Homemade matzo ball soup is to Jewish families what homemade pasta is to Italian families — a beloved tradition with countless variations passed down through generations. This version is my family’s favorite, and the way I love to serve it.
What Are Matzo Balls?
Matzo balls (or kneidlach if you’re Ashkenazi) are those delightful soup dumplings found floating around in chicken soup made with matzo meal, eggs, and fat (often chicken schmaltz). Because they are made with matzo (spelled 1000 different ways — ‘matza‘ or ‘matzah‘), they are traditionally enjoyed on Passover, the Jewish holiday where we refrain from eating leavened bread (anything containing yeast).
While you’ll spot matzo ball soup on countless deli menus year-round, it’s earned its nickname of “Jewish penicillin” for a reason — it’s comforting, restorative, and downright delicious.
When it comes to matzo balls, most people fall into one of two camps: floaters or sinkers. Floaters are light, airy, and tender enough to cut with a spoon, rising to the top as they cook. Sinkers are denser and firmer, with a heartier bite.
I’m firmly team floater, so that’s the style you’ll find in this recipe. If you prefer a more solid matzo ball, I’ve included tips below for adjusting the texture — but even so, these will stay wonderfully light.
Complete your Seder for Pesach with more easy Passover recipes, like my homemade matzo ball soup, my traditional charoset recipe, or this dense, fudgy flourless chocolate cake perfect for dessert!
Quick Ingredient Notes
The full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card below, but I wanted to highlight a few things that may raise a few eyebrows:
- On whipping egg whites: For the lightest matzo balls, whisk the egg whites separately until soft peaks form, then gently fold them into the mixture. Short on time? Skip this step — the texture will be slightly denser, but still delicious.
- Seltzer: This keeps the matzo ball mixture extremely light. Just try it!
- Matzo meal: If you’re unfamiliar, these are essentially breadcrumbs made from finely ground matzo.
- Schmaltz: This is simply rendered chicken fat. It’s a common ingredient in Jewish and Eastern European cooking. It’ll keep forever in a freezer, but feel free to substitute with duck fat, vegetable oil, or melted coconut oil.
My #1 Matzo Ball Soup Tip
Make the matzo balls separate from the chicken soup base.
The liquid used to cook matzo balls will turn cloudy, which can muddy the appearance of your soup. For a clear, golden broth, cook the matzo balls separately in water with bouillon or stock, then transfer them to bowls and ladle over your favorite chicken soup.
If you prefer more dense matzo balls, leave out the seltzer water, which helps to aerate the ingredients. You can also increase the matzo meal by ¼ cup for a firmer texture.
Chef-Tested Tips For Homemade Matzo Balls
- Chill before shaping: Refrigerate the mixture for 1–2 hours so the coarse matzo meal can fully absorb the liquid; otherwise, the balls will be dense.
- Keep hands moist: Dip your hands in water while shaping to prevent sticking.
- Size matters:Roll into golf ball–sized rounds (about 1½ inches) — they’ll puff up as they cook.
- Lower gently:Use a slotted spoon to place them in the cooking liquid to avoid splashing.
- No peeking: Resist lifting the lid during the 30-minute cook time; escaping steam can affect their texture.
Complete Your Seder with These Dishes
Once the matzo balls are cooked, serve in your favorite homemade chicken soup (my recipe is below!) with carrots, fresh dill, and a pinch of flaky sea salt.
If serving matzo ball soup as part of your Pesach dinner, consider serving with the following menu:
To Make Homemade Chicken Soup
Add the following to a large pot and cover with water: 1 bunch celery (cut into 3″ pieces), 6–9 large carrots (cut into 3″ pieces), 2 heads garlic (unpeeled, halved crosswise), 2 large onions (unpeeled, halved), 1 whole chicken, 1 Tbsp whole peppercorns, 2 dried bay leaves, and a small bunch of fresh parsley.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 3 hours. Strain the stock, discard the vegetables, and peel and shred the chicken. Return the chicken to the pot, adding extra sliced carrots if desired, and simmer until tender.
Quick tip: Leftover rotisserie chicken bones make excellent stock, too!
Matzo Balls vs Kneidlach
These are one and the same! Kneidlach is another name for the Ashkenazi Jewish soup dumplings. The more you know. 😉
I hope this soup brings your family just as much comfort as it does mine. Please be sure to leave a review and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below when you give it a try. It’s pure comfort in a bowl!
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Light As Air Matzo Ball Soup
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 quarts water
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 5 large eggs separated
- ½ cup plain seltzer cold
- 1 cup matzo meal
- 2 Tbsp schmaltz or duck fat
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped dill
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- 8-10 cups Homemade chicken soup see note below
Instructions
- Whisk the egg whites. Place the 5 egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, then whisk until soft peaks form.
- Whisk the egg yolks. In a separate bowl, whisk together 5 egg yolks with ½ cup cold seltzer, 2 Tbsp schmaltz, 1 Tbsp chopped parsley, 1 Tbsp chopped dill, 1 tsp Kosher salt, and 1 pinch of black pepper.
- Make the matzo ball mixture. Carefully fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture until just combined. Add 1 cup of matzo meal, then stir gently until thoroughly mixed. Cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or up to overnight.
- Warm the chicken stock. Place 3 quarts of water in a large soup pot with 1 bouillon cube, then bring to a gentle boil. Scoop about ¼ cup of batter at a time (using a small cookie scoop makes this easy), then with slightly wet hands, roll gently into a ball, about 1½ inches round. When ready, lower the heat of the stock to a gentle simmer, then use a slotted spoon to carefully lower each matzo ball into the stock. Repeat until all matzo balls are formed. Yields: 15-16 matzo balls.
- Simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 30 minutes. While it's tempting, do not remove the lid to check on the matzo balls before the timer goes off.
- Garnish, then serve. Transfer 1 or 2 matzo balls to each serving bowl, then serve with your favorite chicken soup. Garnish with additional parsley or dill.
Notes
- Serving size: Plan for 1–2 matzo balls per person, depending on what else is being served.
- Cooking liquid: You can use 2–3 quarts of chicken stock instead of water and bouillon for extra flavor.
- Make ahead: Prepare matzo balls 1–2 days in advance, then drain and store in an airtight container in the fridge. Handle gently — they’re delicate and can break if moved roughly.
- Reheating: Warm chicken soup on the stovetop over medium heat, adding cooked matzo balls directly to the pot. They should reheat in about 10 minutes.
- Leftovers (already in soup):Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Cool matzo balls completely, place in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and freeze until solid (about 2 hours). Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container (vacuum seal only after frozen to avoid crushing) and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, freeze matzo balls separately from soup.
- Thawing: Thaw overnight (or at least a few hours) before reheating in hot soup or stock.
The kneidlach recipe works really well!
But they’re hard to roll (because of the fluffiness) and get quite the lumpy shape. I’m used to rolling harder matzo balls so I’m used to getting pretty and round balls in my soup, these are not pretty but they are tasty. Will be trying again though, thank you for the recipe!
Hi Mina! Sorry to hear you had trouble rolling the matzo balls. Did you have a water on standby for wetting your hands as I recommended? That definitely makes things easier! I’ve been making these for years and haven’t experienced lumpy, so I’m wondering if that quick tip will help. Best, Ari