Okay, before I start, confession: I’ve never had non-vegan matzo ball soup. So I’m far from being an expert on matzo ball soup. I always wanted to try it, but traditional versions are made with eggs and chicken fat, so that wasn’t happening. But I have experimented with creating vegan versions over the years. Well, I finally think I perfected it! With Passover coming up, now seemed like a great time to share my results. While I can’t say I’m sure what matzo ball soup with chicken fat and eggs is supposed to taste like, I can tell you that this vegan matzo ball soup is freaking delicious. In place of chicken fat, I used plain old olive oil in my matzo balls. And instead of egg, I used potato starch. With these swaps I found it tricky (not impossible though) to get the balls to hold together while simmering in the soup. So I tried another approach: I steamed my matzo balls, and it worked great! These matzo balls held together like champions, and the soup was absolutely wonderful.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Matzo meal. Potato starch. This is the binder for your matzo balls, so it’s important. You may be able to find it in the baking or natural foods aisle of your supermarket. If not, buy it online. Salt. Baking powder. Non-dairy milk. Use a variety that’s unsweetened and unflavored. Try almond milk, cashew milk, or oat milk. Olive oil. Another neutral oil can be substituted if needed. Just avoid using coconut oil, which can solidify while you chill your matzo ball mixture. Carrots. Leeks. Garlic. Vegetable broth. Use a vegan chicken style broth if you can find one! This will give your matzo ball soup an authentic flavor. King Arthur and Better than Bouillon both make products what will work. If not, simply use your favorite veggie broth. Frozen peas. Fresh dill. Black pepper.
How It’s Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you’d like to skip right to the recipe! Start by combining matzo meal, potato starch, salt, baking powder, non-dairy milk and olive oil in a small bowl. Stir the mixture up well, cover the bowl, and stick it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Tip: Don’t skip the step of chilling your matzo mixture! This is when the matzo meal becomes saturated with the milk and oil, giving the matzo balls the perfect texture. Tip: If your soup reduces too much while simmering (which can happen if it boils too rapidly), feel free to add some water. Prepare a steamer while the soup simmers. I like to use a wok and bamboo steamer, which has plenty of room to accommodate all of the matzo balls. If you have a smaller device you can steam them in batches. Roll the matzo meal mixture into 1-inch balls and arrange them in the steamer so they’re not touching. Steam them for 10 minutes. Let the matzo balls sit for a few minutes when they’re done steaming, then add them to the soup and simmer them for a bit. Take the soup off of heat when it’s done, then stir in some thawed frozen peas, fresh dill, salt and pepper to taste. Ladle your vegan matzo ball soup into bowls and dig in! Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
