Nothing says comfort like a piping hot pot of matzo ball soup. I’ve spent years perfecting this classic chicken soup recipe with matzo balls. Consequently, it has become a family favorite with readers around the world. It’s a staple dish for the Jewish holiday of Passover. I am excited to share it with you! I’ve also included links to three tried-and-true matzo ball recipes – floaters, sinkers, and gluten free.
This is the way I make matzo ball soup for my family. It starts with my favorite homemade chicken soup… also known as Jewish Penicillin, the soup that can cure anything.
My recipe produces a rich, flavorful broth that is just right for serving with matzo balls (or egg noodles, or rice, or veggies). I make this throughout fall and winter; it’s truly nourishing and satisfying.
Chicken soup for matzo balls
Everybody has their own way of making matzo ball soup. It’s a simple concept and recipes abound, along with opinions on which way is the best way. I don’t pretend that one is better than another. This way just happens to be my family’s favorite.
Feel free to dress up the chicken stock the way you like it– add a parsnip for sweetness, thyme for a rustic flavor, or garlic for depth. Use your imagination, or your bubbe’s favorite ingredients. Play around until the flavor is right for you!
On its own, chicken soup is gluten free and very healthy– a great source of protein, with healing qualities. It helps to clear your sinuses and warm you from the inside.
From this basic soup recipe, a starch of your choice can be added– matzo balls for matzo ball soup, of course. But you can also add rice, egg noodles, kreplach, or vegetables like squash, zucchini, and potatoes.
How do you make matzo balls?
During Passover, matzo balls are the traditional and kosher starch of choice for the holiday. Some like their matzo balls light as a feather (floaters), whiles others prefer the more chewy, dense version (sinkers). Both are varieties are delicious in their own way. Likewise, there are always opinions on which herbs and spices to add to the mix, and which fat to use for binding the matzo.
My method for making matzo balls is pretty simple. Once upon a time I used Manischewitz mix, which I still think is a great option. But I’ve learned over the years that it’s just as easy– and cheaper– to make your own from scratch.
Making your own mix allows you more control over the flavor and texture of the matzo balls. I use a few spices, fresh dill, and melted schmaltz to bind the batter (you can use avocado or safflower oil if you prefer).
To check out my various matzo ball recipes, click the links below. In our family, we prefer floater matzo balls. I’ve also included my gluten free matzo ball recipe for those who can’t stomach the matzo; it’s potato based, and really delicious.
I typically cook my matzo balls in homemade chicken stock for the best flavor. You can also use boxed chicken broth, water flavored with bouillon, or simply salted water. I do prefer using something with more flavor than water.
Of course, if you’re not a matzo ball fan, feel free to make this chicken soup into something completely original by adding your own favorite ingredients. The possibilities are endless!
Recommended Products:
Matzo Ball Soup
Ingredients
Chicken Soup Ingredients
- 4 pounds whole chicken (use a whole chicken, or a mixture of white and dark meat chicken pieces – must be bone in, skin on)
- 2 pounds celery stalks, cleaned
- 1 pound carrots, peeled
- 1 yellow onion, skin on, rinsed clean
- 2 ounces fresh parsley (one large handful), rinsed clean
- 1.5 ounces fresh dill (one handful), rinsed clean
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 3 whole cloves (optional- do not add unless you like the flavor of cloves)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon sea salt or more to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon saffron threads (optional– adds a rich yellow color and depth of flavor to the broth; only use high quality expensive saffron, the other kind has no flavor)
Matzo Ball Recipes (choose one)
- 1 batch Floater Matzo Balls
- 1 batch Sinker Matzo Balls
- 1 batch Gluten Free Matzo Balls
Instructions
To Make Chicken Soup
- I've created very specific instructions here, but once you've made this soup a time or two, you'll see that this whole process is very flexible. Making chicken soup "your own" is part of the fun, so use whatever process and ingredients work best for you!I typically add celery and onion as the main vegetables when cooking my soup stock, though you can add carrots too. I prefer adding carrots at the end of cooking, to avoid the stock becoming overly sweet – we prefer a more savory broth. I highly recommend putting in fresh vegetables after the chicken stock is cooked; they'll be much more flavorful that way (otherwise they tend to be mushy and boring). For the first pound of celery, cut it into large 1-inch chunks (you can include any celery leaves as well).
- The rest of the celery and the carrots (which will end up in the finished soup that is served) should be sliced no thicker than 1/2 inch, with larger stalks and carrots halved lengthwise before cutting into chunks. The uniform size will ensure the pieces cook quickly and evenly. Reserve. (By the way, these veggies are optional – some people like their chicken soup without any vegetables.)
- If using saffron, crush the saffron threads in a mortar and pestle until pulverized to powder. Note: saffron adds a depth of flavor and a deep golden color to the broth, but true saffron (the only kind with flavor) is very pricey. It's got a very nice, but distinctive, essence, so don't add it unless you know you'll enjoy it. The soup will be delicious with or without it.
- Remove the root end of the onion, then slice the whole onion into two halves. Leave the skin on, but make sure it is rinsed clean.
- If using a whole chicken, make sure any gizzards that might be hidden inside are removed (they'll make the stock murky and cloudy). Place the chicken into a 10 quart or larger stock pot. Cover with 5 quarts (20 cups) of water.
- Bring water to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce to an even simmer. Let the chicken simmer for 10-15 minutes, skimming the foam and particles that rise to the surface of the water periodically, until most of the foam is gone.
- Replenish the liquid that was removed during scumming with hot water (it's usually around 1-2 cups).
- Do a final skimming to remove any leftover foam. Add the first pound of celery (the larger pieces), onion, parsley (unchopped), 2/3 of the dill (unchopped), peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaves to the pot. Add 1 tablespoon of sea salt to the water (if you're salt sensitive or using a kosher salted bird, you may wish to salt less). Bring back to a simmer. From this point on, it's important not to let the soup come to a rolling boil. A slow and even simmer is best – if the soup boils quickly, the broth may become cloudy.
- If you are adding the saffron, add it to the pot now. Spoon a little of the hot water from the pot into the mortar, stir, then pour it out to make sure you get every bit of saffron into the pot.
- Put the lid on the pot and vent it. Reduce heat to medium low so the soup is slowly simmering. Let the soup cook for roughly 90 minutes.
- Test for doneness by pulling the leg from the chicken. It should easily separate, showing that the chicken has become quite tender. If not using a whole chicken, stick a fork into one of the dark meat pieces to see if it flakes tenderly. When chicken is ready, turn off the heat. Use a pair of tongs to carefully pull the chicken from the broth (it may fall apart into pieces as you pull it out – that's a good sign!). Put it on a plate or in a bowl.
- Allow the chicken and the broth to cool down for 20-30 minutes, until the pot handles are cool enough to touch and lift. Carefully strain the broth into another pot or large bowl (6 quart) through a mesh strainer. Discard the celery and onion (which will be very mushy and flavorless at this point), spices, herbs, and onion halves. If you used a bowl here, clean the pot and add the strained stock back to the pot again – it will need to cook a little longer.
- Note: When the soup is completely cool, you can skim the fat from the top of the broth if you want to– it will come off in a gel-like layer (this is the "schmaltz"). I actually don't like to skim the fat; those droplets on the surface make the broth silky and give it flavor.
- Pull the meat from the chicken bones into bite-sized pieces.
- Now is the time to add the reserved fresh sliced veggies to the pot (1 pound celery, 1 pound carrots). Bring the broth to a simmer – not a boil – and let the vegetables cook for 20-30 minutes until tender. (If you're not adding additional veggies, just skip ahead to the next step).
- Remove stems from the remaining fresh dill and chop it up.
- Stir the cooked chicken pieces and the dill into the soup with the vegetables, and simmer for a couple of minutes more. Taste the chicken broth and season with additional salt, if desired.
To Make Matzo Balls
- This recipe is for the chicken soup that is served with matzo balls. You'll want to make the matzo balls separately, then serve this soup together with the matzo balls. I recommend one of these three recipes for the matzo balls – floaters, sinkers, or gluten free. Follow the links for each specific process.
- I generally cook my matzo balls in homemade chicken stock in a separate pot. Technically you can cook matzo balls (or kreplach or noodles or whatever) directly in the soup broth, but it will soak up a lot of the yummy stock, leaving you with very little broth for serving. If you prefer to cook your starch of choice directly in the soup, do so before you add the reserved vegetables and chicken pieces – just know you'll be left with very little broth for serving.
- Serve individual portions of soup ladled over the matzo balls. I usually add about 1.5 cups of soup per bowl, and 2 matzo balls per serving (depending on the size of the matzo balls).
NOTES
Nutrition
tried this recipe?
Let us know in the comments!
Your soup sounds delicious! This is my first time making it and I have to make enough for 23 people as a starter. Could you please tell me how to adjust the recipe for this large group? Thanks so much
Hi Jane, probably your best bet is to make multiple batches of stock separately from the matzo balls. You can make the stock ahead and freeze it, then thaw/reheat the day of the meal. Make a large pot of stock just for the matzo balls for best flavor. I always err on the side of making more than you think you need, some people end up making a meal of the soup alone because they love it so much. Hope that helps!
Wow! Thanks so much for the quick response. I just made it for my family and it was a big hit! Thanks again!
So happy to hear that Mab! 🙂
I can’t wait to make this soup, looks delicious! I’m new to making soup stocks, am I supposed to throw out the bag of giblets or cook them with the chicken? Thanks for your help!
Mab, the giblets will make the stock cloudy so don’t cook them with the stock. I usually reserve them in the freezer for stuffing, or I cook them up for my dogs. 🙂
Soup was delish, my matzo balls exploded though so it was just plain chicken soup for me! Lovely richly flavored broth. If I had to change anything I’d actually just add cracked pepper because I couldn’t taste any despite adding a whole tbsp of peppercorns!
Glad you liked the soup! But your matzo balls exploded?? Cooked them too long maybe? I sometimes add some freshly ground black pepper if I’m in a peppery mood, the peppercorns just give it some depth but don’t add a lot of peppery flavor. 🙂
My pregnant daughter had a craving for a great Matzo Ball Soup and this was so perfect that it made her cry. I did end up adding extra salt and dill at the end for I too love dill. Thank you for the posting a and I love your blog!!
So great to hear that Tina! Congrats on your daughter’s pregnancy!
Hi Tori,
I am making chicken soup for myself to enjoy after my surgery and I return home from the hospital. I noticed in the blogs that you can freeze the broth, is it possible to freeze the chicken, carrots, onion and celery in the broth? Thanks.
Hi Sandy– absolutely. You may want to undercook the vegetables just a bit, as they soften upon reheating. No big deal, they’ll just be tender, but if you want them more hearty/solid you may not cook them quite as soft before freezing. Enjoy, and wishing you a speedy recovery!
I’ve frozen chicken soup many times, and it is just OK. The vegetables, already soft from cooking, will end up even mushier after thawing. What I would suggest, if you want to freeze the soup, is to serve the already cooked vegetables as a side dish, and freeze only the broth. Then, when you thaw it, you can slice up new celery and carrots and boil in the broth until tender…about 15 minutes. You’ll end up with what tastes like fresh-made soup, with vegetable that are tender, without being mush.
I’ll make some today. Can’t wait!
I have made your recipe several times now…it is so good! It is a fun recipe to play with…adding different vegetables, using egg noodles, matzo or both! Thank you for sharing this!
You’re welcome Holly! 🙂
Hello Tori,
Thank you so much for your wonderful website and for all your wonderful recipes.
Question: I am shopping for a large stock pot – do you have a particular brand or material (stainless steel, aluminum core, etc) that you prefer or would recommend?
Thank you
Hi Joy! I don’t have a particular brand to recommend. Mine is All Clad but it was expensive, and I honestly think you don’t need to spend so much on a stock pot. I bought mine because it had a wire mesh insert, which seemed like a good idea at the time (makes straining soup easier), but over time it’s proven a real pain to clean… the herbs and veggies get stuck in those little mesh grates. As long as you get a solid stainless steel pan you’ll be in good shape. I also recommend buying a large stock pot, especially if you entertain or have family dinners often… to get a great stock you need to simmer it for a long time to reduce it, which means starting off with a lot of liquid to get a descent amount of stock in the end. Think big. Hope that helps!
Hi ladies
I am a sepheradim woman. I had never eaten any of matzo balls until I left my native land and settle in America. All what we use to eat is the regular chicken soup with matzo that grand ma and my mam use to cook. We use to crack our
Matzo and dip the spoon in the bowl and scoop some and eat them that all. For the previous month of the Passover my grand ma use to clean and clean and clean all the house with maids Until the night come of this holiday. no dairy, except milk, no yogurt, no beans, no Baking powder. no baking soda
either. I thought to let you know about our non eshkenazi
Pesah.
and we sit at the table.
Oh my goodness! I just made this today and both picky toddler, and hubs, gave it 2 thumbs up. The broth is just beautiful, and the saffron is just that perfect thing to add depth to the color and flavor. Thank you so much for sharing. 🙂
Great to hear that Melissa! 🙂 Especially happy that picky toddler liked it too.
Need recipe for chicken kreplach My mother used to make then and have not been able to come close to her kreplach thanks
Hi Terry, here is my recipe: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2012/03/chicken-kreplach/
Hi, Tori!
I love your blog and reading about the history of food. Your step by step instructions and pictures make it so easy to follow. This is a great chicken soup recipe and very similar to mine, which was handed down from my grandmother to my father to me. We add parsnip, whole, and lift it out when the soup is finished. I am a floating matzoh ball lover and use seltzer for lightness and a good pinch of nutmeg for flavor–that was my bubbeh’s secret ingredient!
Thank you Beth! I’ve tried the nutmeg in the matzo balls before, it’s a nice touch 🙂
My wife makes a great chicken and matzah ball penicillin soup – I like to add small pieces of boiled potato to it and with carrot and celery it is meal on its own.
My grand children called it ball soup…we all love it…..
Yum
looks wonderful .. thanks for sharing .. 🙂
yumma
The best remedy ever !
I need a sweetie to make me this.