Vegetarian Matzah Ball Soup

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot.

Step 2

Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Add the sliced shiitake mushroom caps, stir well and cook for another minute.

Step 3

Add 10 cups water, salt, turmeric and pepper (don’t add all the salt at once here, you can adjust to taste later).

Step 4

Place the shiitake stems, carrots, parsnip, onions, celery, garlic, dill and parsley in a cheese cloth. Tie it well with kitchen twine and place it in the soup pot. Bring to a boil and let it cook for 5 minutes.

Step 5

Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 1 hour. The broth should be ready and should be flavorful. If it’s not, continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes.

Step 6

While soup cooks, prepare the matzah balls following the package instructions.

Step 7

Remove cheesecloth from the soup and place it in a colander with a bowl underneath. Squeeze as much liquid as you can from the cheesecloth and pour it into the soup pot (the liquid will be hot, so use a wooden spoon or another utensil). Discard vegetables.

Step 8

Prepare matzah ball according to directions on the box, and chill in fridge for 30 minutes. Or, you can make a homemade version like this.

Step 9

Place the matzah balls directly into the broth and cook, covered, for 20 minutes.