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Matzo Ball Soup with chicken, carrots, celery, and egg noodles in a clear broth.

Matzo Ball Soup (Matzah Ball Soup)

Bree Hester
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 40 minutes
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine ashkenazi, comfort food, jewish
Servings 8
Calories 803 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 5-pound roasting chickens
  • 3 large onions unpeeled and quarted
  • 6 carrots unpeeled and halved
  • 4 stalks celery keep the leaves, they are the best part
  • 20 sprigs fresh parsley
  • 15 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 20 sprigs fresh dill
  • 1 head garlic unpeeled and cut in half
  • 2 Tablespoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
  • 7 quarts of water

To make the soup:

  • 4 cups carrots peeled and diced
  • 4 cups celery diced
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley
  • matzo ball mix and oil and eggs to make them (I usually do 2 balls per person)
  • salt and pepper
  • 8 ounces egg noodles (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Put everything in a very large stockpot. My pot has a strainer in it, it makes it very easy to get everything out of the pot when it is done cooking.
    Ingredients for Matzo Ball Soup: chicken, carrots, celery, parsley, dill, garlic, salt, and black peppercorns in a stockpot.
  • Cover with water.
    Covering Matzo Ball Soup stock ingredients with water in a large pot.
  • Bring the stock to a boil. Then simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Take two of the chickens out and let them cook slightly. Take the breast meat off of the chickens and save the meat for later. Put the chickens back in the pot. Let the stock simmer for another 3 hours.
    Chicken and vegetables simmering for matzo ball soup stock.
  • Not the prettiest picture, but you get the point. The stock will be very ugly looking, but that is okay. You are going to strain everything out of the pot and throw it away.
    Simmering chicken and vegetables in a pot for homemade soup or broth.
  • Let everything drain and throw away the vegetables and the chickens.
    Stainless steel colander and pot drying in kitchen sink for food prep or cleaning.
  • A layer of fat will rise to the top. Let the stock come to cool off and refrigerate overnight. The fat will solidify and it will be easy to remove when cold. Take the fat off and at this point it is ready to made into a soup. Or you can put it in smaller containers and freeze it.
    Cooled chicken stock with solidified fat for Matzo Ball Soup.
  • Make the matzo balls according to the directions on the box. Add the fresh parsley to the matzo balls.
    Adding fresh parsley to the matzo ball mix for Matzo Ball Soup in a white mixing bowl.
  • I use a small ice cream scoop to portion the matzo balls out (they really grown when they hit the soup) and let them sit while I get the soup ready.
    Portioning matzo balls for Matzo Ball Soup on a white plate.
  • In a large pot (I love using a Dutch oven to make soup) cook the carrots and celery in a few Tablespoons of oil and cook until soft. Add the chicken broth and chicken breast that you set aside, dill, and let simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
    Matzo Ball Soup simmering in a blue Dutch oven.
  • Cook the matzo balls in the soup until they are finished, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  • I like my matzo ball soup with egg noodles. I cook them separately and add them to my bowl right before I am going to serve it.
    Egg noodle package on a wooden surface with vegetables in the background.

Nutrition

Calories: 803kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 55gFat: 46gSaturated Fat: 13gSodium: 2114mgFiber: 6g
Keyword comfort food, jewish soup recipe, matzah ball soup, matzo ball soup, passover soup
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