By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 2
352 cal · 230 min
Basic Matzo Ball Recipe
Recipe GLPRa1488ae211174a
Traditional Jewish matzo balls made with eggs, matzo meal, and chicken fat, featuring sautéed onions and fresh parsley. The mixture is chilled before forming into tender, fluffy balls that are simmered in boiling water until cooked through. Perfect for serving in chicken soup or as a traditional main course.
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Ingredients
2 Eggs
3 tablespoons Melted chicken fat (schmaltz)
1 cup Matzo meal
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
⅜ cup Water
1 Onion, chopped
1 tablespoon Fresh parsley, chopped
Directions
Heat the chicken fat in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until the onion becomes translucent and softened, about 5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, crack and beat the eggs together until well combined.
To the beaten eggs, add the matzo meal, kosher salt, and chopped fresh parsley. Mix until just combined.
Add the sautéed onions and chicken fat to the matzo meal mixture and stir well to incorporate all ingredients.
Pour in the water gradually, stirring as you add, until the mixture reaches a stiff, cohesive batter consistency.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 2 to 4 hours, or overnight if possible, to allow the matzo meal to fully absorb the liquid and the flavors to develop.
Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Lightly wet your hands with cool water to prevent sticking.
Using a spoon or small ice cream scoop, carefully form the chilled matzo mixture into balls approximately 1 to 2 tablespoons in size. Gently place each ball into the boiling water.
Once all matzo balls are in the water, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil and cook for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, carefully remove one matzo ball and cut it in half lengthwise to check that the interior is cooked through and no uncooked batter remains in the center. If needed, continue cooking for a few more minutes and retest.
Once cooked through, use a slotted spoon to transfer the matzo balls to a serving vessel. Serve warm in chicken soup or as desired.
Comments
Schmaltz is the real obstacle here—it's not a standard shelf item at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Publix, Walmart, ALDI, or Kroger banners in Charlotte, and hunting it down adds a special trip or requires making it yourself from chicken fat, which adds another hour. The remaining ingredients are universally available and inexpensive. At roughly $8–10 total for two servings, the cost-per-serving lands around $4–5, which is reasonable for a slow-cooked broth dish, but the 230-minute time is honest and accurate—there's no way around the simmering. This is a same-night dinner that doesn't reheat well (matzo balls get dense), so it's best for a leisurely meal when you're home, not a weeknight squeeze. The recipe is forgiving and feeds two generously, but Charlotte cooks without easy schmaltz access should factor in either a kosher market trip or the time to render their own fat.
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