YIELD: about 20 matzo balls | PREP TIME: 15 minutes | COOK TIME: 35 minutes
• 1 quart water or Chicken Broth
• 1 pound (454 g) Yukon Gold or Red Bliss potatoes (about 2 large), peeled and sliced
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup potato starch
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) minced fresh dill or ½ tablespoon dried dill weed
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon onion powder
1. Place the water and potatoes in a large pot and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Turn off the heat, use a slotted spoon to remove the potatoes to a bowl, and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes. Reserve the cooking water—you’ll use it to cook the matzo balls as well.
2. While the potatoes are cooling, whisk together the eggs, potato starch, olive oil, dill, salt, pepper, and onion powder. When the potatoes have cooled a bit, mash them into the egg mixture with a fork, making sure that everything is well incorporated.
3. Bring the pot of water back up to a simmer. To make the matzo balls, you can either roughly measure a heaping tablespoon of the dough and roll it into a ball with your hands or use a small (1-tablespoon) cookie scoop. You should end up with about 20 matzo balls.
4. Drop the matzo balls into the simmering water and cook for 15 minutes. Serve in piping-hot chicken soup.
ADD TO : Chicken Broth or Matzo Ball Soup
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Matzo balls without grains are built on fluffy Yukon Gold potatoes and potato starch, bound with eggs and scented with fresh dill. The dough rolls into about twenty tender dumplings that simmer to a soft, airy finish. Drop them into piping-hot chicken soup and you have the classic comfort bowl, entirely grain-free.
Pro Tips
- Mash the cooled potatoes directly into the egg mixture while they are still slightly warm — they incorporate far more smoothly than cold, starchy potatoes.
- Reserve the potato cooking water and simmer the matzo balls in it. The starchy water seasons the dumplings and helps them hold together.
- Use a small cookie scoop for uniform balls. Even sizing means every matzo ball cooks through in the same 15 minutes.
- Do not crowd the pot — drop the balls into gently simmering water and give them space to swell without sticking together.
Frequently Asked Questions
What replaces the matzo meal in these matzo balls?
Mashed Yukon Gold potatoes and potato starch, which give the dumplings the same tender, fluffy texture as the traditional version.
How many matzo balls does this recipe make?
About 20 matzo balls — enough for 4-6 bowls of soup, roughly 3-4 dumplings per serving.
Can I make the matzo balls ahead of time?
Yes — cook them, cool, and refrigerate for up to 2 days, then warm them gently in hot chicken soup just before serving.
What soup should I serve these matzo balls in?
Classic chicken broth or a proper matzo ball soup. They soak up the broth as they sit, so serve them in piping-hot soup right away.
Recipe Card
- 1 quart water or Chicken Broth
- 1 lb Yukon Gold or Red Bliss potatoes (about 2 large), peeled and sliced
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup potato starch
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp minced fresh dill or ½ tablespoon dried dill weed
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- Place the water and potatoes in a large pot and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Turn off the heat, use a slotted spoon to remove the potatoes to a bowl, and allow them to cool for about 10 minutes. Reserve the cooking water—you’ll use it to cook the matzo balls as well.
- While the potatoes are cooling, whisk together the eggs, potato starch, olive oil, dill, salt, pepper, and onion powder. When the potatoes have cooled a bit, mash them into the egg mixture with a fork, making sure that everything is well incorporated.
- Bring the pot of water back up to a simmer. To make the matzo balls, you can either roughly measure a heaping tablespoon of the dough and roll it into a ball with your hands or use a small (1-tablespoon) cookie scoop. You should end up with about 20 matzo balls.
- Drop the matzo balls into the simmering water and cook for 15 minutes. Serve in piping-hot chicken soup.
ADD TO : Chicken Broth or Matzo Ball Soup
