Slow Cooker Matzah Ball Soup Recipe
Matzah Ball Soup is a classic comfort food. Make your own chicken broth in the crockpot slow cooker by using fresh bone-in chicken, then use this homemade mazah recipe to float the dumpling balls in the hot soup.
The dough will plump and cook right before your eyes!
I called my friend Jennifer and she talked me through how to make the broth and matzo dough--she's not gluten free, but after a lot of googling and texting to confirm my hard-core journalistic researching I figured out what I should do.
AND IT WORKED.
[insert Crush voice from Finding Nemo] I SO TOTALLY ROCK.
This is a 2-day process, or at least a really, really full day assembly.
First we're going to make the homemade chicken broth/soup.
Homemade CrockPot Slow Cooker Matzah Ball Soup Recipe
The Ingredients
serves 6-8
3 pounds bone-in chicken parts
2 onions, peeled, cut into quarters
6 cloves garlic, peeled with cloves intact
1 cup baby carrots
3 ribs celery, cut in large chunks, leaves okay
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
1 tablespoon kosher salt
12 cups water
1 package gluten free matzo ball mix, or make your own (recipe below)
gluten free matzo balls
makes 8-10 or so
1/2 cup potato starch
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons dill
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening (Crisco)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Use a hand-held or stand mixer to blend the ingredients together to form a dough.
Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before using in soup.
The Directions
Use a 6-quart slow cooker.
Place the chicken into your slow cooker. I used chicken quarters, and did try to take as much of the skin off as I can (because of my weird issues).
Add vegetables and seasoning.
Pour in a bunch of water (4 cups per pound of chicken)—be careful, your pot will be quite full.
Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Unplug the slow cooker, and let it sit for 3 hours, or until the meat is cool enough to handle.
Remove meat from pot, and discard the bones.
Scoop out the vegetables and set aside. Some people prefer their matzo soup to be simply broth, some like chunks of meat and vegetables—it’s up to you.
I decided to get rid of the onion and celery (the garlic kind of melted into a paste), but kept the chicken and carrots.
Strain the broth through a cheesecloth or fine-mesh sieve to remove the peppercorns and extra bits.
Return the broth to the slow cooker.
Plug the cooker back in and cook on high for 2 hours.
While the broth is reheating, mix the matzah dough (if using packaged matzah, prepare according to the written instructions).
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| Homemade matzah dough. Don't handle it too much; you want it light and fluffy |
Cover, and cook on high for about 30 minutes, or until the dough is cooked through and “bounces” in the broth when poked with a spoon.
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| the matzah balls bounce when you poke them with a spoon! |
The Verdict
ABSOLUTELY and COMPLETELY delicious. This is pure comfort in a bowl.
I love love love love love it.
The five in my family ate every last smidgen in our bowls, and I packaged up a little tupperware to send home to my mom and grandma.
I really liked the dill flavor. Everytime I cook with dill, I'm reminded more and more that it's such an under-utilized herb in my pantry.
I hope you enjoy this soup--I look forward to making it again and again in the years to come.
Thank you to Jennifer, for holding my hand (AGAIN)!
other recipes you might like:
chicken and dumpling soup
apple dumplings
honey cake
sweet mustard roast
homemade chicken noodle soup
I don't know if your issues with chicken skin include chicken fat, but if you can tolerate the fat I'd substitute schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) for the Crisco in the matzah ball recipe. I usually cook them for at least 45 minutes in water at a simmer before I put them in the soup.
ReplyDeleteAnd I need to make another batch, since I left the remains of Friday's seder soup and matzah balls at my mother's....
I make my matzo ball soup in a huge pot--bigger than any slow cooker--because I make so much of it, but I can still give you a tip or two that will help make this less of a whole-day event (except for the cooking): Instead of waiting for the soup to cool and taking all the bits and pieces out of the crock and only THEN recooking with the matzo balls, just plop the balls in during the last hour of cooking time. Then, when it's time to serve, pour the soup into bowls through a strainer, and then let your guests/family choose which parts of the rest they want. Broth only with matzo balls? Chicken? Chicken and veggies? Everything? It's all there in the pot for you to distribute as needed!
ReplyDeleteStephanie:
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your blog, and especially this post.
I'm Jewish, and I've been making matzah ball soup for years, but never tried it in the crockpot. Now I will.
You DO so rock!
Elizabeth
Oh no! You've exposed my grandmother's secret ingredient in her Polish chicken noodle soup. It's the dill! I love matzah ball soup. Can't wait to try this one!
ReplyDeleteBookmarked! What a great idea.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, Steph, but after reading all this, I'm going to a Jewish Deli, lol.
ReplyDeleteI've made this on the stovetop and it was delish. Will now try crocking it.
Thanks :)
Was there I specific need for gluten free matzo balls? Just curious. I am going to try the recipe in the slow cooker with the "traditional" matzo balls and see how it turns out.
ReplyDeleteA short-cut I use is to put chicken bones and the onion (and anything else you don't want in the finished soup) into a cheesecloth bag. I then put boneless/skinless thighs directly in the crockpot with the other ingredients. When it's done cooking, it's easy to get rid of the bag and it's contents and leave the other ingredients in the soup.
ReplyDelete@LMC, we're a gluten free family. My 7-year-old was diagnosed with Celiac at 22 months. Use whatever matzo(ah) balls you'd like!
ReplyDelete@Nancy, that is a wonderful suggestion!
Oh...i am so excited to have found you...i am a mum to 6 and now decided to home school my youngest 3...gee...cooking without the stress of cooking during that mad rush time....can't wait to peruse your blog...xxx
ReplyDeleteCan you also make these Non-gluten free? I'd love to know how to. Thanks hon!
ReplyDeleteI`ve tried this recipe and i`m really impressed, it has a very good taste. My both child tried it and they like it a lot. Thanks a lot for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHi Stephanie! Can you give me an alternative to the ground flax in your gf matzoh balls? I can't tolerate flax or chia. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHi Jill,
ReplyDeletegood question! I think I'd try first by simply omitting it. Flax in baking actually mimics eggs, but I'm hoping since the egg is there that the egg with the almond flour is buoyant enough without the flax. I don't think it's necessary for flavor at ALL. It's only for a bit of texture and then to help with the floating.
skip it! and let me know how it works! ;-)
2 questions:
ReplyDelete1. Did you cut up the carrots? Weren't they kind of big for a soup?
2. How do you think boneless chicken thighs would come out? Is there some added bonus to having bone in?
Thanks!