Matzo ball soup is a traditional Jewish soup made with chicken stock and matzo balls. It can be easily made at home and is often served during Passover. Some cooks add greens, shredded chicken, and other ingredients for extra flavor. Matzo balls are made by mixing shortening, matzo flour, water, and spices to form a thick, sticky dough. The soup is traditionally served hot and is sometimes referred to as “Jewish penicillin.”
Matzo ball soup is a soup made with chicken stock and matzo balls, a type of dumpling. This soup originated in Eastern European Jewish communities, although it has also become popular in other regions of the world. It’s simple and very filling; some people think of matzo ball soup as the quintessential Jewish food par excellence. It can be easily made at home, and many Jewish delicatessens stock it, especially around Passover when matzo ball soup is a common table item.
The simplest matzo ball soup is just chicken soup and matzo balls, although some cooks add greens, shredded chicken, and other ingredients for extra texture and flavor. Ideally, chicken broth should be homemade, both because it will be of higher quality and because the cook can ensure the broth is kosher.
The first step in making matzo ball soup is to make the matzo balls. Matzo balls are made by mixing shortening, matzo flour, water, and spices to taste, to form a thick, sticky dough. In general, the proportions are about one-half cup of matzo meal for every two eggs and two tablespoons of fat. Chicken fat is the classic choice, although other fats and oils can certainly be used. Ingredients such as salt, pepper, dried onions, etc. can be added as desired.
While the dough for the matzo balls is being assembled, the broth is heated so that it boils when the dough is ready. Cook the hand-shaped balls with wet hands and then drop them into the boiling broth to cook; the matzo balls quickly expand into dense dumplings. The soup is traditionally served hot, ladle out of the pot and in a serving bowl.
Because matzo balls can be difficult to make because the dough is so sticky, some cooks like to make a big batch of matzo balls, cook them in boiling water, and then freeze them. Frozen balls can be dropped into broth to reheat as needed. For people who don’t want to make their own matzo balls at home, a Jewish deli may be able to provide them.
The ingredients in the basic matzo ball soup happen to meet Passover dietary needs, making this food a popular choice for this Jewish holiday. However, it’s also served year-round; some people jokingly refer to it as “Jewish penicillin,” in reference to the fact that it is often offered to people who are feeling under the weather.
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