Floater Matzo Balls – Recipe for light, fluffy matzo ball soup dumplings for Passover or anytime!
Baking powder is the secret to really fluffy, light matzo balls. Before you jump on me about baking powder not being kosher for Passover, please read the full post.
For many years, I used Manischewitz matzo ball mix to make my matzo balls. It always cooked up so fluffy and light, and I really couldn’t replicate the texture when making it from scratch. One day, I studied the ingredients, and noticed sodium bicarbonate and monocalcium phosphate– both are the active ingredients in baking powder.
So, I started doing a little research. Turns out, baking powder is key to creating fluffy, light, “floater” style matzo balls. I’ve tried the carbonated water trick (some people say seltzer will help make a lighter matzo ball), but I never noticed a big different in texture. Baking powder makes all the difference.
Curious about how baking powder could be kosher for Passover? Baking powder is mineral based, not grain based, and therefore it does not fall under the banner of “chametz,” the group of foods that are banned for Passover. This issue has been discussed at length on kosher websites across the web. Joan Nathan wrote an article about it for the New York Times in April 2006. In her article, Rabbi Moshe Elefant, executive rabbinic coordinator and chief operating officer of the Orthodox Union’s kosher division, says: “There is nothing wrong about a raised product at Passover per se.” The Orthodox Union is the oldest and most widely accepted certifier of kosher foods.
If the OU doesn’t have a problem with certifying baking powder for Passover, neither do I. There are, in fact, several brands of kosher for Passover baking powder (like this one). Some choose not to use baking powder because they feel it doesn’t jibe with the spirit of the Passover holiday, since it is an artificial, non-grain-based form of leavening. Others have no problem using baking powder, as long as it has a kosher hechsher. No judgement here, every family is different.
Suffice it to say, the choice to use baking powder is a matter of tradition and preference. One thing is for sure, it definitely makes for lighter, fluffier matzo balls. If you’d rather not use it, try my Sinker Matzo Balls recipe– it’s also super yummy, producing tender matzo balls with a lovely texture and the same flavor as these floaters.
If you need a good chicken soup recipe to cook your matzo balls in, click here.
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Floater Matzo Balls
10 servings
15 minutes
1 hour
Meat
Description
How to make floater-style matzo balls for Passover from scratch using a few simple ingredients.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup matzo meal
- 1 tsp baking powder, if making for Passover use a Passover-certified kosher baking powder (see notes for details)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp white pepper (optional)
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tbsp melted schmaltz (or substitute grapeseed oil)
- 1 tbsp minced fresh dill (optional)
- 3-4 quarts soup broth or salted water
Recipe Notes
If making for Passover, use a kosher for Passover baking powder (like this one). Some choose not to use baking powder because it doesn't jibe with the "spirit" of the Passover holiday, since it is an artificial, non-grain-based form of leavening. Others have no problem using baking powder, as long as it has a kosher for Passover hechsher.
The choice to use baking powder is a matter of tradition and preference. If your tradition doesn't allow it, don't use it. You can make these matzo balls without it and they will still be great, just not as light and fluffy.
Instructions
In a small mixing bowl, use a fork to mix together the matzo meal, baking powder, 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 till just combined. Do not overmix.
Put the bowl of matzo ball mixture into the refrigerator and let it rest for 20-30 minutes.
There are two ways to cook your matzo balls-- in boiling water or in the soup broth. Cook them in boiling 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 a little less broth, but your matzo balls will taste amazing. You can always top the soup off with a little canned or boxed chicken broth, or water and bouillon, if you need to.
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 30-35 minutes till fluffy and soft. Keep the pot covered-- no peeking till 30 minutes have gone by! If you've followed instructions carefully, the balls should be floating on the surface of the water like billowy clouds of deliciousness.
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'll become mushy.
Thank you so much for your beautiful presentation and easy to follow pictures. Matzo balls were in my family via my Nanny, bless her beautiful soul. I neglected to watch the whole process, because I was a busy kid and teen who did things my own way. Regrettably, she never wrote down her recipes. So, thank you, thank you, my Nanny would be delighted to taste this soup. Happy Holidays to you and your family. Rochelle
Hi Tori, we have lived in a wondereful Hispanic neighborhood for 40 years. When I saw your wonderful recipe for matzo balls I had to laugh. My neighbor taught me the right way to make home made tortillas. You have to use real lard (sorry !) AND baking powder! I cannot make enough for my family…ALSO, for years my BUBBE did not let me in on her matzo ball recipe it was to be a secret until she died. Now I know it was baking powder!!! I am a retired chef and now enjoy teaching my Grandchildren and I use so many of your recipes!! Thank you for the tip. Traditions are great and need to be passed on with stories and laughter..Thank you, Kay Rosen Pickering
Great recipe, good results and nice tricks of the trade. Thanks a bunch.
The matzo ball soup was great! I used ground saltines in lieu of matzo. It turned out delish. Thank you!
Tried your floater recipe and loved it. Baking powder made all the difference. Thanks
Whipped the egg whites and fold them in. They will float in a second.
Shiksa here, recently married to a Jewish man, so this was my first attempt at Matzo Ball Soup, and I was nervous! My husband LOVED the Matzo Balls, and he is very knowledgable about food! Great recipe and so easy! I definitely would agree that they should be cooked in broth and not water, they were a big success, thank you!
Hi and thanks for the recipe! I thought I had made your matzo ball recipe before and loved them but the recipe as written above has no water in the ingredients or directions. Is that correct?? I’ve never made a matzo ball recipe without adding water or seltzer. They were too hard to even cut with the spoon after a half hour of cooking and another hour sitting in the broth. Did I miss something?? The flavor is delicious but the texture was way off. Thank you!
Hi Kim! Sorry to hear that. There has never been water or seltzer in this recipe. Texture issues can come from undercooking and from accidentally leaving out the baking powder. My guess is if they were hard it has to do with undercooking (sometimes it takes up to 35 minutes to get them cooked through), but the baking powder may also be the issue. I have been using this very recipe for close to a decade now and it has never failed me. Sorry you didn’t have better luck with it!
Thanks for the insight. I will definitely try again because the flavor is delicious!
Hi….I have had this issue with other recipes and I’m positive it has to do with the matzo balls not being added to sufficiently boiling water!! I have no idea why, but I have been so conscientious about making sure my wet ingredients are blended gently with a fork, added to dry ingredients…not over mixed, and making sure the soup is boiling prior to adding. Also, baking powder goes stale!! Even if its still in date, it goes stale quickly!! Give it another shot! Glad to hear recipe is good….making it today for my friends son who is not feeling great…and making extra for us for dinner!!!
I’ve been making knaidelach for years. Always looking for the right recipe/ratio to produce good balls. I’ve made a lot of mistakes from over beating my eggs which produced gold ball sinkers to having too dense of a mix. I learned to use soda water and baking powder to create the fluffiness like this recipe. But it took me years to figure it out…im an OCD cook with tough family critics so it’s important to get it right. This recipe is right on! Simple to make, good tasting dumplings with great texture. Made them for the crew and received my best reviews ever. If your just starting out or have been looking like I have then this is the right recipe. Thank you!
I am a 94-year-old home cook (male!) and have made matzo balls forever it seems. Mostly they turned out sinkers, but after trying your recipe for floaters last year (successfully), I made them again this year and they turned out just right. I made a small variation on ingredients: a dash of nutmeg and a dash of ginger and not as much pepper. My wife and I enjoyed them so much that I will make them throughout the year now and not just for chicken soup but for beef broth as well as other soups. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Thank You for the recipe. I made it for Passover Seder, and it was delicious.
My Fiancé Loved it. It was so yummy and easy to cook.
Thanks Again
Happy you enjoyed it Vilma!