matza balls
Soup's fluffy floaters
Matza balls, also spelled matzo balls or matzah balls, are dumplings made from matza meal, eggs, and fat, traditionally served in chicken soup during Passover and other Jewish occasions.
They range in texture from light and fluffy to dense and chewy, with families often having strong preferences and recipes passed down through generations.
Grandma's matza balls were legendary—they practically floated in the broth.
The dish has become emblematic of Jewish comfort food beyond religious observance.
Festival of liberation
- AshkenaziJews of European descent
- kosherPermissible by Jewish law
- YiddishAshkenazi Jewish language
- ShabbatJewish day of rest
bubbe · synagogue · Seder · Pesach · diaspora · Haggadah · shtetl · Torah
Poultry-based comfort food
- brothClear simmered meat liquid
- goldenBright yellow, or precious
- bowlConcave food container
- ladleDeep spoon for serving
steaming · noodles · carrots · celery · dill · clear · stock · simmering
Soft and light-textured
- denseClosely packed together
- sinkersWeights that pull lines down
- floatersVisual field debris
- boiledHeated until bubbling
simmered · spherical · doughy · light · airy · tender · firm · rolled
Festival of liberation
- HaggadahPassover liturgical narrative
- charosetRitual fruit-nut paste
- PesachJewish spring liberation festival
- ExodusMass departure from a place
unleavened · freedom · tradition · gefilte fish · horseradish · festival · spring · liberation
Reproductive cells in shells
- schmaltzPoultry fat or sentimentality
- chicken fatRendered poultry lipid
- waterClear essential liquid
- saltSodium chloride compound
pepper · parsley · dill · onion · nutmeg · ginger · baking powder · oil
Heat you feel
- nourishmentFood that sustains life
- nostalgiaLonging for the past
- homemadePrepared at one's residence
- cozyWarm and snug
soothing · hearty · satisfying · familiar · childhood · memory · grandmother · kitchen
Passover
Festival of liberation
Shabbat · bubbe · synagogue · Seder · Pesach · diaspora · Haggadah · shtetl · Torah · Hebrew
chicken soup
Poultry-based comfort food
ladle · steaming · noodles · carrots · celery · dill · clear · stock · simmering · garnish
fluffy
Soft and light-textured
boiled · simmered · spherical · doughy · light · airy · tender · firm · rolled · shaped
Passover
Festival of liberation
- HaggadahPassover liturgical narrative
- charosetRitual fruit-nut paste
- PesachJewish spring liberation festival
Exodus · unleavened · freedom · tradition · gefilte fish · horseradish · festival · spring · liberation · ritual
eggs
Reproductive cells in shells
- schmaltzPoultry fat or sentimentality
- chicken fatRendered poultry lipid
- waterClear essential liquid
salt · pepper · parsley · dill · onion · nutmeg · ginger · baking powder · oil · margarine
warmth
Heat you feel
- nourishmentFood that sustains life
- nostalgiaLonging for the past
- homemadePrepared at one's residence
cozy · soothing · hearty · satisfying · familiar · childhood · memory · grandmother · kitchen · aroma
matza ballschametz
Prohibited Passover grain products
leavened bread · challah · dinner rolls · bagels · pasta
matza ballsegg noodles
Yolk-enriched pasta strips
pasta · rice noodles · ramen noodles · bread · wontons