Vegan Matzo Ball Soup
Updated September 8, 2020
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- 1¼ hours, plus chilling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
FOR THE MATZO BALLS
1 cup matzo meal
¼ cup potato starch
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger, or to taste
1 teaspoon minced fresh dill
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
Kosher salt and black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
¾ to 1 cup chickpea cooking liquid (from home-cooked chickpeas or about two 15-ounce cans, preferably low-sodium)
FOR THE BROTH
8 cups vegetable broth
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
½ kohlrabi, peeled and diced
1 leek, white and light green parts only, cleaned and diced
1 yellow or white onion, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper
Lots of chopped fresh herbs (such as dill, cilantro, parsley or basil), for serving
Zhug or harissa, for serving (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
23 grams carbs; 1 milligram cholesterol; 226 calories; 10 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 14 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 1078 milligrams sodium; 3 grams protein; 3 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Make the matzo balls: In a medium bowl, mix the matzo meal, potato starch, parsley, cilantro, ginger, dill, nutmeg, baking soda and baking powder with 2 teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the olive oil and enough chickpea liquid to make a slightly sticky mixture that’s not too wet or loose, about the texture of oatmeal. (The matzo meal will absorb lots of the liquid.) Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
- Step 2
Make the broth: In a large pot, bring the broth to a boil. Add the carrots, celery, kohlrabi, leek, onion, olive oil and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer, covered, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 10 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Step 3
When the matzo mix is cold, return the broth to a low simmer. Dip your hands in cold water and form 1 ½-inch matzo balls, about the size of a large walnut. You should have about 20 matzo balls.
- Step 4
Carefully drop the matzo balls into the broth, cover and simmer without disturbing them until tender but firm, about 20 minutes. Divide among bowls. Garnish with lots of fresh herbs, and, if you want more punch to your soup, serve with some zhug or harissa.
Private Notes
Comments
This recipe was a hit last night, adding it to my repoirtoire. Added aquafaba to the matzo mixture until it formed into a sticky ball. Refrigerated mixture for about four hours due to prepping early, matzo balls kept their form in the soup when the time came.
This did not work AT ALL. They fell apart in the water and it just ended up as a goo at the bottom of the pot. I think if you added only the fluid in the chickpeas it might work but I added more water in order to make it the texture of oatmeal as the recipe says, but in reality it should be the texture of concrete before cooking. So maybe try only adding no more than 1 cup of fluid and see what happens, even if it feels like dry concrete before cooking.
Excellent flavor. Loved the ginger. I found the aguafaba thickened the broth slightly, a little like a Chinese egg drop soup. I liked this, but I imagine the matzo balls could be cooked separately and then dropped in to keep the broth clear. If you subbing a gluten free matzo meal that contains starch, I'd drop the potato starch in the recipe to avoid a gummy texture.
We’ve made this a few times now, and I can’t get desirable matzo balls from this recipe—it reminds me of the goopy southern chicken & dumplings dumplings that aren’t like biscuits but more like a thick goo. I know the eggs make a big difference, but it’s still a bummer to me (I’ve developed an egg sensitivity, and can’t handle them). The broth is delicious (although I always sauté the veggies first).
made just the 'balls' in salted water; and the balls disintegrated just enough that the water turned into a delicious broth; that my vegan friend took seconds of! (and took the rest of the broth home) (made sure to keep it at a simmer)
Since the formation of the state of Israel, many have blended the rules. The conservative movement allows the eating of kitniot during Pesach. My father is from Greece, i grew up eating rice and beans. I am more concerned about the baking soda and powder. It is levening. Why use it?