Dr. Edelman makes a big batch of his famous Matzo Ball Soup once a year, complete with celery, carrots, onions, and pasta. His secret strategy (yes, secret soup strategy) for flavorful matzo balls is cooking them in chicken broth, not water. It’s a super soothing treat for chilly winter nights, even in San Diego when the arctic temps dip below 60.
Ingredients:
- 1 box (2 packets) Streit’s Matzo Ball Mix (you can use another matzo ball brand, but just make sure it’s NOT a matzo ball soup mix)
- 4 eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2-3 cups chopped carrots (I use a little bag of mini carrots and cut them in half – the amount depends on how much you like carrots)
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped (with or without the leaves, depending on your taste)
- 4 32oz boxes of chicken broth (the amount of broth is up to you – you can use less of you like a heartier soup, and you can always add more if you want to thin it out later)
- 3 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base
- 1/2 lb DeCecco little pasta or any little pasta (any little pasta you want, and it really depends on how much pasta you want to include)
- 2-3 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken (the amount you add depends on your personal preference)
Directions:
- Cook pasta according to directions on box and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, add the eggs and vegetable oil and stir together with a fork. Add both packets of matzo ball mix, stir thoroughly and put in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- In a large stock pot, add the carrots, onions, celery, broth and Better Than Bouillon. Cook on med-high heat until the vegetables are soft.
- Remove the veggies with a slotted spoon (or strain them out) and put them aside.
- Bring to the broth to a near boil.
- Take the matzo ball mixture out of the fridge. Scoop a portion out with a spoon, and with your hand, make a ball The box says about the size of a walnut, but you can vary the size. You can make them small, medium or large. Drop them into the near boiling broth. Once all the balls are in the broth, simmer for 30 min. (box says lid on) (may need more time the larger the ball). When you first put them in the broth, they float, when they start to sink that’s when they’re cooked all the way through.
- When the balls are done, slowly and gently add in the vegetables, cooked pasta, and any chopped cooked chicken as desired.
How about a kidney-friendly (ie- really low sodium) version?
You can use low sodium chicken broth – that’s where most of the salt comes from, and do not put in the Better Than Bouillon. You can always spice up the broth with low/no-sodium spices like Mrs. K’s:
https://www.mccormick.com/articles/mccormick/low-sodium-seasoning-guide-to-using-less-salt
htts://www.karlsburger.com/products/seasonings-blends/mrs-ks-17-blend-seasoning-salt-free/
I see you jazz up the boxed broth with Better Than Bullion, but what’s even better is jazzing up better than bouillon!
Try this:
Add 2 tbsp to 3 qts water. Then saute in a large soup pot 1lb ground chicken, 1c chopped onions, 1/2 c chopped carrots, 1 stalk chopped celery until chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Then add water and BtB mixture along with a couple of bay leaves and 2tsp Morton’s table salt (or 4 tsp diamond kosher salt), reduce to medium low and cover. You can even poach a bone in chicken breast in the soup as you gently bring it to a boil over medium low for the first 30 minutes. After 30 minutes you remove the lid and take out and reserve the chicken breast (keep it for later to add back to the soup) and cook uncovered for 20 more minutes. Then strain the broth, making sure to press out as much as possible from the mash.
Infusing the BtB with ground chicken and veg really gives it a homemade flavor, almost as good as bubbe’s soup.
Yum! Sounds great – thanks Adam!
Thank you! I love matzo ball soup!
Thanks for sharing this! I wonder if you’d provide the nutrition profile?
With the Better than Bouillion, & depending on which boxed broth one chooses, this could be VERY high sodium.
Which is your favorite brand?
Have you ever used homemade chicken broth? (I make it regularly-organic chicken backs & no salt. I de-fat it. Amazingly favorful).
Eager to try it ♡.
Will have to try the homemade broth sometime. I don’t have a favorite boxed broth brand but you can always choose a low-sodium option. Still so good! We’ll get the estimated nutrition info online soon.
I can’t wait to try out this recipe.
I use soda water in my matzo balls and they become super fluffy because of the carbonation and not extra carbs!
Ooh! Great idea!