Matzo Ball Soup (Kneidlach soup)
Overview
Matzo ball soup is a clear chicken soup with dumplings made from matzo meal, eggs and chicken fat. The dumplings, known in Yiddish as kneidlach, can be light and fluffy or dense and firm, a choice families argue about with affection. They are simmered in salted water or broth and served in a golden chicken soup with carrots and dill. It is a centrepiece of Passover meals and a fixture of Jewish delis in the United States, sometimes nicknamed 'Jewish penicillin'.
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History
Matzo balls come from the Ashkenazi Jewish communities of Central and Eastern Europe, where dumplings in soup were common and matzo was used during Passover. Jewish immigrants brought the dish to the United States, where delis made it famous. Today it is widely seen as one of the best-known dishes of American Jewish cooking. It is also served in diners and restaurants all year round.
Main ingredients
Chicken broth, matzo meal, eggs, schmaltz, carrot, dill. The soup is built on chicken broth and is usually served hot. Diet: contains meat; not usually gluten-free.
Recipe outline serves 4 · ~140 min
Ingredients
- 1 chicken, for broth
- 2 carrots, 1 onion, celery, dill
- 100 g matzo meal
- 2 eggs, 2 tbsp schmaltz or oil
- 2 tbsp broth or sparkling water
- salt, pepper
Allergens: Contains: Celery, Gluten, Eggs. Based on the typical recipe. Recipes and products vary; always check labels if you have an allergy.
Method
- Simmer the chicken with vegetables for 2 hours to make broth; strain.
- Mix matzo meal, eggs, fat, liquid and salt and chill for 30 minutes.
- Shape into balls and simmer in salted water for 30 minutes.
- Serve the matzo balls in the hot broth with carrot and dill.
Sources
Description, history and recipe written by SoupWiki and checked against the sources above. Calories and times are rough estimates.