What is a Matzo Ball and Recipe

We will answer the questions of what is a Matzo ball, meal and what does it taste like. Then make our no fail homemade recipe to make them fluffy and add into a soup for an easy 30 minute dinner or serve as an appetizer.

So what is this anyway right?? Well if you have never had them, but curious as to what all the hype is about and how to make matzo balls we’re here to help! This is essentially a Jewish soup served at Seder with these “dumplings” inside a simple broth. You’ll love it! (affiliate links present)

What Are Matzo Balls Made of?

Made from a mixture of matzah meal, beaten eggs, water, and a fat they are simple. Matzah is a hard, cracker like bread made from a dough of only flour and water which has not been allowed to rise. These large pieces with holes in them you see here represents the unleavened bread Jewish people ate while fleeing Egypt.

Now there is a key to getting yours fluffy and not as dense too, baking powder is it. Including just a pinch will create the lightest “floater” style matzo ball soup you’ll ever taste and see. Alternatively carbonated water or seltzer with whipped egg whites may give you the same result, but the powder is just easier.

When is Matzo ball soup eaten? Traditionally this is made and eaten during the Passover holiday when flour is forbidden. Of course you can make and consume it year round but typically it is consumed during this time more than any other. Some insist on a bowl during Hannukah with our air fryer latkes but not the other way unless you used the meal instead of flour.

What is Matzo Meal?

What you are using here, and in every other base of other recipes, are Matzo crackers. You can see them above and can be found in a really big box at the store. These are essentially ground up into a fine meal which is then called a meal. The texture resembles a gritty wheat flour with a slightly darker color.

You can easily smash and grind it yourself at home but easier yet they sell it online here or at the grocery store often, especially around the Jewish holiday of Passover in April. There is often times a small display with gefilte fish and other Kosher items.

If you want to go super simple many times you can even find a ready made matzo ball mix where you just add water or something and then that is that. Add a large container of chicken soup and use the two for a cheater method of sorts. 😉

Matzo Ball Recipe Ingredients

First off you can omit the powder if you are against it or don’t have any on hand. I will say that there is a big difference in texture if left out.

1. Matzo flour or you can finely grind it yourself at home
2. Egg
3. Olive oil
4. 1/3 tsp salt and pepper
   • plus any other seasonings that you may enjoy
5. Baking powder will help them become fluffy

How to Make Matzo Balls from Scratch

You will need a bowl to incorporate all of the ingredients together into a dough of sorts. When you form them I suggest using a Tablespoon to scoop up a heaping amount. Use your hands brushed with some oil to roll into balls that are all the same size so they cook at the same rate.

• Combine ingredients; pour the ground matzo flour into a bowl, make a well in the center and add the egg.
• Add also olive oil, salt, pepper and baking powder.
• Knead until you get a firm dough.
• If the egg is small, you can add a little water if it feels a little too dry and can’t incorporate all the meal.
• With wet hands, form dough into balls 1-1 1/2 inches in diameter.
• Once you have your stock or bone broth made and it is at a low boil over medium heat add and cook / boil matzo balls for 5-7 minutes or so.

You could use boiling water too but then they won’t have much flavor. During this time they will increase slightly in size and swell showing you that they are puffing up, cooking and getting nice and fluffy.

What do Matzo Balls Taste Like?

If you have never bitten into one you might expect it to resemble a meatball or something, it’s not at all. I mean there isn’t any meat in it so there’s that to begin with….. If you had ever had a vegetarian version of those then that is closer, but not that either. It is literally just a light fluffy texture that breaks apart when bit easily that tastes like the broth it is in.

Essentially whatever your Matzah balls are boiled in that is what they will taste like. As they absorb the liquid in the pot they swell as you will notice and suck all of the flavors up. With that said season your homemade chicken broth well.

How to Make Matzo Ball Broth

There are two main ways to make the base for your soup, or just to cook these in. The easiest is to just use a package of it from the store, it can be found canned too. If you want to avoid all of the preservatives, just boil a whole chicken with salted water yourself. Drain, spoon off chicken fat and use that broth. Then use the protein however you’d like beyond that. Shredded chicken breast in your soup is great.

How many days in advance can I make matzo balls?

If you are prepping for a large gathering it is sure helpful to prepare anything you can the day before. You can certainly make the dough beforehand, store in a freezer bag without any air inside in the fridge. I wouldn’t do it longer than 24 hours before.

When ready sit on the counter for an hour, form into balls and you’re set! Broth can be made ahead of time and stored in mason jars in the refrigerator. You always want to make fried items like Sweet Potato Latkes fresh though since they don’t save well.

Variations you can make; vegetable oil can be used other than olive if you would prefer. You can just make a few. If you cut it into fourths with 1/4 cup meal then decrease everything else accordingly. If made outside of Passover it is great served with challah.