Here’s a nut-free, grain-free, gluten-free (and on and on free!) version of matzo ball soup. It’s fairly simple and easy to make, given that it’s made up of chicken broth, herbs, and matzo balls. And it’s easy to make it vegetarian—just swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth and the butter for oil.
Matzo balls are traditionally made with matzo meal, which is typically not grain-free. There are some brands of gluten-free matzo to be had, but it’s pretty challenging to find a source of matzo that is both grain-free and gluten-free.
To give you all your options, here’s a quick list of various dumpling recipes I’ve published that are also grain-free and gluten-free:
I’ve added some great tips in the recipe headnotes, so don’t forget to read them before you dive in.
Matzo Ball Soup {coconut flour}
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- 2 teaspoons dried herbs or 2 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs
- 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Instructions
- Please read the head notes for this recipe. I recommend baking the matzo balls and then placing them in the soup broth right before serving.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
- Add all the ingredients, except the chicken broth, to a mixing bowl and blend well with a spoon.
- Scoop 1 to 2 tablespoons of batter into a ball, roll in your hands and place on the baking sheet. Repeat for the remaining batter.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until they are no longer soft in the middle.
- Serve in bowls of very warm chicken broth or vegetable broth.
I followed the recipe to the letter but wasn’t able to create balls. The ingredients made more of a liquid mess. So they were flat. Taste was good though.
Hi Pam. Did you bake them before adding them to the soup? And did you simmer then in the soup or just add them? Maybe they need to bake a bit longer. I’ve never had these fall apart when I bake them. They are finicky if you cook them in the broth. I mentioned this in the head notes to the recipe.
i wanted to try the soup method cause i thought that would be as close to what i’m used to. but i didn’t want to ruin the soup in case it didn’t work out. usually i cook matza balls (made with matza) in water that’s very salted. so i tried that with these. first i forgot about your instruction to gently place them in the water. so the 1st 2 “exploded”. then i reread your instruction and gently placed them. i covered them and brought the water to simmer. i wasn’t sure how long to cook them. what do you suggest?
Hi Susan, I just added the time of 5 minutes if you want to simmer the matzo balls in the soup. Make sure the soup has been simmering so it is hot, and then gently drop the matzo balls in. Best wishes!
can i use normal flour instead of coconut flour?
Coconut flour behaves very differently than AP flour so I’d use a recipe that calls for AP flour.
Oh my gosh so pumped for this! I miss matzo ball soup so much!! Thank you.
You’re welcome 🙂