Chicken Noodle Soup with Calabrian Chili Matzoh Balls

Chicken Noodle Soup with Calabrian Chili Matzoh Balls

Chicken Noodle Soup
with
Calabrian Chili Matzoh Balls

Over the years I’ve made hundreds of matzoh balls, usually in the Traditional style, but often with a twist with different flavors or techniques such as: Saffron, Mexican, Horseradish, Fried, Vietnamese, Turkey, Edible Flowers, and more!

This time, I added Calabrian chili to the mix to make fabulously flavorful and somewhat spicy matzoh balls with a distinct Italian flair.

Trader Joe’s Italian Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce is made with Calabrian chili peppers sourced from a trusted pepper cultivator in Calabria, Italy (the “toe” of Italy’s “boot”). Their Italian Bomba Hot Sauce is a tribute to a centuries-old culinary tradition.

Since the 1500s, Calabrian hot chili peppers have been a staple of Southern Italian cuisine, especially when crushed, fermented, and mixed into a fiery hot condiment, just like this Bomba Sauce. The natural fruity notes of the peppers are amplified by the slightly pickled flavor and texture they take on during fermentation, making it particularly suited for pasta dishes and pizzas, and who knew, matzoh balls too?

Chicken Noodle Soup with Calabrian Chili Matzoh Balls Recipe

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Beef Soup with Brisket, Horseradish Matzoh Balls

Beef Soup with Brisket, Horseradish Matzoh Balls

Beef Soup with (Leftover) Brisket
Horseradish and Chive Matzoh Balls

What is special about the last day of Passover?

While the Children of Israel were in their homes in the middle of the night, God struck the Egyptians with the plague of the firstborn – all the Egyptians’ firstborn died. This plague drove the Egyptian king, Pharaoh, to tell the Israelites – “Get up and get out from among my people!”

They hurriedly left Egypt in the darkness, and for six days wandered through the Sinai desert until they reached the shores of the Red Sea. Meanwhile, Pharaoh changed his mind to set them free and sent his army of soldiers and chariots after the newly liberated nation.

As the Israelites stood on the banks of the sea, the Egyptian army came up behind them. They were caught between the sea and the pursuing army, with no reasonable chance of salvation.

Then the Lord told Moses to raise his staff and stretch out his hand over the sea and split it, and the Children of Israel came in the midst of the sea onto dry land.

Excerpted and edited from RABBI SHMUEL RABINOWITZ Published APRIL 9, 2020 in the Jerusalem Post here.

Beef Soup with Brisket, Horseradish Matzoh Balls

Unlike the light Seder Course of Chicken Soup with Matzoh Balls, this hearty beef soup for the end of Passover is the main course. It uses up many ingredients from the prior week.

Fresh chunky carrots, parsnips, celery, and leeks are simmered in beef broth. Leftover brisket is cut into bite-sized cubes and re-heated in the savory soup. And here, the matzoh balls are flavored with zippy horseradish and chives to complement the beef.

Beef Soup with Brisket and Horseradish Matzoh Balls Recipe

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Matzoh Ball Soup, Vietnamese Flavors

Matzoh Ball Soup, Vietnamese Flavors

Matzoh Ball Chicken Soup, Vietnamese Flavors (Pho)

Yes, of course, I still make my traditional matzoh balls… hundreds of them in fact. But I also like to mix it up a bit, and surprise my guests with some exotic flavors… such as my mysterious Saffron Matzoh Balls, super-flavorful Mexican Matzoh Balls, and the Thanksgiving/Hanukkah Poultry-Seasoned Turkey Matzoh Balls. Those fancy Fried Matzoh Balls from Passover 2021 were an outrageous hit, too.

This year the inspiration comes from Pho Ga, that fragrant herby Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup. Here, matzoh balls are subtly spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and ginger and stand in for the rice noodles. The chicken broth is flavored with blackened onion and ginger, lemongrass, and star anise where the smoky-salty-sweet-umami layers are simply intoxicating.

Matzoh Ball Chicken Soup
Vietnamese Flavors Recipe

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Turkey Matzo Ball Soup

Turkey Matzo Ball Soup

Turkey Soup with Poultry-Seasoned Matzo Balls
Egg Noodles, Peas, Carrots, Shredded Turkey

A blend of thyme, sage, black pepper, marjoram, rosemary and nutmeg – this traditional Thanksgiving seasoning adds a unique savory flavor to my Hanukkah matzoh balls.

When Hanukkah falls right after Thanksgiving on the calendar, a special opportunity arises. Here, we are merging the best flavors and recipes of both holidays…With this seasoning, the matzoh balls have a taste reminiscent of turkey!

Turkey Soup with Poultry-Seasoned Matzo Balls Recipe

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Mexican Matzo Ball Soup

Mexican Matzo Ball Soup

Mexican Matzo Ball Soup

Cilantro Matzo Balls with Toasted Coriander and Cumin
Chicken Soup with Avocado, Jalapeño, Lime, Onion, Cilantro

The holiest of Jewish holidays, Yom Kippur ends at sunset tonight. This evening we break the fast with something simultaneously traditional and nontraditional: matzo ball soup with an unexpected twist!

Mexican flavors including cilantro, coriander, and cumin bring a bright zippy freshness to our beloved soup. No soup could be better than Nana’s, but this year things are mighty different, so why not the soup? 5781, the year we served our matzo ball soup with avocado, jalapeño, and lime!

Mexican Matzo Ball Soup Recipe

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