GLUTEN FREE VEGAN MATZO BALLS

Posted by Bryna Bear aka Gluten Free Baking Bear

    These matzo balls are light and tasty.  The recipe is one I found many years ago on-line for vegan matzo balls.  That recipe used regular matzo meal.  I replaced the matzo meal with raw cream of rice cereal.  The texture of the cream of rice cereal when cooked is very similar to that of matzo meal and is a very satisfying gluten free substitution.

GF Cream of Rice Cereal.
A great substitute for Matzo Meal in this recipe.

     OK, the photo is not vegan. In the photo there are wonderful vegan matzo balls with chicken soup.  I find that these vegan matzo balls are lighter and more flavorful than any recipe for matzo balls that contain eggs so I now always use the vegan recipe. Since my daughter-in-law can not eat soy (tofu) I make a small batch of matzo balls following a typical recipe using eggs for her.  Most of my family prefer the vegan ones.
     To make it completely vegan just use a vegan soup. The best recipe I have found for vegan ‘chicken soup’ is one from the Still Life With Menu Cookbook by Mollie Katzen.  She has written many cookbooks the most famous of which is the Moosewood Cookbook.  I have three of her cookbooks and have not tried a recipe that I did not like. Moosewood is a restaurant in upstate New York near Cornell University.  Her recipe for Not-Chicken Soup has a wonderful flavor and is chicken broth-like in taste.  I will include this recipe at the end of the blog.

GLUTEN FREE VEGAN MATZO BALLS

Makes about 15 2” Matzo Balls

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups	Raw Cream of Rice Cereal
1/2 tsp.	Xanthan Gum
1 Tbs.	Corn Starch (or potato starch)
3/4 tsp,	Sea Salt
3/4 tsp,	Pepper
1/4 tsp.	Dried Basil (optional) or herb of choice.
12 oz.	Firm Silken Tofu
1/3 cup	Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup	Vegetable Stock
1 small	Carrot - peeled and finely grated

Directions

1. In a bowl mix together the cereal, salt, pepper and basil.  Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor add the tofu, oil and vegetable stock.  Puree until smooth.

   

   Pureed tofu, oil and broth.

3. Add the tofu mixture to the cereal mixture and stir together well.  Add the grated carrots and stir in well.

   

   Adding carrots to the batter.

4. Refrigerate the batter at least an hour or overnight.  The batter will not hold together if it is not well chilled.

   

   Matzo ball batter ready to go into the refrigerator.

5. When you are ready to cook the matzo balls, bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add a tablespoon of salt to the water.  You can add unsalted gf vegetable bouillon cubes to the water for more flavorful matzo balls.
6. The batter will not form into firm balls like they do when regular matzo meal is used. You will need to use a scoop to measure out the batter.  I used a scoop that measured 2” wide and the boiled matzo balls measured 2” after cooking.   Use a larger scoop for larger balls.  Drop the scoops of batter into the boiling water/broth being careful not to drop the balls of batter on top of each other.  The matzo balls will sink to the bottom of the pot and float up as they heat up.

   

   Scooping out Matzo Balls with a 2-inch diameter scoop.
   Use a larger scoop for  larger balls.

7. Cover the pot with the lid and simmer for 45 minutes.  Try not to peek and lift the lid until the time is up.
8. If you leave the balls in the hot water for an hour after they are done they will soak up more water and be softer and plumper.
9. Remove the matzo balls with a slotted spoon and serve in the soup.  You can store the matzo balls in a container in the refrigerator for later use.  If you want to store them for a longer time, spread them out on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer until firm.  Once the balls are frozen place them in a freezer bag.  Thaw and reheat them when ready to eat.

VEGETARIAN  ‘CHICKEN” SOUP

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

8 cups	Water
2 tsp.	Sea Salt
2 large	Carrots - peeled and cut into chunks
2 medium	Onions - peeled and cut into chunks
8-10 medium sized cloves	Garlic - peeled and cut in half
2 stalks	Celery - cut into chunks
1 small	Parsnip - peeled and cut into chunks (optional-using it will make a sweet broth)
handful	Mushrooms - cut in quarters
1/2 tsp.	Turmeric
to taste	Black Pepper

Directions

1. Place all the ingredients into a large soup pot.
2. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
3. Turn off the heat and allow to cool.
4. Strain out all the vegetables and reserve the broth.
5. Reheat the broth when ready to have the matzo ball soup.
6. You can store the broth in the refrigerator for several days until ready to use.  
7. You can freeze the broth for longer storage and then reheat.

GLUTEN FREE VEGAN MATZO BALLS Makes about 15 2” Matzo Balls Ingredients 1 1/2 cups Raw Cream of Rice Cereal 1/2 tsp. Xanthan Gum 1 Tbs. Corn Starch (or potato starch) 3/4 tsp, Sea Salt 3/4 tsp, Pepper 1/4 tsp. Dried Basil (optional) or herb of choice. 12 oz. Firm Silken Tofu 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/2 cup Vegetable Stock 1 small Carrot - peeled and finely grated Directions In a bowl mix together the cereal, salt, pepper and basil. Set aside. In the bowl of a food processor add the tofu, oil and vegetable stock. Puree until smooth. Add the tofu mixture to the cereal mixture and stir together well. Add the grated carrots and stir in well. Refrigerate the batter at least an hour or overnight. The batter will not hold together if it is not well chilled. When you are ready to cook the matzo balls, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of salt to the water. You can add unsalted gf vegetable bouillon cubes to the water for more flavorful matzo balls. The batter will not form into firm balls like they do when regular matzo meal is used. You will need to use a scoop to measure out the batter. I used a scoop that measured 2” wide and the boiled matzo balls measured 2” after cooking. Use a larger scoop for larger balls. Drop the scoops of batter into the boiling water/broth being carful not to drop the balls of batter on top of each other. The matzo balls will sink to the bottom of the pot and float up as they heat up. Cover the pot with the lid and simmer for 45 minutes. Try not to peek and lift the lid until the time is up. If you leave the balls in the hot water for an hour after they are done they will soak up more water and be softer and plumper. Remove the matzo balls with a slotted spoon and serve in the soup. You can store the matzo balls in a container in the refrigerator for later use. If you want to store them for a longer time, spread them out on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer until firm. Once the balls are frozen place them in a freezer bag. Thaw and reheat them when ready to eat. VEGETARIAN ‘CHICKEN” SOUP Makes 8 servings Ingredients 8 cups Water 2 tsp. Sea Salt 2 large Carrots - peeled and cut into chunks 2 medium Onions - peeled and cut into chunks 8-10 medium sized cloves Garlic - peeled and cut in half 2 stalks Celery - cut into chunks 1 small Parsnip - peeled and cut into chunks (optional-using it will make a sweet broth) handful Mushrooms - cut in quarters 1/2 tsp. Turmeric to taste Black Pepper Directions Place all the ingredients into a large soup pot. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the heat and allow to cool. Strain out all the vegetables and reserve the broth. Reheat the broth when ready to have the matzo ball soup. You can store the broth in the refrigerator for several days until ready to use. You can freeze the broth for longer storage and then reheat.