Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

the mama's (that's me!) matzoh ball soup

Recipe by
Katherine NonyaBeeswax
Shlebookieville, PA

This is MY creation -- one of my own Jewish recipes that I greatly embellished upon from the original version that my mother taught me. It is great for Shabbat, or Pesach, or any occasion really. Kosher Chicken is really important and much healthier: no fat striations, no added chemicals or preservatives, no hormones, free range.

yield 4 - 12
prep time 1 Hr
cook time 6 Hr
method Stove Top

Ingredients For the mama's (that's me!) matzoh ball soup

  • 2 c
    matzoh meal
  • 10-12
    egg whites + 2 yolks or...
  • ...(OR) 8 lg
    eggs
  • 2 - 5 qt
    chicken broth
  • 1 c
    chicken broth
  • 2/3 c
    butter, melted
  • 1 pkg
    baby carrots
  • 1 lg
    onion
  • 1 pkg
    celery, cut up into 2-3" sticks
  • 1 bunch
    fresh parsley, broken into sprigs
  • 1 pinch
    salt (to taste)
  • 1 - 2 pinch
    pepper, ground black (to taste)
  • 1 Tbsp
    garlic powder (to taste)
  • 1 Tbsp
    onion powder (to taste)
  • 1
    skimmed chicken fat from broth, set aside
  • 1
    cut up cooked pieces of chicken
  • 1 pkg
    mini egg noodles
  • 1
    chicken bones in a bag
  • 8 - 10 c
    plain water or broth for boiling the matzah balls

How To Make the mama's (that's me!) matzoh ball soup

  • 1
    Using real chicken bones adds a tremendous amount of flavor to the broth while it is simmering. They can be removed easily if first placed in a cooking bag prior to being added to broth. Chicken pieces and noodles are optional -- this is very personal in your preferences. I highly recommend ONLY kosher chicken as it does not have the fatty striations of non-kosher chicken and is much healthier for you overall. The recipe can be halved. I doubled it because we love our leftover soup!
  • 2
    VERY IMPORTANT: Beat eggs until very light and fluffy. ADD shortening (both butter and fat) to eggs and mix well.
  • 3
    WITH the small portion of broth, add the seasonings, then add this combination to the egg mixture. Beat again until eggs are fluffy.
  • 4
    Add matzoh meal gradually, and stir well. Set aside in a covered bowl in the frig for at least 1 hr.
  • 5
    While dough is thickening, prepare the soup broth & vegetables: On low heat, in LARGE soup pot, simmer the broth. Add cut up vegetables to broth and allow to simmer continuously. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder to taste.
  • 6
    While the vegetables are softening up in the broth, prepare the matzoh balls as follows: Remove from frig. Make LOOSELY held together 1 - 1.5" balls by hand. DO NOT PACK TIGHTLY INTO PERFECTLY SHAPED BALLS. Drop each ball into a separate pot of boiling water or chicken broth. Boil rapidly for 20 minutes. HOPEFULLY, the balls will float like balloons. (NOTE: Too much handling of the balls will cause them to become very heavy and dense, which is not a desired effect). Remove balls and place into seasoned broth that contains vegetables. Continue to simmer the soup.
  • 7
    Serve 1 - 2 balls plus vegetables and broth per person. You can refrigerate leftover soup easily.
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