosher for Passover, but you don’t have to celebrate Jewish holidays to whip up this matzo ball recipe. Matzo balls have a salty flavor and a pillowy texture that make them comforting by nature, so enjoy them any time of year (and especially when you’re feeling under the weather).
There’s a longstanding debate about which matzo balls are better: floaters or sinkers. Floaters are light and airy, whereas sinkers are so dense they literally sink to the bottom of the pot. This recipe for matzo balls uses baking powder and soda water, key ingredients in creating a good floater (which is my personal favorite).
What are matzo balls made of?
Family recipes vary, but all matzo balls recipes are made from matzo. Sometimes spelled “matzah” or “matza,” this unleavened bread is made with flour and water, and it’s eaten during Passover. Once baked, matzo has the texture of a really large cracker—and it looks like one, too. There are plenty of ways to cook with matzo when keeping kosher for Passover, and this versatile ingredient can be used whole, cracked or ground.
Matzo Ball Ingredients
- Matzo meal: Matzo meal is ground matzo, an unleavened bread that’s used during a Passover Seder.
- Eggs: Eggs are a binding ingredient that hold the matzo balls together. Whisk them for about a minute before adding the other wet ingredients to incorporate a little air into the eggs.
- Schmaltz or neutral oil: Schmaltz is the traditional choice for matzo balls. This rendered chicken fat is rich and robust, and it adds a smooth, silken texture to matzo balls. If you can’t find it at the store, you can make schmaltz at home or swap in canola oil (a good option for vegetarian matzo balls).
- Seltzer: This bubbly water makes the matzo balls light and fluffy.
- Baking powder: Not every matzo ball recipe contains baking powder, but it helps keep the matzo balls airy and light.
Directions
Step 1: Mix the matzo ingredients
In a large bowl, combine the matzo meal, salt, baking powder and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, schmaltz, seltzer and dill.
Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir just until blended (do not overmix). At this point, the mixture will be thin.
Editor’s Tip: Take care to mix the batter until the ingredients just come together. Overmixing will make the matzo balls dense and firm.
Step 2: Chill
Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Editor’s Tip: When it’s done resting, the batter will no longer be runny. It should be thick enough to shape into balls.
Step 3: Shape matzo balls
Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil.
With wet hands, shape the chilled matzo mixture into 2-inch balls (about 1 ounce each), and place on a greased plate.
Editor’s Tip: Using a cookie scoop is the easiest way to shape matzo balls. If you don’t have a scoop, use a spoon instead.
Step 4: Cook matzo balls
Gently add the matzo balls to the boiling water one at a time. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Editor’s Tip: Peek on the matzo balls a few times to make sure the water is still at a gentle simmer.
Step 5: Cool and serve
Remove the matzo balls to a dish in a single layer with a slotted spoon. Cool slightly before serving.
Editor’s Tip: Letting the matzo balls cool slightly allows them to tighten up and create the right texture. Then, serve them with chicken soup or vegetable broth.
Recipe Variations
- Add herbs: We like dill for its slightly grassy, citrusy character. But you can add other herbs, like parsley or cilantro, to this recipe.
- Make your own matzo meal: You can make matzo meal by grinding up matzo. Process the matzo until it’s slightly coarse, like the texture of breadcrumbs.
- Make matzo balls without matzo meal: The closest match to matzo meal is matzo cake meal, but you could use quinoa flour or almond flour instead. If it’s not Passover, you can use regular bread crumbs. But keep in mind that matzo is baked, so it absorbs liquid differently than other types of flour or bread crumbs.
Can you make matzo balls ahead of time?
You can definitely make matzo balls ahead of time! Make the batter, shape the balls and let them sit overnight in the refrigerator. Or you can cook them fully, then cover them with cooking water and store them in the fridge overnight. You can either reheat them in the soup or separately in some simmering salted water.
How to Store Matzo Balls
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.
Can you freeze matzo balls?
If you’re a make-ahead kind of cook, you’ll be happy to know that you can freeze matzo balls. To retain their shape, it is best to simmer the matzo balls as normal, then let them cool. Once cooled, transfer the matzo balls to a baking sheet, and freeze for a couple of hours. When the balls are firm, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or a freezer bag. To thaw, simply place the matzo balls in a broth or chicken soup to reheat them.
Matzo Ball Tips
How do you make fluffy matzo balls?
Nobody wants tough matzo balls in their soup for a Passover Seder. Our matzo ball recipe uses baking powder and seltzer to create air bubbles, which gives the matzo balls the fluffy texture needed for good floaters. If your matzo balls still turn out dense, you may have over-mixed the ingredients. Mixing the ingredients until they’re just incorporated keeps those air bubbles intact.
How can you prevent your matzo balls from falling apart?
The egg and the matzo meal work together to bind the matzo balls together, so your matzo ball shouldn’t fall apart if you allow the batter to rest properly. However, take care when handling the matzo balls, from the shaping to the cooking and even while they’re cooling. They will break or fall apart if you handle them too much.
Are matzo balls healthy?
The ingredient makeup of the matzo balls themselves isn’t very nutrient-dense. However, matzo ball soup is sometimes referred to as “Jewish penicillin” for its restorative properties. Like many healthy soups, low-sodium broths and nutrient-dense vegetables like carrots and celery add many vitamins and antioxidants to the soup.
