It’s Passover! I am so happy to be making this proven recipe for matzo balls. If you remember, three years ago when I started this blog, I went through a series of experiments using all kinds of ingredients to create vegan matzo balls. The last attempt was the worst. The matzo balls completely dissolved upon hitting the boiling water. I was about to give up when I found Nava Atlas and her site VegKitchen.com. Nava is an amazing cook, blogger, and cookbook author and her recipe for matzo balls saved me!
My friend Frank and his wife Sandra dropped of a Christmas present at our apartment this year: Vegan Holiday Kitchen by Nava Atlas. When I went through the book, I found a different recipe for the matzo balls. Nava omitted the packaged matzo ball mix and instead uses plain matzo meal dressed up with a little onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper. No more extra sodium and more homemade! Right up my alley. She has also posted the new recipe on her website.
I made 24 matzo balls from this recipe!
Note: if you are making these ahead of time, reheat in a warm oven, not the soup, or the matzo balls may start to fall apart!
1 cup quinoa flakes
2 cups boiling water
1 cup matzo meal *
1/4 cup sunflower oil
1/4 teaspoon each onion powder and garlic powder, or more to taste
1/8 teaspoon salt and white pepper, or more to taste
* Use matzo meal in the package or do what I did. Break up about 8 sheets of matzo and place them into the food processor. Process until fine. Sift through a fine mesh strainer for really fine meal.
Boil the water.
In a large mixing bowl, cover the quinoa flakes with the hot water and let stand for 3 minutes.
Stir in the matzo meal, oil, salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder and mix until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 275 and line a baking sheet. Roll into 1 inch balls. I use my small ice cream scooper to help me estimate the size. Try not to pack the balls too tightly.
Arrange on the baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes carefully turning after 10 minutes. Don’t let them brown!
Drop right into soup or if making ahead of time let cool and then reheat in a warm oven.
Enjoy!
ps. don’t forget this amazing recipe for matzo brei! It is a favorite around here!