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5 from 13 votes

Lemon Saffron Matzo Ball Soup

Lemon Saffron Matzo Ball Soup is a vibrant and bright spin on the traditional matzo ball soup. Matzo balls are flavored with saffron, turmeric and lemon zest before being simmered in a lemony chicken soup.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time2 hours
Total Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Main, Main Course
Cuisine: Jewish, Mediterranean
Keyword: lemon matzo ball soup, saffron matzo ball soup
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 466kcal
Cost: $15

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken Soup

  • 5-7 cups water
  • 6 carrots divided. 4 for stock, 2 peeled and chopped
  • 1 yellow onion cut in half
  • 1 garlic bulb cut in half
  • 4 stalks of celery divided, 2 for stock and 2 chopped
  • 4 pounds bone in chicken parts thighs, breast or whatever you have
  • 4 dried Persian limes
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Matzo Balls

Garnish

  • Chopped dill
  • Chopped parsley
  • Lemon slices

Instructions

  • Begin by making your chicken stock. In a large pot, add water and stock, 4 whole carrots, 1 onion, 1 garlic bulb, 2 stalks of celery, chicken, 4 dried lemons and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on medium until chicken is cooked through, about an 1-½ hours.
  • As the soup cooks, check it every so often and use a ladle to skim the fat from the top. It will be white and look frothy. You may also need to add more liquid if you see it reducing.
  • While soup is cooking, make your matzo balls. In a bowl add matzo meal, eggs, sparkling water, olive oil, cayenne, saffron, turmeric, lemon zest, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix everything together and place in fridge to set for at least 20 minutes.
  • Using wet hands, roll the matzo balls lightly between your palms, about the size of a golf ball. Place them on a plate until ready.
  • Once chicken is done and cool enough to handle, chop or shred the chicken, discarding bones and skin. Set aside.
  • Next, strain the soup through a fine mesh sieve and discard aromatics. Return soup base to your pot. Taste for seasoning.
  • Bring soup back to a strong simmer and add chopped carrots, celery and matzo balls. Cover pot and cook matzo balls for 35 minutes. When ready, the matzo balls should be floating.
  • When soup is, add chicken and garnish with chopped parsley, dill and sliced lemon.
  • Ladle soup into bowls with matzo balls and chicken. Garnish with lemon slices and additional herbs, if prefered.

Video

Notes

If you can't find Persian dried lime, use a vegetable peeler to peel a few strips of lemon zest and steep that ionto the broth. 
Matzo balls can be made ahead of time and kept frozen for a week ahead or in the fridge for 3 days ahead. 
If making matzo balls ahead, keep seperate from soup until ready to serve, to keep it's integrity and shape. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 466kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 531mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 7944IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 2mg