Matzo Ball Soup
Matzo ball soup is a traditional Jewish soup, and it is my ultimate comfort food. Where most people would want chicken noodle soup when they are feeling sick or down, I immediately go for matzo ball soup instead. Matzo ball soup is usually prepared from a homemade chicken stock, so instead I use the vegan certified Better Than Bouillon “No Chicken” Base. In my opinion, this broth base is unlike other vegetable broths in taste, as it has WAY more flavor. You can find this base in many grocery stores, and almost all natural food stores.
This soup freezes very well, and the matzo balls keep for at least a week in the fridge.
I have a soup pot that I always use to make matzo ball soup, so I’m not sure about the exact measurements at the moment. Next time I make the soup, I will actually measure out my ingredients, and update this post :)
Ingredients for soup
Water
Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base
Carrots, skinned and sliced into smaller pieces
White onion, chopped into small pieces (not pictured)
Fresh dill (lots of it!)
Garlic cloves, minced
Black pepper
Ingredients for matzo balls
3 eggs
3/4 cup matzo meal (found in the kosher aisle)
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. melted butter
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Preparation
Whisk eggs in a medium sized mixing bowl until frothy.
Add the rest of the matzo ball ingredients except for the matzo meal, and mix thoroughly.
Slowly mix in matzo meal (1/4 cup at a time).
Cover mixing bowl with plastic wrap or tin foil and refrigerate for 45-60 minutes.
Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. This water is for boiling the matzo balls once they are formed, but it can take a while to boil this much water!
While the matzo balls are in the fridge, start making the soup.
Fill a large pot 1/2 way with water and bring to a near-boil.
Add the no chicken base to the hot water (exact amount as per instructions, 1 tsp/cup of water).
Bring to a boil, and add carrots, garlic, black pepper, and a few sprigs of dill.
Once carrots are soft (but not mushy!), remove the dill from the soup, and add the onion and the rest of the dill. Boil for an additional 5 minutes (or until onions are just barely crunchy).
Reduce heat to low.
After 45-60 minutes of chilling in the fridge, remove the matzo ball mixture.
Wet your hands, and form the matzo ball mixture into small balls. They will become considerably larger as they cook, so don’t make them too big!
Add matzo balls to boiling water (not the soup!) and boil for 20 minutes.
Remove one of the matzo balls from the boiling water, and cut it in half. If the inside is still darker than the outside, continue boiling for an additional 10 minutes. Keep checking the matzo balls until they are done (the inside may be slightly darker than the outside, but not by much).
Remove matzo balls from boiling water by using a large slotted spoon.
Dish yourself some soup, add as many matzo balls as you’d like, and enjoy!