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5 from 1 vote

Roasted Tomato Soup with Ricotta Matzah Balls

It’s been a while since I had fun with a food-culture mash-up and this roasted tomato soup with ricotta matzah balls is probably one of my favorites to date. As the cooler season approaches, matzo ball soup is always on order. But this time, I wanted to combine our heritages and our cultures into one deliciously comforting bowl of matzo ball soup.
Tomatoes, peppers and carrots are all roasted together so they get soft, caramelized and sweet. After a quick blend together, stock is added to make a truly simple tomato soup.But the cheesy matzo balls are the BEST part. I mean honestly…cheese anything is the best part! And even though I will never turn down a simple classic, this Italian mash-up version gets me all kinds of excited. The ricotta makes the matzo balls light and pillowy and the freshly grated Parmesan gives them a wonderful savory flavor.
Servings: 3
Author: 18Doors

Ingredients

Garnish:

  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese for Parmesan chips
  • fresh basil
  • olive oil

Tomato Soup Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds vine or roma tomatoes cut in half
  • 2 red bell peppers halved, seeds and ribs removed
  • 2 large carrots peeled and stems cut
  • 5 cloves garlic smashed
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon sweet Calabrian chile powder or sweet paprika
  • olive oil
  • 1-2 cups vegetable stock

Ricotta Matzah Ball Ingredients:

  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup matzo meal
  • ¼ cup ricotta cheese
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ground black pepper

Instructions

Make the parmesan chips:

  • Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silpat.
  • Place 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese on the baking sheet and lightly press down so it’s in a circle and replicate with remaining cheese.
  • Bake for about seven minutes until the cheese melts and edges are slightly crispy.
  • Once done, remove from oven and allow to cool before removing.

Roast the vegetables:

  • Leave oven at 400° Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with foil.
  • Add tomatoes, peppers, carrots and garlic and toss with salt and olive oil.
  • Arrange the vegetables skin-side up and roast until soft and tender, for about 30 minutes.
  • Once done, remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.
  • Peel the skins from the tomatoes and peppers and discard.
  • Re-season the peeled sides of the peppers and tomatoes lightly with salt and pepper.

Make the soup:

  • Add the vegetables to a small sauce pan and purée until somewhat smooth with an immersion blender.
  • Add 1 cup of vegetable stock and 1 tablespoon of sweet Calabrian chile powder or sweet paprika to the soup and blend.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning.
  • Reduce heat to keep the soup warm.

Make the matzah balls:

  • Bring 4 quarts of vegetable stock to a boil in a dutch oven.
  • Whisk the matzo meal and baking powder together in a small bowl.
  • Whisk the remaining matza ball ingredients together in a medium bowl until well combined.
  • Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix gently into a thick batter.
  • Use a #16 size portion scoop to from about 7 matzo balls and drop into boiling stock.
  • Reduce stock to a simmer and cook partially covered for about 30 minutes, turning the matzo balls over about half way through.

Assemble the soup:

  • Portion the roasted tomato soup and the matzo balls into individual bowls.
  • Garnish each bowl with a Parmesan chip, fresh basil and a good drizzle of olive oil. Buon appetite!