Rita's Family Matzo Ball Noodle Soup

Recipe courtesy Rita Linda, Coral Springs, FL

Show: Ultimate Recipe ShowdownEpisode: Ultimate Recipe Showdown: Chicken

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (9)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(9)

Cook Time:
1 hr 10 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
12 servings

Times:

Prep: 25 min
Inactive Prep: 25 min
Cook: 1 hr 10 min
Total:: 2 hr 0 min

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Ingredients

3 large leg-thigh chicken quarters
10 cups water
4 ribs celery, 2 cut large and 2 diced
6 peeled carrots, 3 cut large and 3 diced
1 large Spanish onion, cut in half and each half in thirds
4 tablespoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon granulated garlic powder
4 cups chicken stock (1 box) plus more for canola oil
4 extra-large eggs
1/3 cup canola oil with enough chicken stock to bring it to a total of 1/2 cup liquid
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup matzo meal
1/2 pound thin kosher egg noodles

Directions

Put the chicken in a large stock pot. Cover it with water. Add 2 celery ribs which have been roughly cut. Add the carrots which have also been roughly cut. Add the cut onion, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil and cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove the chicken and allow to cool. With a hand blender, puree the vegetables in the stock. Strain stock through a strainer into another stock pot to remove any bits. Add the box of stock to the new stock and put aside for later.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Add the stock and oil mixture and beat. Add the salt and pepper. Add the matzo meal and blend. Allow to sit on the counter for 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the bones and dice into small pieces. Put aside with the rest of the diced celery and diced carrots.

Bring the stock to a rapid boil. With a tablespoon, scoop matzo ball mixture into the boiling water 1 tablespoon at a time. If you want to roll it in a ball, oil your hands first to prevent the mixture from attaching to your hands. The balls will pop to the top of the stock. Add the chicken and vegetables and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the noodles and cover for another 5 minutes before serving.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Rita's Family Matzo Ball Noodle Soup
Ramona Mechanicsburg, PA 10-17-2009
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Best soup....
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I have made this soup about 5 times, and I gave RAVE reviews each time. I wouldn't change a thing. The matzo balls are... tender, the soup is fantastic. TRY IT!Read more
recipe Rita's Family Matzo Ball Noodle Soup
madonna shreveport, LA 02-01-2009
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Mushy Matzo Balls
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I have been so anxious to try this recipe since I saw it prepared on TV. Today was the day! I read all the reviews, so only... added 1 T. salt to the chicken and broth, which was plenty. I then added about 1 t. to matzo mix. The taste was delicious, and my husband and I enjoyed it. BUT, my matzo balls did not stay together at all, so it turned into a mushy stew. Don't know how that is going to do as leftovers. I followed the instructions exactly, but will have to try something different next time I make this. Any suggestions???Read more
recipe Rita's Family Matzo Ball Noodle Soup
Lynn Santee, CA 01-26-2009
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A new family favorite
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This has become our feel better family meal. Especially durring cold and flu season. The first time I made it we actually... felt more energy then we have in a long time. The kids call it the miracle soup. Cut back a bit on the salt and we added some parsley for fun (and because we had some left over in the fridge). A wonderful meal and great left overs. Also a prefect way to show that you care when a loved one is not feeling so well. Read more
recipe Rita's Family Matzo Ball Noodle Soup
Jennifer Bellmore, NY 09-29-2008
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some of the best ever!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

just made this for rosh hashana tonight and it was honestly some of the best matzo ball soup i have EVER had!!! the only... thing i didn't do was puree the originally cooked broth veggies, well actually i tried but i think i have a horrible strainer and it was all orange and not much liquid was coming out so it didn't seem worth it to try so hard to put that liquid back into the broth; it already tasted so good! i did add some chopped parsnips at the end because i love the taste of them instead of chopped parsley because after all it is a parsley root, and it just enhanced the taste even more. thanks rita!Read more
recipe Rita's Family Matzo Ball Noodle Soup
Anonymous 05-24-2008
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Do Not put in 4 TBLS of salt in the stock!!!!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I am glad that Rita caught the recipe error. The salt is way too high for 10 cups of water. I made as the recipe stated and... it was inedible due to salt content. I made it again with 1 tsp of Kosher salt and adjusted my salt at the end. You can always add salt at the end but can not remove it. Even diluting the stock the first time did not work. Delicious once you cut the salt down.Read more
recipe Rita's Family Matzo Ball Noodle Soup
Rita Coral Springs, FL 05-14-2008
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Comment from Rita Linda
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

It was brought to my attention that my recipe was printed in error so I want to make corrections. I hope this helps those who... also had a problem. STOCK 5 lb chicken legs/thighs quarters 6 stalks celery (3 diced/3 cut in 2" pieces) 6 carrots peeled (3 diced and 3 cut in 2" pieces) 1 lg Spanish onion (cut in quarters) 4 tbs Kosher salt 1 tsp. pepper water parsley flakes 32 ounce box of chicken stock/box if needed for extra broth Put the above ingredients in a large stock pot. Cover with water (chicken is submerged under 2"+ water.) At least 18-20 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Skim off excess fat. Reduce heat to a simmer for one hour. Remove chicken. Puree vegetables. Strain liquid and discard bits. Cool stock and put it in refrigerator overnight. Remove fat solidified to top. Remove the chicken from the bones. Dice meat. Put diced meat in the stock. Matzo Balls: 4 x-large eggs 1/3 cup canola oil with enough cold stock to bring it to a total of ? cup liquid 3/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 1 cup matzo meal In a small mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Add the oil/water mixture and stir into the eggs until mixed. Add the salt, pepper and matzo meal. Mix together until blended. Allow to sit at room temperature for AT LEAST 20-30 minutes. Do not refrigerate unless you like your matzo balls like lead. Once your matzo ball mixture is sitting at room temperature, bring chicken soup to a boil. Drop matzo ball mixture into the rapidly boiling stock by heaping, rounded teaspoons full. Teaspoon size is a good size and will yield about 20-22 balls. Tablespoons will yield about 7-14 balls. The matzo balls will puff up and rise to the surface almost immediately. Add the slices of carrots or add whole baby carrots to the soup (8 oz. baby carrots). Add your diced celery, too. When the carrots are tender (about 20 minutes). Add a handful of Kosher "thin" noodles. Put some crushed parsley on the top of the soup and it?s ready to serve.Read more