Serves 6
240 min
Matzo Ball Soup
Recipe GLPRfa0b64056311d6
A classic Eastern European Jewish soup featuring tender homemade matzo balls (knaidel) in a rich, silky broth made from chicken, vegetables, and aromatic spices. The matzo balls are light and fluffy, made with eggs, matzo meal, and chicken fat, simmering in a savory broth infused with celery, carrots, onions, parsnip, turnip, and dill.
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Ingredients
1 large chicken, cut into pieces (about 4 pounds total, such as breasts, thighs, drumsticks, wings, necks, and backs)
4 stalks celery with tops, roughly chopped
3 to 4 carrots, roughly chopped
2 yellow onions, roughly chopped
1 small parsnip, roughly chopped
1 small turnip, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt (for broth)
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 star anise point
4 sprigs fresh dill
5 large eggs
4 tablespoons hot chicken broth or water
3 tablespoons chicken fat (schmaltz)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (for matzo mixture)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons matzo meal
5 quarts water for cooking matzo balls
4 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (for cooking water)
Directions
In a large 8-quart stock pot, combine the chicken pieces, celery, carrots, onions, parsnip, turnip, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, black peppercorns, and star anise. Add about 3 quarts of cold water to cover the ingredients. Place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil, skimming away any foam that rises to the surface.
Reduce the heat to low, partially cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer gently for 2 hours. The chicken should be tender and the broth aromatic and golden.
Add the fresh dill sprigs to the pot and continue simmering for an additional 45 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the broth cool to room temperature. Carefully strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the solids. Refrigerate the strained broth until chilled; any fat will solidify on the surface. Skim off the fat and reserve 3 tablespoons of it for making the matzo ball mixture.
In a large bowl, whisk together the 5 eggs, 4 tablespoons hot broth (or water), 3 tablespoons reserved chicken fat, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. While whisking constantly, slowly add 1/4 cup of the hot broth or water in a thin stream. Gently fold in the matzo meal until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the mixture, uncovered, for at least 1 hour.
In a large pot, bring 5 quarts of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Stir in 4 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt until dissolved. Remove the matzo ball mixture from the refrigerator. Wet your hands with cold water and gently roll about 2 tablespoons of the mixture between your palms to form a sphere, handling it lightly to keep the balls airy (they will more than double in size during cooking).
Carefully drop each formed matzo ball into the boiling salted water. Once all the balls are in the water, return the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pot tightly, and cook for approximately 40 minutes. The matzo balls are ready when they float to the surface, are puffed, and appear light and snowy white.
While the matzo balls cook, gently bring the reserved chilled broth to a simmer in a separate large pot over medium heat. When the matzo balls are fully cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the hot broth. Keep the soup warm until ready to serve. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh dill if desired.
