Vegan Matzo Ball Soup

Vegan matzo ball soup is a cozy and comforting dish that’s perfect for any time of year. It has soft, fluffy matzo balls floating in a warm, flavorful broth. Traditional matzo balls use eggs, but this recipe keeps things plant-based without losing the classic texture. Whether you’re making it for a holiday or just craving a bowl of goodness, this soup is sure to hit the spot.

Matzo ball soup is a big part of Passover, a Jewish holiday that celebrates freedom. It marks the time when the Jewish people escaped slavery in Egypt. During Passover, people eat matzo, an unleavened bread, to remember how they had to leave in a hurry without time for their bread to rise. This recipe gives the classic dish a vegan twist while keeping the tradition alive.

Gather your loved ones, break out the vegan wine during the Seder, and enjoy a bowl of vegan matzo ball soup that will warm both your belly and your heart.Will you be celebrating a vegan Passover? Or a plant-powered Hanukkah? Or do you just have a hankering for nostalgic matzo ball soup made without eggs?

This vegan matzo ball soup is so good it’s worth enjoying all year round!

Eggless Matzo Ball Soup, Perfected—Finally!

Over the years we’ve experimented with a lot of vegan matzo ball recipes, often with little luck. Matzo balls are very delicate and are traditionally held together with eggs, so it can be challenging to find plant-based ingredients (and egg replacers) that bind the matzo meal together effectively.

We can’t even count how many times I’ve made perfect-looking matzo balls that end up completely disintegrating in the soup. But after much trial-and-error, we’ve finally found this dream recipe that really works!

The star ingredient this recipes uses in place of eggs? Silken tofu! 

It’s perfect for Passover, for Hanukkah, for sick days, on chilly days, and heck, even in the heart of summer. It’s really easy to make and a true crowd-pleaser. So load up your pantry with matzo meal and get cooking! 

• Matzo Meal – This humble ingredient is the star of the show when it comes to matzo ball soup. Made from ground-up matzo crackers, it adds that signature texture and flavor to the soup that we all know and love. Not only is it essential for the recipe, but it also holds special significance during the Jewish holiday of Passover, when matzo (unleavened bread) is eaten to commemorate the Israelites’ hasty departure from Egypt. Matzo meal is vegan, and most matzo ball mixes are too! This recipe calls for matzo meal, which you can find at most grocery stores or online. Matzo ball mixes already contain baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and they also contain spices like celery seed, garlic, onion, and pepper. Not all matzo is certified kosher, so be sure to read the package and labeling to be certain.
• Silken Tofu – Who knew that tofu could be the secret ingredient to delicious matzo balls? This plant-based protein powerhouse not only adds a delicate creaminess to the matzo balls, but also helps bind the ingredients together for that perfect texture. While silken tofu is a great alternative to eggs, not all Jews consider it to be “Kosher for Passover.” Some Jews refrain from eating kitniyot foods on Passover, which are derived from legumes (like soy-based tofu), while others will consume such foods if they are certified kosher. Some organic tofu brands have received kosher certification from the Kosher Supervision of America, which is acceptable to some Jews to eat on Passover. If you’re hosting a vegan Passover seder, please be sensitive and check with your guests to see if they are comfortable eating tofu!
• Nutritional Yeast – For those new to plant-based cooking, nutritional yeast may seem like a strange ingredient to include in soup. But trust us; it’s worth it! This flaky, golden powder adds a nutty, cheesy flavor to the matzo balls, giving them that umami kick that we all crave. But…is Nutritional Yeast Kosher for Passover? Again, that depends on the specific dietary guidelines and customs followed by each Jewish individual or community. If you don’t consider nutritional yeast Kosher for Passover, you can simply leave it out!
• Vegetable Broth – Store-bought vegetable broth is a fantastic option when it comes to making a delicious and easy plant-based matzo ball soup. But you can also opt use vegan bouillon and water instead! Bouillon is essentially a concentrated soup base made from dehydrated vegetables, herbs, and spices. It’s a quick and easy way to add flavor to your soup; simply dissolve it in hot water and use it in place of vegetable broth. Better Than Bouillon makes several varieties of vegan bouillon that we love!
• Parsley – This versatile herb adds a bright pop of green to the soup, as well as a subtle, fresh flavor that balances out the richness of the broth. In Jewish tradition, parsley represents a symbol of spring and rebirth, making it a fitting addition to the Passover seder plate. But in this soup, it’s just a delicious and nutritious ingredient that takes the dish to the next level. While many dried herbs are kosher, if you’re preparing foods that must be certified “Kosher for Passover”, be cautious of seasonings (blended spices) and additives that may render the spices unsuitable for Passover.