Is it safe to come out yet? Have the relentless demands for all things pumpkin-spiced died down, at least to an intermittent, dull roar? I’ve been hanging onto one gem of a pumpkin recipe for months, but selfishly withheld it from the blog-reading public, fearing it would become lost in the sea of squash.
No, wait, don’t click away just yet! Rather than another sweet interpretation of the seasonal gourd, loosely modeled around the flavors of a pie rather than the actual vegetable, I’m much more fond of pumpkin when it actually tastes like, well, pumpkin. Crazy though it may be, I’d much prefer to see pumpkin turn up as a savory offering during the main meal instead of just the grand finale, capped off with an avalanche of sugar and seasonings so strong that they obscure the inherent flavor of the star ingredient. Food producers and well-meaning cooks alike seem to have forgotten the pumpkin’s potential outside of the dessert realm.
Even if you’re feeling burnt out on pumpkin, I would implore you to give it another shot when re-imagined in matzo ball format. Completely nontraditional and aligned with entirely the wrong Jewish holiday, these are definitely not your Bubbie’s matzo balls. Bound together with roasted pumpkin puree, I prefer to think of them more as matzo dumplings, since they bear a denser, more toothsome texture than the fluffy pillows of Passover lore. The goal of this wintery interpretation was not to perfect the vegan matzo ball, but to create something with the same sort of comforting flavors, revamped with a more seasonal spin.
Moreover, purists would be horrified at my cooking methods. A baked matzo ball, for crying out loud? That’s downright heresy in some kosher kitchens, I’m sure. The beauty of this approach is that rather than getting soggy dumplings, halfway dissolved into a puddle of lukewarm soup, they stay perfectly intact until the moment your spoon carves through the tender spheres. Allowing for effortless advanced preparation, just keep the dumplings safely out of the golden, vegetable-rich pool until the moment you’re ready to serve.
On a blustery, cold day when nothing but a heartwarming bowl of soup will do, this is my idea of comfort food. Owing nothing to the overblown pumpkin trend, it’s still worth keeping your pantry stocked with a can of the stuff, just in case a craving strikes.
Pumpkin Matzo Dumpling Soup
Completely nontraditional and aligned with entirely the wrong Jewish holiday, these are definitely not your Bubbie’s matzo balls. Bound together with roasted pumpkin puree, I prefer to think of them more as matzo dumplings, since they bear a denser, more toothsome texture than the fluffy pillows of Passover lore. The goal of this wintery interpretation was not to perfect the vegan matzo ball, but to create something with the same sort of comforting flavors, revamped with a more seasonal spin.
Ingredients
Matzo Balls:
- 1 1/3 Cups Fine Matzo Meal
- 2 Teaspoons Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/4 Cup Very Finely Minced Yellow Onion
- 1 1/2 Cups Roasted Pumpkin Puree, or 1 (14-Ounce) Can 100% Solid Packed Pumpkin Puree
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
Vegetable Soup:
- 6 Cups Vegetable Broth
- 2 Small Carrots, Thinly Sliced
- 2 Stalks Celery, Thinly Sliced
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion, Diced
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Dill, Minced
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley, Minced
- Salt and Ground Black Pepper, to Taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, stir together the matzo meal, salt, garlic powder, baking powder, and soda. Yes, it may seem like a lot of salt, but it gets rationed into many little matzo dumplings. Don’t back down on the amount or else you’ll risk making bland balls! Make sure all the dry goods are evenly distributed throughout before adding in the minced onion, tossing to coat. Combine the pumpkin puree and olive oil in a separate container, whisking until smooth, and pour the wet mixture into the bowl. Mix with a wide spatula, stirring thoroughly to combine, until there are no remaining pockets of dry ingredients. Let the matzo batter sit in a cool spot for about 15 minutes to thicken before proceeding.
- I like using a small cookie scoop for more consistent dumplings, but a good old fashioned tablespoon will do just fine as well. Scoop out about 2 teaspoons of the matzo mixture for each dumpling, rolling them very gently between lightly moistened hands to round them out. Place each one on your prepared baking sheet about 1/2-inch part. There’s no risk of them spreading, but giving them a bit of breathing room helps to ensure more even cooking. Repeat until all of the batter is used and you have a neat little army of raw matzo balls ready to be baked. Lightly spritz the tops with olive oil spray for better browning, if desired.
- Bake for 45 – 50 minutes, rotating the sheet pan halfway through, until golden brown all over.
- Meanwhile, prepare the soup itself by combining the broth, carrots, celery, and onion in a medium stock pot. Bring it to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, cooking until the carrots are fork-tender. Right before serving, add in the fresh herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Ladle out some of the soup into each soup bowl and add in the baked matzo dumplings right before serving. Enjoy piping hot!
Notes
The matzo balls can be prepared and baked up to 5 days in advance; store in an airtight container in the fridge and re-crisp at 350 degrees for 10 minutes before assembling the soup.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 283Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1311mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 4gSugar: 6gProtein: 6g
Hannah, how do you do it? How do you come up with these brilliant ideas time and time again? Pumpkin matzo ball soup is a fantastic idea!
wow great recipe!
Matzo balls are such a rare treat for me because I can never find it! But I need to try this homemade version soon :D
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
The pumpkin would give a lovely moist texture to those dumplings and that delicious soup would be true comfort food. Today it’s raining and so a great big bowl of this soup would go down a treat. Cheers for sharing Ms Hannah :)
How creative, Hannah, and positively yummy for the cold winter’s nights…which, I think, you’re not experiencing right now!! Enjoy the warm and happy holidays.
janet
You caught me. ;) The coldest it gets around here is 70 degrees, and that’s only around 3am when the wind is blowing. Good thing I got all that cold weather cooking out of my system early, so now I have a nice stockpile of recipes to dole out while I soak in the sun. Glad this one struck the right chord!
I never have tried matzo ball soup before. After seeing this post though, it is definitely something I need to make for myself. I do love your pumpkin version!
This looks so amazing and creative!
I’ve never made matzo balls. Pretty sure I’ve never even eaten one, but they look amazing!
Love this idea! Great to see more savoury pumpkin recipes :)
I never tasted normal matzo balls let alone pumpkin matzo balls!
They must be very tasty because, as you know, I am a big pumpkin fan too!!.
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Such an inventive and creative use of plain pumpkin – I’ll definitely going to try these little orange ball soon :)
I’ve just bought a box of matzo ball mix. i have never eaten one! Today is October 1st and I’m hungry for pumpkin something!! I plan on making these to drop in chicken broth & carrots, since thats what i have in the house. Baking these sounds so simple. Wish me luck, since I plan on sharing these with friends as a suprise delivery dinner! Salad included!
Oops! i’ve just discovered that the matzo ball mix requires 2 eggs. Does the pumpkin replace the eggs? Should i not risk it and buy matzo meal instead? Please help me sort this out because i’m really pumpkin hungry and ready to get cooking! Thanks :))
Matzo ball mix is indeed a different beast from plain matzo meal. It typically has other ingredients like leaveners and salt added, so I can’t say for sure how it would work in this recipe. It may turn out, but I can’t vouch for the results. If you still have the time and inclination, I’d recommend going for straight matzo meal instead. Happy cooking!
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