Matzo Ball Soup With Leeks

With a rich broth and light, airy matzo balls, this soup is perfect for the holiday.

Prep Time:

35 mins

Total Time:

4 hrs

Servings:

8

There are two vital elements of a good matzo ball soup recipe. The first is that the soup must be rich and satisfying, but the second might be even more important—the matzo balls need to be light and airy. No one remembers the soup if the dumplings are hard or heavy. We use seltzer and baking powder to keep them nice and fluffy, and chicken fat adds richness to the broth in this take on the Passover classic. (You can substitute clarified butter if you don’t have chicken fat on hand.)

Directions

Make matzo ball mixture and refrigerate:

Whisk together matzo meal, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and baking powder. In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs; whisk in chicken fat, matzo mixture, and seltzer until thoroughly blended. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
Form and cook matzo balls:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. With lightly dampened hands, form heaping 1/3 cupfuls of batter into 8 balls. Gently drop balls, one at a time, into boiling water. When they all float, cover pot. Reduce heat to a gentle boil; cook 20 minutes.
Remove matzo balls to tray to cool:

With a slotted spoon, gently transfer matzo balls to a tray lined with a clean kitchen towel. Let cool 15 minutes, then cover tray tightly with plastic wrap.

If not using immediately, refrigerate the cooked matzo balls for up to 1 day.
Cook chicken in stock with carrots and lemon:

In a pot, combine stock, chicken, carrots, lemon peel, and 4 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer; cook, partially covered, until chicken is just cooked through, about 35 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; let cool 10 minutes.
Add leeks and shred chicken; add chicken to pot along with matzo balls and heat:

Add leeks and simmer until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Pull chicken from bones; discard bones. Return chicken to pot and add matzo balls; bring to a simmer and heat through. Stir in dill; serve.