The Shortcut Soup I Make Every Time My Family Gets Sick
Works every time—it's the nourishment we need to feel better.
One Soup to Cure All
Every winter, my family seems to be caught in an endless cycle of colds. Just as one of us starts to recover, another falls ill. This year has been particularly tough, with the cold carrying over into our winter break and even into the first week of school. Thankfully, I have a go-to soup recipe that never fails to make us feel a little better. Mom’s Lemony Matzo Ball Soup is a staple in our house, and it is not only delicious but also restorative.
When anyone in the family needs a pick-me-up, we turn to this soup. It is a simple recipe that uses boxed matzo ball soup mix and some readily available ingredients. My husband is a big fan of matzo ball soup, so he’ll often exaggerate his symptoms to get a bowlful. But even if he doesn’t, it’s still a comforting and nourishing meal for the whole family.
How to Make Lemony Matzo Ball Soup
I believe that the best matzo ball soup can be made right out of the box. The recipe is already perfected, so there's no need to reinvent the wheel. However, I do make a few adjustments to take it to the next level of restorative goodness.
First, I prepare the matzo ball mix according to the package instructions and let it chill in the fridge. In the meantime, I make the broth by combining water, homemade chicken stock, and the soup powder from the box. To enhance the flavor, I add a knob of fresh ginger to steep in the broth. Once the broth is boiling, I drop in the matzo balls and cook them until they are light and fluffy. Finally, I garnish each bowl with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some chopped parsley.
The combination of ginger, lemon, and parsley gives the soup a magical healing power. It's a special treat that my family loves and that helps us feel better when we're under the weather.
Customize and Store Your Soup
This soup can be easily adapted to suit your preferences and what you have on hand. If you don't have homemade stock, store-bought works just fine. You can even skip the stock altogether and rely solely on the soup mix in the box.
Fresh ginger and lemon are essential for the flavor, so I recommend keeping them on hand. You can freeze ginger for easy access, and it's always good to have lemons in the fridge.
Feel free to customize your soup further by adding vegetables like carrots, celery, mushrooms, or kale. You can also experiment with different herbs like dill or scallions instead of parsley. The goal is to make the soup as comforting and nourishing as possible.
Leftover soup can be stored in the fridge for about a week in a sealed container. To reheat, simply warm it on the stove or in the microwave (but be sure to transfer it to a microwave-safe dish). Enjoy!
