Whether you are prepping for the Jewish holidays, feeling a bit under the weather, or just in the mood for comfort food, I am about to save you so much time and energy! This instant pot matzo ball soup is every bit as delicious and soul-warming as traditional matzo ball soup, but it comes together in a fraction of the time.
And while it tastes like it was simmering on the stove for hours, you will have warm, nourishing soup on the table in just about 2 hours instead!
Once I discovered just how quick and easy cooking in my instant pot was, it became a tried-and-true kitchen staple. And, it did not let me down with this matzo ball soup, nor this flavorful 30-minute instant pot chicken rice soup!
I have been eating (and making) matzo ball soup all of my life, so when I discovered I could make deeply flavorful soup in just over two hours (start to finish!), I was thrilled! No longer will I need to spend hours and hours trapped in the kitchen.
In addition, stove space can be a hot commodity during holidays like Rosh Hashanah and Passover, or even during weekly Shabbat dinners, and using an instant pot frees up your stovetop for other dishes! It's definitely a win-win situation!
Not only does the instant pot save time AND stove space, but it also builds an incredibly tasty and satisfying broth. Thanks to its pressure cooking abilities, it develops a deep, rich soup by pulling out tons of flavor from the chicken, seasonings, carrots, and celery. This soup is often nicknamed "Jewish penicillin" for a reason - You won't believe how flavorful and healing every spoonful is!
But even more than the tasty broth, I think the secret to an unforgettable matzo ball soup is tender matzo balls! (Are you team sinkers or floaters??) I'm definitely team floater! I don't love dense matzo balls, so to guarantee that never happens in my matzo ball soup, I make sure to use just enough oil and eggs to hold the batter together without weighing it down and I also include some baking powder to help thiem fluff up.
Not sure what else to make for the holidays? This crunchy, corn flake crusted Cinnamon Apple Noodle Kugel and these 6-ingredient, light and fluffy Challah Rolls should definitely be on your next menu!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Step 1: Add chicken thighs, onion, parsnip, carrots, and celery to the instant pot. Season with dried dill and kosher salt. Pour water on top.
- Step 2: Cover instant pot, place valve in the “sealing” position, and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.
- Step 3: Let pressure naturally release for 30 minutes before switching the valve to the “venting” position and manually releasing any remaining pressure.
- Step 4: While the soup cooks, prep the matzo balls, egg noodles, and boiled carrots.
- Step 5: Add matzo ball ingredients to a large bowl. Mix to combine. Place bowl in the refrigerator and let mixture chill for at least 20 minutes.
- Step 6: Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Season the water with kosher salt.
- Step 7: Scoop 2 tablespoons of matzo ball batter and form a ball. Place ball in the salted boiling water. Repeat with the rest of the mixture until there is no batter remaining (you should have about 10 total matzo balls).
- Step 8: Cover and simmer matzo balls for 30 minutes, or until they double in size and become light and fluffy. Store matzo balls in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Step 9: Optional - When the soup is done cooking, let it cool before covering the instant pot insert and placing it in the fridge overnight. This will allow the fat to solidify on top. Carefully remove the soup from the fridge so it doesn’t get stirred up. Use a slotted spoon to scrape and discard the fat off the top of the soup for a less greasy broth. (I highly recommend following this step!)
⭐️ Quick Tip! When the soup is refrigerated, the fat solidifies on top and turns to the consistency of butter. Using a slotted spoon removes the extra fat, but allows the broth to remain in the pot.
- Step 10: Strain the remaining broth into a large pot or bowl. Discard the vegetable scraps. Set chicken aside and remove the bones, cartilage, and skin from the chicken meat. Use shredded pieces of chicken in the soup or store for later to make homemade chicken salad.
- Step 11: To serve, place 1 matzo ball, 1 boiled carrot, some egg noodles, and some shredded chicken into a soup bowl. Ladle chicken broth over top. Season with additional salt and pepper, as desired.
My Top Tips!
⭐️ If using this recipe for Passover, be sure to use kosher for Passover matzo meal and baking powder! If you do not feel comfortable using baking powder, you can always swap it for ¼ cup of unflavored seltzer water instead.
⭐️ The carrots in the instant pot will become mushy and overcooked but don't worry!! They are included ONLY for developing deep flavor in the broth. I recommend separately boiling additional carrots - until they are just fork-tender - to serve in your soup instead.
⭐️ This recipe makes fairly large matzo balls. For smaller balls, use 1 tablespoon of batter instead of 2 tablespoons!
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Share your cooking with me! If you make this recipe, I'd love to know. Leave a comment with a rating at the bottom of this page!
Instant Pot Matzo Ball Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Chicken Broth
- 3 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (kosher is preferred for best flavor)
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
- 1 parsnip, quartered
- 3 carrots, cut in half
- 2 celery ribs, cut in half
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 11 cups water, or enough to fill the instant pot to the “max fill” line
For the Matzo Balls
- 1 cup matzo meal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder SEE NOTES
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for boiling water
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or parsley
For Serving
- Egg noodles, prepared according to the package
- Boiled carrots
- Shredded chicken, removed from the bone, leftover from the broth
Instructions
- Add chicken thighs, onion, parsnip, carrots, and celery to the instant pot. Season with dried dill and kosher salt. Pour water on top.
- Cover instant pot, place valve in the “sealing” position, and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.
- Let pressure naturally release for 30 minutes before switching the valve to the “venting” position and manually releasing any remaining pressure.
- While the soup cooks, prep the matzo balls, egg noodles, and boiled carrots.
- Add matzo ball ingredients to a large bowl. Mix to combine. Place bowl in the refrigerator and let mixture chill for at least 20 minutes.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil on the stove. Season the water with kosher salt.
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of matzo ball batter and form a ball. Place ball in the salted boiling water. Repeat with the rest of the mixture until there is no batter remaining (you should have about 10 total matzo balls).
- Cover and simmer matzo balls for 30 minutes, or until they double in size and become light and fluffy. Store matzo balls in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Optional: When the soup is done cooking, let it cool before covering the instant pot insert and placing it in the fridge overnight. This will allow the fat to solidify on top. Carefully remove the soup from the fridge so it doesn’t get stirred up. Use a slotted spoon to scrape and discard the fat off the top of the soup for a less greasy broth. (I highly recommend following this step!)
- Strain the remaining broth into a large pot or bowl. Discard the vegetable scraps. Set chicken aside and remove the bones, cartilage, and skin from the chicken meat. Use shredded pieces of chicken in the soup or store for later to make homemade chicken salad.
- To serve, place 1 matzo ball, 1 boiled carrot, some egg noodles, and some shredded chicken into a soup bowl. Ladle chicken broth over top. Season with additional salt and pepper, as desired.
Notes
- If using this recipe for Passover, be sure to use kosher for Passover matzo meal and baking powder! If you do not feel comfortable using baking powder, you can swap it for ¼ cup of unflavored seltzer water instead.
- The carrots in the instant pot will become mushy and overcooked because they are used ONLY for developing deep flavor in the broth. I recommend separately boiling additional carrots - until they are just fork-tender - to serve in your soup instead.
- This recipe makes fairly large matzo balls. For smaller balls, use 1 tablespoon of batter instead of 2 tablespoons!
Nutrition
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*This recipe is dedicated to my mom. As one of my biggest fans, my mom taught me everything I know in the kitchen that the Food Network forgot to teach me. She allowed me to make a mess, although she had just cleaned; experiment, although she bought those exact ingredients for something else; and learn, although she had to taste the good AND the bad. Without her unwavering encouragement, I would not be where I am today: following my passions and my dreams. ❤️
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