Quickie Matzo Ball Soup
I feel like sharing this recipe with you is going to make every Jewish grandma tsk tsk me with shame. This is not their soup–there are no bones, no simmering, no straining. It’s the matzo ball soup I make on the fly when it’s chilly out and my kids start getting the sniffles. It truly takes about 20 minutes (and just a bit longer to make the matzo balls). The key player is Better Than Bouillon, which actually tastes good in a soup that’s so simple. I’m not sure it would work as well with boxed stock or broth, which can have a kind of chemical taste.
Recipe
Yield: 4 servings
Matzo Balls
When I’m making matzo balls from scratch, I make the Smitten Kitchen version. More often when I’m making dinner on a Tuesday, I turn to a box of Manischewitz (I’ve never written that word before, so many letters!) or Streits matzo ball mix, which are both very good. Follow either Deb’s or the package’s instructions. I don’t cook the matzo balls directly in the soup because it makes the cooking liquid so cloudy, but once they’re cooked, you can transfer them to the soup and refrigerate or freeze them together.
Soup
You could leave out the matzo balls entirely and serve this up as chicken soup, adding noodles, or rice, or orzo, or anything you like. Sometimes I stir in some spinach at the end to add a little more green.
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
2 large ribs celery, finely chopped
¾-1lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces (I use scissors and cut them directly onto the tray they come in)
6 cups water
2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon, ideally chicken or roasted chicken flavor 3-4 medium carrots, cut into coins
Matzo balls or cooked noodles or rice
Flat leaf parsley or dill for serving
In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and celery and stir to coat. Let cook for 5ish minutes until the vegetables turn translucent. Turn the heat to high and add the chicken. Cook, stirring until it’s mostly turned from raw pink to white (it will cook in the soup, you’re just adding more flavor). Add the water, Better than Bouillon, and carrots. Bring to a boil, then turn the soup down to a simmer and let cook for another five minutes or so until the carrots are cooked through, but not mushy. Ladle into bowls and serve immediately, or refrigerate or freeze until ready to eat. Garnish with parsley or dill.
