Groovy, baby! Tie dye is always trendy, especially when it comes to soup! Tie Dye Matzah Ball Soup is naturally colorful with swirls of orange, yellow and green from herbs and spices. It adds tons of color and flavor to the already amazing soup.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, my favorite Ashkenazi foods are brown. Brisket, chopped liver, rugelach, challah, matzah (am I the only one with matzah as a favorite? Pass the butter and pink tub of cream cheese!) It’s all brown but all delicious! Matzo ball soup has a bit of color, with a golden broth (homemade broth only, please) and flecks of carrots and celery, but it’s certainly no rainbow challah!
While I love classic matzah ball soup, I just love a modern twist on it. Most years I do some sort of variation. Egg Drop Matzah Ball Soup, Matzah Ball Tomato Soup, and Chicken Lemon Rice Matzah Ball Soup are just a few of my favorites.
This year I wanted to lean classic, since it’s my daughter’s first Passover, but add some fun. Maybe it’s all the 90’s and early aughts fashion I have seen lately on TikTok, (I love a wide belt paired with some bootcut jeans) but I had tie dye on the brain and thought it would be a fun way to add color (and flavor) to my matzah ball soup!
I divided my matzah ball soup into three and mixed in turmeric in one, paprika in another, and pureed dill and parsley in the third. The result adds tons of flavor and brings your classic matzah ball soup up a notch, and adds some color to your Seder table, besides the red horseradish! (A must.)
This is the most like the original I have made, but the matzah balls are naturally colorful. I decided to call it Tie Dye Matzah Ball Soup since Paprika, Turmeric, Parsley, Dill Matzah Ball Soup was a little wordy. But that’s what it is!
Elijah would approve.
Tie Dye Matzah Ball Soup
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil or schmaltz
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons seltzer
- 1 ½ cups matzo meal
- ¼ cup grated onion, dried well
- 1 tsp baking powder (this gives you light and fluffy balls!)
- ½ tsp salt or 1/4 teaspoon if using salted schmaltz
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tsps turmeric
- 2 tsps paprika
- 1 ½ tbsp fresh dill, minced
- 1 ½ tbsp fresh parsley, minced
- 10 cups homemade stock
- 3 carrots, diced or cut into rounds
- 3 parsnips, diced or cut into rounds
- 3 celery stocks, diced or cut into slices
- 1 pound chicken cooked and shredded (from the broth!)
- Salt to taste
- Fresh parsley or dill for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, schmaltz and seltzer.
- Then add matzo meal, onions, baking powder, salt and pepper. Mix with a large spoon just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly into three bowls and add the turmeric to one, paprika to another, and minced parsley and dill to the third and mix each until combined and uniform in color.
- The mixture will be sticky, so refrigerate batter for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours so it is not as sticky.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer.
- Shape the matzo mixture into 25 or so 1-inch balls by grabbling a bit from each color and rolling into a ball, and place in the water. Do not overwork. I make all the balls first, and then place in the water so they cook evenly. Wetting your hands slightly helps keep them from sticking.
- Cover and simmer for 40 minutes until puffed up and cooked through.
- Heat up your broth separately and then, add carrots, parsnips, celery and any other veggies you choose and chicken, and simmer covered for 10 minutes until the veggies are tender.
- Serve with balls! Add salt to taste and garnish with parsley or dill.
My mouth is “watering” just reading this recipe!! Happy Passover!!
Thanks so much!!
Will be trying this. TY.