Easy Lemon Chicken Soup with Salt & Pepper Matzoh Balls for Passover

When it comes to preparing Thanksgiving dinner, I spend days planning and preparing, making every single dish from scratch from the cranberry sauce to the brine mix. I guess I run out of steam by the time Passover rolls around and want to simplify things but I won’t compromise on flavor.

The easy part of this recipe is that there are way less steps than the traditional  made from scratch version. It does take some time to make though. The matzoh ball batter should be refrigerated a couple of hours before forming the balls and the balls themselves need to cook for about an hour. Other than that, it’s a breeze to make. You can also make the matzoh balls ahead of time.

This is not a recipe for matzoh ball soup aficionados who love to cook a chicken and then use that fat to make the matzoh balls. You can switch out the spices to suite your taste and add schmaltz if you like.

The lemon chicken broth nicely complements the salt and pepper flavored matzoh balls and the flavors provide a unique twist on an old favorite.

For the Broth:

• 1 quart organic chicken broth (I got mine at Trader Joe’s)
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice.
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground sumac
• Flat leaf parsley for garnish

For the Salt & Pepper Matzoh Balls:

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup matzoh meal
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon ground pepper

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Fill a large wide pan of water , add a bit of salt and set to boil.
• Remove the matzoh mixture from the fridge and using a teaspoon or your hands (wetting them first), form the mixture into little balls.
• Drop the matzoh balls into the boiling water.
• Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour.
• Drain the water out and set aside the matzoh balls.

To make the soup:

• Juice the 1/2 lemon and zest the rind.
• Place the chicken stock, lemon juice and zest in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the onion and garlic powders, sumac and kosher salt.
• When the soup has started to boil, drop the pre-made matzoh balls into the soup and cook for about 10 minutes.
• Transfer to bowls, garnish with the chopped parsley and serve.