During the Jewish holiday of Passover, some people love to make sinker matzo balls. There is an ongoing debate in the Jewish community at this time of year – which are better, floaters or sinkers? It really comes down to what style of matzo ball you enjoyed growing up. And of course, a delicious matzo ball soup recipe is key – matzo balls and chicken soup are made for each other. If you’re looking for a hearty, pleasantly chewy, flavorful sinker matzo ball recipe, this is the one for you!
Just because a matzo ball sinks doesn’t mean it has to be tough or leaden. My sinker matzo ball recipe produces lovely sinkers with terrific texture. They’ve got bite to them, but they’re not overly heavy. Pleasantly chewy might be the best way to describe them. Some people prefer this style of matzo balls, because they are heartier and tend to have a flavor that lingers. If your bubbe made this style growing up, chances are you love it, too!
If you’re looking for a sinker that you can sink your teeth into, read on. I used to be a floater girl, but after enjoying these beauties, I am on the fence. They are less likely to fall apart than fragile floater matzo balls, so you can cook them for longer periods of time. I can imagine these would also be wonderful in slow cooked stews, or as a substitute for chicken and dumplings.
If you need an irresistible chicken soup recipe to cook your sinker matzo balls in, check out my homemade matzo ball soup recipe.
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Sinker Matzo Balls
How to make sinker-style matzo balls for Passover from scratch using a few simple ingredients. Includes link to my favorite chicken soup recipe. Kosher for the Jewish holiday of Passover.
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Email Me RecipesServings: 14 servings
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup matzo meal
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (optional)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 1/2 tablespoons melted schmaltz (you may substitute avocado oil or safflower oil)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
- 3-4 quarts soup broth or salted water (broth will give the matzo balls more flavor)
NOTES
For the chicken soup recipe to accompany these matzo balls, check out my matzo ball soup recipe.
You will also need: 6 quart stock pot with tight-fitting lid, medium and small mixing bowls, plate.
Notes: Make sure you measure ingredients carefully, and be sure to use two large eggs in this recipe. The batter should be thick and somewhat dry, but not overly crumbly. If you want to make more matzo balls than the recipe suggests, it will work best to make separate batches, rather than doubling or tripling ingredients in one single batch. If you don’t wish to use schmaltz (liquid chicken fat), any mild flavored Passover-friendly oil will work here. I prefer the flavor of schmaltz, and would recommend avocado oil as my favorite alternate oil for its mild flavor and healthy qualities.
Serving Size & Nutritional Information: Makes about 14 matzo balls, roughly .9 oz each. Serving size is 1 matzo ball for nutrition calculation purposes (people tend to add different amounts of matzo balls to their soup – I typically add 2 to 3 per serving). Nutrition calculated assuming half a quart of broth is soaked up by the matzo balls during cooking. I am not exactly sure how much broth is absorbed – this is a very rough estimate. If you’re on a special diet, please double check with a nutritionist. To lower sodium content, use low sodium broth for cooking the matzo balls.
If you don’t have chicken stock or broth on hand and don’t want to make a batch, you can make do with a simple water stock made with 5 quarts of water, 1/4 tsp saffron threads (choose an expensive brand, the cheap ones have no flavor), and kosher salt. Crush the saffron in a mortar/pestle, then add the powder to the pot of water – swirl a little water into the mortar to make sure you get all the saffron into the pot. Add kosher salt (start with around 2 tsp). Bring pot of water to a simmer, taste, and add more salt to taste – it should be pleasantly salty. Remember, this liquid will be soaked up by the matzo balls, so you want it to have some flavor. Feel free to add aromatic herbs to the water in a cheesecloth bundle (thyme, bay leaf, and oregano are nice). A garlic clove can enhance the flavor as well. Use this liquid to simmer your matzo balls. It won’t be as flavorful as chicken stock, but it will give your matzo balls a lot more “oomph” than simple salted water – plus they’ll take on a nice yellow hue.
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, use a fork to mix together the matzo meal, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper.
- In another bowl, use another fork to mix together the eggs and schmaltz.
- Pour egg mixture into the dry ingredients, and add the minced dill. Mix all ingredients together with a fork until just combined. Do not over-mix. The batter may feel thicker and drier than you're used to – this is intentional, and part of achieving the right sinker texture. However, the mixture should not be too crumbly (especially if you use two large eggs, as described in the directions). The mixture will continue to moisten and come together in the refrigerator. If you feel it is overly dry and crumbly, you may add a bit of water by the teaspoonful – only add enough until the mixture comes together.Put the bowl of matzo ball mixture into the refrigerator and let it rest for 45 minutes.
- There are two ways to cook your matzo balls– in boiling salted water, or in the soup broth. You may wish to cook them in boiling salted water if you are feeding a large crowd; the matzo balls will soak up some of the broth, which will make for less servings of soup. I prefer to cook them straight in the broth so they soak up the chicken flavor. You may end up with less broth, but your matzo balls will taste amazing. You can also use boxed chicken broth, or water and bouillon, if you're worried about reducing the broth in your soup. Or you can use my quick saffron stock, which is outlined in the notes section of this recipe.For my favorite chicken soup recipe for these matzo balls, click here. Bring your 3-4 quarts of soup broth or salted water to a boil over medium heat.
- While your broth or water is warming, form the chilled matzo ball mixture into 1 inch balls. Don't overwork the mixture when you roll the balls.
- When your broth or water boils, lower it to an even bubbling simmer and drop the matzo balls gently into the liquid.Cover the pot with a lid and let the balls cook for about 35 minutes, until cooked through.Remove the pot lid.
- Serve two or three matzo balls per bowl with hot chicken soup ladled over them.If you don’t plan on serving the whole pot of soup at one sitting, make sure you remove the matzo balls from the broth and let them come to room temperature before storing them in a separate container. If left to sit in the broth, they may become mushy. It's less likely to happen with sinkers – but to maintain that just-cooked texture, it's best to store them separately.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Sinker Matzo Balls
Amount Per Serving
Calories 63
Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Trans Fat 0.003g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 29mg10%
Sodium 187mg8%
Potassium 19mg1%
Carbohydrates 7g2%
Fiber 0.2g1%
Sugar 0.3g0%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 113IU2%
Vitamin C 0.04mg0%
Calcium 5mg1%
Iron 0.4mg2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Thank you Tori for your matzoh ball sinker recipe. My mom and I also made sinkers and everyone would comment how they could substitute for a bouncing ball LOL! I even used to make tiny balls to tuck into carrot tzimmes. Anyway, I lost the recipe and all I could find were recipes for cloud-like balls. I’ve missed my sinkers and now can once again make my favorite holiday food!
These are sheer amazing. I covered them with leftover gravy from my Jägerschnitzel. These would even do alright as a dumpling sub for chicken and dumplings.
Scratch that, a sub for biscuits and gravy. Oh man I’m gonna get in trouble. Do you think possibly we could turn these into bread pudding?
Matzo ball pudding… now there’s a great idea!
Loved how these turned out! I’ve always been into the floaters but they’re so much less common!
Absolutely delicious! The perfect “Sinker Matzo Ball Soup” this Passover! Five stars!
Can I store the y cooked but muxed matzo ball mixture in refrigerator for couple of days days before making the actual balls and cooking?
Should be fine as long as it’s tightly covered.
I’ve kept matzoh meal in my cupboard and finally decided to make authentic matzoh ball soup. I rendered the chicken fat, mixed it with the eggs, and got out the matzoh meal…only to find it had gone bad! Do you think panko bread crumbs would be an acceptable substitution?
Hi Diane– goodness, that’s a great question and unfortunately I don’t have the answer. Panko is light and crispy, matzo is more dense. I’m not sure about using it as a direct sub for matzo. It may work but wouldn’t want to recommend it without first testing it myself.
Everybody’s mother makes the best matzos ball soup in the history of the universe, but my mother actually did. i have tried other matzos ball soup made with sinkers and floaters and none come even close. My mother’s matzos balls were radical–she used matzos in addition to matzos meal. she also made oxtail soup rather than chicken broth. way better. everyone who ever tried her matzos ball soup said it was the best. she was even urged to go commercial. unfortunately i didn’t learn to make it myself and she never wrote down the recipe.
Thank you! I had only done box made in the past and they always fell apart and were way too mushy. This recipe is perfect! Exactly how my grandpa would make it 🙂
Can I substite oil for chicken fat? Coconut oil? How muc
Hi Marilyn, Tori’s assistant Ashley here! We haven’t substituted the chicken fat with oil in this recipe, so unfortunately I can’t advise with confidence. If you give it a try please let us know how it turns out!
olive oil is a great substitute. i don’t use extra virgin but you might
Ilene
What if you want to start with the mix and make a sinker? Love my matzo balls solid. Thanks.
Elyse, often the mixes contain baking powder, which will make them fluffy no matter what you do. Better to start with plain matzo if you’re looking for a true sinker. Good luck!
my sinkers floated and fell apart.. what did I do wrong?? I followed the recipe.
Francesca it sounds like you may have cooked them too long. If they overcook they absorb too much liquid and they will fall apart/float.
My family absolutely loved these! It’s only the forth day of Passover and I’m making my third batch. There is only 4 of us!! I lost my mothers recipe and these taste exactly like hers did. Thank you so much!
So happy you’re enjoying the recipe Nancy 🙂
Recipe great but how much in grams or ounces is an America
cup of matzo meal? Such receipes are so frustrating for us in the UK!!
i know it’s been years since you asked, but since Passover is coming up again and someone might be looking for the same answer, here you go!
http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/531168/cups-to-grams-converter
arnie – OMG!! i haven’t thought about helzel in (muffle muffle) years, let alone heard anyone say it. helzel always indicated the end of passover, just as lamb heralded the start. now i have to find a helzel recipe and scare the living daylights out of my two very grown children 😉
Haven’t you people ever heard of “kishka”??? YUM YUM
Made these for my dad and left out the dill and pepper, added a little nutmeg. He said they were just like he remembers from his childhood. Thanks and blessings.
Welcome to the sinker club! We always this kind during my childhood. All matzo balls are good, but sinkers are a little more special for me.
Love your sinker recipe Tori! I added some saffron to mine and the soup turned out fabulous!
Tori my dear I had no idea you could do floater and sinkers. I am learning so much today. Love it. Muah! xx
SHICKSALA, I ALSO MAKE SOMETHING EVEN YOU DO NOT KNOW ABOUT, ITS CALLED HELZEL. EVERY TIME I MAKE A WHOLE TSICKEN I MAKE A HELZEL.MADE THIS THE FIRST TIME FROM MEMORY WHEN I USED TO WATCH MY MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER MAKE THESE MICHELS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE A RESCIPIE LET ME KNOW
Arnie, dahling,
Would love the helzel recipe. My mother made matzo farfel hremsel in cupcake tins and I would love to figure out how she did it. Have a zeesen peysach…
I have never heard of either dish. I grew up only knowing a few words in yiddish + any jewish dishes I make, I had to come across the recipes on my own.
I would love your recipe for helzel. I would watch my grandmother make it, but I was very little and don’t recall the ingredients. I recall the great filling — it was not as spicy as the filling for commercially made kishke. Except for Pesach, I think she used cornflakes to make the filling. it was delicious but now is a lost recipe unfortunately. I hope you can bring back this lost recipe for me. Thank you.
No one had ever surpassed my mom’s matzoh ball soup – my dad and sister liked them light; my mom and I loved them heavy …what a dilemma!
Wished to goddess I’d written down the recipe but was too mesmerized by my mom as I sat at the Kitchen barstool chatting and watching her chop the eggs for the liver …Would love the helsel recipe !!
I’ve never tried a matzo ball…I’m thinking we will have to though. 🙂