Video/Recipe: Grain-free Matzoh Balls

matzoh, matzoh balls, almond flour, grain-free, gluten-free, Passover

What could be more of a comfort food than matzoh ball soup? While it is part of the traditional meal on Jewish holidays, matzoh ball soup is enjoyed year round by many people. Also known as Jewish penicillin, it does indeed ward off the chills and aches of a cold or flu.

There are two ways to make the soup: as a meat broth or as a bone broth. These I will explain in a future post. Here is an alternative recipe for grain-free matzoh balls that rival your favorite traditional wheat matzoh balls. Let me know how you like them!

Grain-Free Matzoh Balls

Ingredients

2 eggs (pastured if possible)

2 -3 Tablespoon chicken fat (this is a HUGE factor in the taste)

1.5  – 2 cups almond flour (from blanched almonds), (where to buy almond flour)

1.5 teaspoon sea salt (where to buy salt)

Instructions

  • Mix the eggs and the cold chicken fat together (do not soften the chicken fat)
  • Add in the salt and almond flour and mix all the ingredients until the batter is stiff
  • The batter must be stiff. If it is not stiff, use more almond flour
  • cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 teaspoon of salt
  • Make small balls about 1 — 1.5 inches in diameter. If it is sticky, just wet your hands a little
  • Drop the balls into the boiling water, cover and simmer for 45 minutes
  • Using a slotted spoon transfer the balls directly to soup, or let cool and freeze
  • When ready to serve, let the matzoh balls rest in chicken broth to soak up some of the flavors

This recipe makes about 14 matzoh balls

 

This post is linked to: Sunday Real Sustenance, Sugar-Free Sunday, My Sweet and Savory, Midnight Maniac, Meatless Monday, Melt in Mouth Monday, Mangia Monday, Monday Mania, Mouthwatering Monday, Hearth and Soul Hop, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Made From Scratch Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesday, Real Food Digest Passover, What’s Cooking Wednesday, What’s on the Menu, Real Food Wednesday, Gluten-free Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Tip Day Carnival, Simple Lives Thursday, Real Food Weekly, Frugal Follies, Pennywise Platter, Food Trip Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Fight Back Friday, Friday Favorites, Fat Camp Friday, Sugar-Free Sunday, Savory Sunday, My Meatless Monday.Midnight Maniac, Mangia Monday, Mouthwatering Monday, Meatless Monday, Melt in Mouth Monday, Homemaker Monday, Monday Mania, Weekend Carnival, Real Food 101, Tuesday at the Table, Tuesday Tasty Tidbits, Traditional Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, What’s Cooking Wednesday, Healthy 2Day Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Gluten-Free Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, What’s Cooking Wednesday, These Chicks Cooked, Frugal Follies, Full Plate Thursday, Creative Juice Thursday, Turning the Table Thursday, Simple Lives Thursday, Pennywise Platter, Fresh Bites Friday, Foodie Friday, Fight Back Friday, Friday Food, Living Well Blog Hop


  • http://ourjourneythrough-life.blogspot.com/ Alicia

    Can’t wait to try this!! I just LOVE your blog and videos! You do such a wonderful job!! THANK you!

  • Jill

    Hi Alicia,
    Thank you so much. I think you are going to love these matzoh balls!

  • http://www.delightfullydowling.blogspot.com kristin

    YUM! i love matzoh ball stew – these babies will be perfect! :D

    thanks for linking up to mangia mondays again, jill!

  • Jill

    Hi Kristin,
    Thanks for hosting!It’s a great carnival!

  • Jansen

    I’ll give this a shot next week for our family passover. Thanks Jill!

  • Jill

    Hi Jansen,
    I think you will like them! I understand you are gluten-free. Check out my other gluten-free recipes in previous posts using coconut flour.

  • http://misadventuresofmub.blogspot.com mub

    I’ve never had matzoh balls before… I think I need to try them out!

  • http://withoutadornment.wordpress.com Christine

    I’ve never had matzo balls or soup before, but now I want to try them as they look incredibly tasty!

  • Jill

    Hi Mub,
    You have an adorable blog! I will be reading more! I think you do need to try them!

  • Jill

    Hi Christine,
    I think you should try them! Your raspberry bars look totally awesome!

  • http://www.realfooddigest.com Lisa @ Real Food Digest

    I was looking for a recipe like this! So glad I found one, saves me time from trying to figure it out on my own.

  • Jill

    Hi Lisa,
    You are going to love how these taste! Just like the traditional wheat matzoh balls!

  • http://theglutenfreelab.com/2011/04/12/why-passover-is-awesome-for-gfers/ why passover is awesome for GFers. « The Gluten Free Lab

    [...] grain-free matzo @ Real Food Forager grain-free matzo crackers @ Real Food Forager cauliflower matzo au gratin @ Matzo Outside the Box [...]

  • http://theresalwaysthyme.blogspot.com/ Carol @ There’s Always Thyme to Cook

    They look delicious and very light! Floaters. Mine are always sinkers.

  • Jill

    Hi Carol,
    I think you will be pleasantly surprised!

  • http://fitfoodista.com Michele@FitFoodista

    Hi Jill,
    This is my first visit to your site and I love it :) You provide some great recipes and fantastic information. You make the matzo ball recipe look so easy and provide a great nutritional alternative with the almond flour.

    Thanks so much for your contribution to the Hearth ‘n Soul Hop!

  • http://hisperfectpromises.blogspot.com Tamara

    Hmmm I’ve never had matzoh ball soup, looks good though. Maybe time to try something new…Stopping by for the Miz Helen’s hop. =)

  • http://fudgeripple.blogspot.com christy larsen

    love matzo ball soup and your recipe. i will have to give it a try–thank you for sharing with tuesday night supper club.

  • http://sweetsav.blogspot.com Chaya

    You just made my husband’s day. He eats gluten-free and misses out on matzah balls. I am going to try it with the almond flour and surprise him. Thanks so much for this recipe and for linking it to My Meatless Mondays.

    If you have another recipe, you would like to share, that is appropriate for Let’s Do Brunch, come on back and link it up.

  • Jill

    Hi Tamara,
    You should try them — they are delicious!

  • Jill

    Hi Christy,
    I think you will like them!

  • Jill

    Hi Chaya,
    I’m so glad for your husband! I know the feeling of missing out… he is going to love these!

  • http://thepurposedheart.com/ Mindy @ The Purposed Heart

    Hmmm…I’ve never had matzo ball soup…looks delicious! Thanks for the recipe. I will definitely be trying it soon!

    Mindy

  • http://mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.com/ Miz Helen

    Hi Jill,
    Your video is a very good tutorial on the Matzoh Ball. I just love the Matzoh Ball Soup for this season and try to always include it in my menu. Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and hope to see you next week!

  • http://www.sunshineandsmile.com Kankana

    This is a great recipe. Thanks for sharing this with hearth and soul hop :)

  • Jill

    Hi Miz Helen,
    I’m glad the video helps!

  • Jill

    Hi Kankana,
    Thank you. Your shrimp dish with coconut gravy looks fabulous!

  • http://mysassychef.blogspot.com Sassy Chef Recipes

    Oh my, I want to make these! Thanks for the vid :)

    Please check my FTF entry for this week: Overstuffed Tamago Nigiri
    Much ♥,
    Pearl
    Sassy Chef Recipes and Reviews

  • http://www.lifestylehomemaking.biz/2011/04/food-trip-friday-lauriat.html kat

    I want to try this. Looks so yummy. Happy FTF.

  • http://pinaymum.info/food-and-cuisine/food-trip-friday-021-chicken-pasta-and-veggies/ cheerful

    looks really delicious, thanks for sharing your recipe. a must try for our family. happy Friday and happy cambodian new year! :) -PinayMum – Mommy’s Life Around…!

  • Jill

    Hi Cheerful,
    I hope you do try them. I’m sure you will like them!

  • http://messhalltobistro.blogspot.com Jen

    Thanks so much for sharing with Made From Scratch Tuesday. I haven’t tried these before, but yours look delicious!

  • Jill

    Hi Kat,
    Thanks so much!

  • Jill

    Hi Jen,
    Thanks for your kind words!

  • Jill

    Hi Sassy Chef,
    Thanks so much. Yours looks great!

  • http://www.delightmyappetite.com Tetcha

    This is an interesting recipe, but I have yet to try it. I hope you can visit my entry, too. Thanks! http://www.delightmyappetite.com/2011/04/food-trip-friday-laing-in-2-ways/

  • http://www.colorsandcontrasts.com/anything-goes-salad/ raya
  • http://www.amoderatelife.com alex at a moderate life

    Hi Jill, as a native new yorker I can tell you I have had a ton of amazing matzoh ball soup but I would also assume that if you cant eat gluten it would be difficult to enjoy it! the idea of almond flour is a great one and I am sure this recipe is delicious! Thanks so much for sharing it on the hearth and soul hop! All the best, Alex

  • Jill

    Hi Tetcha,
    Your recipe looks great! Thanks for the comment.

  • Jill

    Hi Alex,
    It really is a great alternative to the traditional wheat version. Thanks for your comments!

  • http://realsustenance.com/seasonal-sunday-4-17-11/ Seasonal Sunday (4-17-11) | Real Sustenance

    [...] Banana Bread Chiptole Bean Tostadas Grain Free Matzoh Balls Royal Grapefruit and Clementine Sorbet Bonus: Gluten Free Thin Mint [...]

  • http://mangoesandchutney.com Miranda

    You have so many great gluten free recipes! Thanks for sharing with Fat Camp Friday, see you again soon!

  • Jill

    Hi Miranda,
    Thanks for your kind words!

  • http://www.thewholegang.org/2011/04/real-food-weekly-april-21-2011/ Real Food Weekly – April 21, 2011 | Gluten Free-Dairy Free Recipes | The W.H.O.L.E. Gang | Diane Eblin

    [...] Grain Free Matzoh Balls from Real Food Forager [...]

  • http://dietdessertndogs.com Ricki

    Holy moly, do those look exactly like “regular” matzo balls! Great idea. :)

  • Jill

    Hi Ricki,
    And they taste better!

  • Ana

    Please excuse my question, but how do you get chicken fat? I make my own chicken stock all the time, but rarely does it gel (which is the fat, right?). I would love to make this soup! Thanks so much!

  • Jill

    Hi Ana,
    I get the chicken fat two ways: one, I scrap the fat out of the neck/breast of the raw chicken, melt it down and strain it through a coffee filter into a glass jar. That is rendered fat. Or, I scrap the fat that has come to the top after the broth is refrigerated. The gelled broth is gel which is full of collagen and galatin and is very good — the fat will separate. Hope this helps!

  • Aura

    Hi, I just wanted to thank you for this fabulous recipe! The nest grain free matzoh balls I’ve made yet, and my kids loved them!

  • Aura

    Oops, of course nest should be best!

  • http://mangoesandchutney.wordpress.com/2011/04/20/featured-blog-joyful-homemaking/ Featured Blog: Joyful Homemaking | Mangoes and Chutney

    [...] an alternative for Matzoh Balls?  Grain Free Matzoh Balls from Real Food [...]

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Thanks Aura!
    It’s so nice to hear about your success!

  • http://mangoesandchutney.com/2011/04/featured-blog-joyful-homemaking.html Featured Blog: Joyful Homemaking | *Mangoes and Chutney*

    [...] an alternative for Matzoh Balls?  Grain Free Matzoh Balls from Real Food [...]

  • http://www.carascravings.com Cara

    matzoh balls made from almond flour?! yum! I might give these a try even though I can eat grains. The holidays will be here before we know it :)

  • Miz Helen

    Hi Jill,
    I just love Matzoh Ball soup and your Matzoh Ball’s look great ! Hope you are having a great week and thanks for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

  • Shannon

    I’ve always like matzoh ball soup!

    Thanks for linking up to MomTrends this week!