The Matzo Ball Soup Recipe Brian Wilson Loved

Carnie Wilson may be best known as the co-founder of ‘90s pop group Wilson Phillips, but you might not know that she’s also a bit of a home chef. Wilson, who launched a music-themed cooking show called Sounds Delicious on AXS last year, often shares her latest culinary concoctions on social media. The dishes she cooked for her dad, the Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson, who died earlier this month at age 82, seem to have an extra special spot in Wilson’s heart—and on her Facebook feed.

Among the dishes Wilson loved to cook for her famous dad? Chicken matzo ball soup, a cozy, comforting dish with chicken, veggies and dumplings made of matzo meal, fat and eggs in place. Back in December, Wilson shared a video of her version of chicken matzo ball soup on Facebook saying, “Guess who it’s for? My daddy.”

Wilson says in the video that the soup is the best she’s ever made. The secret to her success? Adding smashed bits of carrot and a bit of cilantro to the mix. “I really don’t know what to say other than get in my belly,” Wilson says. “This broth is so flavorful. I mean, there’s tons of chicken in this and just… forget it. Absolutely forget it.”

We’re pretty sure this nifty soup was inspired by Wilson’s maternal grandmother, May Rovell. On an episode of Breaking Bread with Brooke Burke, Wilson shared that her grandma was a world-class cook, and matzo ball soup was one of her go-to dishes. Before Rovell got to work on the soup, she would give Carnie lessons in rolling the perfect matzo balls. Wilson also shared that Grandma May’s key to a great broth was a big turkey leg—and Carnie’s secret is a couple of parsnips. 

Turkey and parsnips get combined with onion, garlic, carrots, lots of fresh herbs and seasonings—including a big pinch of Lawry’s seasoning salt and some chicken bouillon—to create the soup’s base. After simmering for a while, the solids are strained out, and you’re left with a richly-flavored broth for your supper. To the broth, Carnie adds freshly cooked, chopped chicken, celery, carrot, fresh parsley and fresh dill—and some cilantro, if she has it on hand. After letting everything simmer together for about 20 minutes, Carnie samples the soup to make sure it doesn’t need a pinch of salt. If it’s all ready to go, then you can add your matzo balls.

Grandma May’s method for matzo balls uses matzo meal, chicken broth, eggs, some chicken fat and seasonings. Simply combine everything with a fork, wet your hands and roll the balls, then drop them into the simmering pot. Once the matzo balls are cooked through, you can dish up bowls and share with family and friends.

As Wilson shared on Breaking Bread, cooking for her dad always made her feel close to him—and he was a big fan of her recipes. “When I cook for him, it fills a big hole in me,” Wilson shared. And matzo soup is a perfect recipe to share with friends and family.

If you’d prefer to follow a written recipe, EatingWell contributor Hannah Selinger shared her grandmother’s Matzo Ball Soup recipe that’s equally nostalgic and delicious. To make it, follow the recipe instructions for matzo balls, then add some Wilson-inspired ingredients like shredded chicken (a store-bought rotisserie chicken would work great here!), cilantro and finely diced or “smashed” carrot bits.

And if you want to try your hand at a few Brian Wilson-approved dishes, you should know that the iconic singer also had a sweet tooth where his daughter’s cooking was concerned. Last June, Carnie Wilson shared a photo of herself with her dad and the sugar-free chocolate-peanut butter mousse cake she made for his birthday. “He loved it,” she said, adding that the day was full of “great memories.”

Matzo ball soup and chocolate-peanut butter cake sound like a dream meal to us, perfect for remembering Brian Wilson and his work. While you’re feeling those good vibrations, consider making our Peanut Butter-Chocolate Mug Cake or Peanut Butter Brownie Bites.