Matzo Ball Soup for Anytime!
Matzo ball soup is the customary start of the Passover Seder during the week long celebration of the Jewish holiday of Passover. In our family, matzo ball soup was on our menu weekly dinner meal and part of any holiday.
Chicken matzo ball soup has been touted for centuries to help the body repair itself from a cold or other ailments. The heat of the soup, the hydration from the the extra liquid, and the carbohydrates of the matzo balls together provides powerful chemical properties toward good health and wellness! (So our Grandma told us. 😊)
The “ultimate cure” for anything that ails you, it’s Jewish penicillin, as the matriarchs called it.
Here is our grandmother’s famous recipe that is made lovingly throughout the year. Give it a try … it’s not your store bought boxed matzo ball soup, for sure!
To Healthy Cooking and Eating,
Melissa
Grandma Rosie’s Chicken Matzo Ball Soup
Equipment
- 2 Dutch oven 8+ quarts for soup and 6-8 quart pot for making matzo balls.
- Emulsifier blender, regular blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 whole Chicken OR ¾ lb drumsticks ¾ lb wings, giblets – 1-2 lbs optional (omit this step if vegetarian/vegan)
- 2-3 quarts Water
- 7-8 tsp Chicken broth Better than Bullion, or chicken bullion equivalent. If vegetarian/vegan, use vegetable broth or No Chicken broth.
- 4 whole Parsnips
- 4 whole Carrots
- 6 stalks Celery
- 2 large Yellow or Sweet Onions
- 2 large Leeks
- 4 sprigs Dill or more to taste
- ¼ cup Parsley lightly chopped
- 2 tbsp Fresh or minced garlic or more to taste
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring the water or broth of your choice to a boil in the large pot.
- After cleaning chicken parts under cold water, add to boiling water or broth.
- Clean & prepare vegetables to go in the soup.
- Cook chicken on medium heat for approximately 30 minutes before adding all the vegetables. If you are omitting the chicken, just add the vegetables directly into the boiling broth, lower heat to a low heat or simmer.
- Cook on low heat for 45 minutes until all veggies are soft.
- Remove all veggies from the soup and allow both the broth and the veggies to cool overnight.
- If you used chicken, skim the chicken fat from surface. Remove chicken.
- Using an emulsifier or blender or food processor, blend the carrots and parsnip, include some of the leeks and celery then dill and parsley. Shoot for a dull orange color.
- Add the pureed veggies back into the soup broth, blend to a desired consistency and color.
- Add back the pieces of chicken.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add more water or broth to reach the desired thickness.
- Make the Matzo Balls
- Prepare matzo balls as instructed on the package.
- Refrigerate for 15 min.
- Boil water in a large pot.
- Once the matzo mixture is ready – roll into 1" or so balls.
- Add all of the rolled balls into the boiling water, lower heat, and cover tightly for 30-40 min.
- Once they are done, add to the Dutch oven pot of the chicken soup and enjoy!
