Vegetarian Matzo Ball (Kneadelech) Soup
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Description
There’s nothing better than a big bowl of vegetarian Matzo ball soup to brighten up a gloomy day. It is a great dish to make all year round, but especially for Passover. Kosher, Pareve
Ingredients
For the soup
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
- 1-2 onions finely chopped
- 3-5 carrots peeled and sliced into thin rounds
- 8 celery sticks sliced into thin rounds
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1-2 zucchini diced (medium-sized pieces)
- 1-2 small potatoes peeled and diced (small-sized pieces)
- About 3 quarts 2.8 liters water or unsalted store-bought vegetable stock (the stock is optional but adds more flavors)
- 1 Teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 Tablespoon salt or more to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1 bunch cilantro washed
- 1 bunch parsley washed
Matzo Balls (Kneadelech)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup (60ml) canola oil plus a little more if needed
- 1 1/2 cups (360ml) water plus a little more if needed
- 1 1/2 cups (200g) matzo meal
- 1/4 Teaspoon baking powder If you prefer a denser matzo ball, cut the baking powder in half or omit it all together.
- 1/2 Teaspoon salt
- black pepper to taste
- I like to add to the mixture a mashed piece of boiled potato and a mashed carrot from the soup. Trust me!
- 1 Tablespoon salt for cooking the Matzo balls
*Optional* for serving:
- 1/2 cup chopped dill leaves
Instructions
The vegetable soup:
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
- Add minced garlic and continue to sauté for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add zucchini and potatoes. Stir well.
- Pour in the water/vegetable broth and add onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Add cilantro and parsley (as is, don't chop them).
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and let it simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Remove the parsley and cilantro.
- Serve warm with matzo balls.
Matzo balls:
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs and the oil with a fork until slightly puffy. Add water and matzo meal, and mix.
- Add salt, pepper, baking powder, and *optional* mashed vegetables. The mixture should be neither hard nor liquid. If too hard, add more water.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about 20 to 30 minutes.
- After the matzo ball mix has been set, with wet or greased hands, create ping pong size balls. The mixture is going to be a little sticky, and that's OK.
- Bring a large pot of water with a spoon of salt, or your soup to a brisk boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and drop the matzo balls gently into the liquid.
- Cover the pot with a lid and simmer for 20-30 minutes. The balls should be floating on the surface and look soft and airy. Of course, you can cook them for longer, but I find that the best texture is around the 20 minutes mark.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the matzo balls from the water and place them on a plate or a tray.
Serving:
- Ladle soup into individual serving bowls.
- Serve up bowls with plenty of cooked vegetables, matzo balls, and sprinkle dill if desired.
Notes
Let the mixture rest: Letting the matzo ball mixture rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. That will allow the matzo meal to absorb the liquid and make the balls more cohesive.
Make sure to form the matzo balls to a small size, about 1-2 inches in diameter. This will ensure that they cook evenly.
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