How to Make Tapioca Pearls (Boba) Recipe

Introduction

Tapioca pearls, commonly known as boba, are a fun and chewy addition to your favorite drinks and desserts. Making them at home is easier than you might think, and this recipe guides you through using different flavors and colors for a personalized touch.

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup water (70 mL)
• ⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar or Muscovado sugar (65g)
• ¾ cup + 2 tbsp tapioca starch (110g – divided, plus extra for kneading and dusting)
• 1-2 drops black food coloring (optional)
• ⅓ cup cane sugar
• 1 tbsp ceremonial grade matcha
• ⅓ cup strawberry puree (about 5-6 whole strawberries) (70 mL)
• 2 tbsp cane sugar (for fruit versions)
• 1-2 drops food coloring (optional for fruit flavors)
• ⅓ cup mango puree (about 1-2 ripe mangoes) (70 mL)
• ⅓ cup peach puree (about 2-3 ripe peaches) (70 mL)
• ¼ cup maple syrup, agave nectar, simple syrup, or brown sugar syrup (for soaking)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Prepare your fruit purees by blending until smooth and pressing through a fine metal sieve to remove pulp. You can also use store-bought juice if preferred. Combine the strained puree with sugar in a pot and add food coloring if desired. For the brown sugar and matcha versions, mix water, sugar, matcha, and food coloring in a pot.
2. Step 2: Heat the mixture over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and it reaches a gentle simmer.
3. Step 3: Add half of the tapioca starch to the simmering mixture and stir to form a paste. Remove from heat once sticky and clumped.
4. Step 4: Immediately add the remaining tapioca starch and mix as much as possible. Transfer the dough to a work surface and gently knead until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth when not in use.
5. Step 5: If the dough is sticky, sprinkle in extra starch 1 teaspoon at a time and knead. If dry, wet your hands or add water teaspoon by teaspoon until the dough becomes soft and pliable without crumbling.
6. Step 6: Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a log about 1 cm in diameter. Cut each log in half, place halves side by side, cut into small pieces roughly 0.5×0.5 cm or about 1 gram each.
7. Step 7: Roll each small piece into a smooth ball and dust lightly with tapioca starch. To save time, you can roll groups of 5-10 pieces on the counter with your palm; this will create oblong shapes but they taste the same.
8. Step 8: Place the rolled pearls in a metal sieve and shake off excess starch.
9. Step 9: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the pearls and boil for 15-20 minutes, until they rise to the surface and are cooked through. Longer boiling (20 minutes) results in softer pearls.
10. Step 10: Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the pearls sit in the hot water for 5 more minutes to finish cooking.
11. Step 11: Drain the pearls and immediately transfer to syrup such as simple syrup, maple syrup, or agave nectar to keep them from sticking.

Tips & Variations

• Adjust the color and flavor by adding food coloring and different fruit purees for a fun twist on classic tapioca pearls.
• For easier rolling, keep your hands and workspace lightly dusted with tapioca starch to prevent sticking.
• Cook pearls longer for softer texture or reduce cooking time if you prefer more chew.
• Use maple syrup or agave nectar for soaking pearls to add subtle sweetness with natural flavors.

Storage

Store cooked tapioca pearls submerged in syrup at room temperature for up to 4 hours for best texture. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 2 days but note they may harden. Reheat gently in warm water or microwave with a splash of water to soften before use.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make tapioca pearls without food coloring?

Yes, food coloring is optional. Pearls made without it will have a natural translucent or white color but the flavor and texture remain the same.

How can I tell when the pearls are fully cooked?

Fully cooked pearls will rise to the surface of the boiling water and have a chewy, slightly springy texture without a hard center. If unsure, cook for the full 20 minutes and then test a pearl before draining.

How to Make Tapioca Pearls (Boba) Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 67 reviews

• Author: Harry
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: Approximately 40–50 tapioca pearls 1x

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Description

Learn how to make classic tapioca pearls (boba) at home with this easy step-by-step recipe. Using simple ingredients like tapioca starch, sugar, and fruit purees or brown sugar syrup, you can create chewy, flavorful boba perfect for bubble tea and other drinks. This recipe includes tips for shaping and cooking the pearls to achieve the ideal texture.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Basic Ingredients

• ⅓ cup water (70 mL)
• ⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar or Muscovado sugar (65g)
• ¾ cup + 2 tbsp tapioca starch (110g – divided, plus extra for kneading & dusting)
• 1–2 drops black food coloring (optional)

Fruit Flavor Variations

• ⅓ cup strawberry puree (about 5–6 whole strawberries) (70 mL)
• 2 tbsp cane sugar
• 1–2 drops food coloring (optional)
• ⅓ cup mango puree (about 1–2 ripe mangoes) (70 mL)
• 2 tbsp cane sugar
• 1–2 drops food coloring (optional)
• ⅓ cup peach puree (about 2–3 ripe peaches) (70 mL)
• 2 tbsp cane sugar
• 1–2 drops food coloring (optional)

Matcha Flavor Variation

• ⅓ cup water (70 mL)
• ⅓ cup cane sugar
• 1 tbsp ceremonial grade matcha powder
• ¾ cup + 2 tbsp tapioca starch (110g – divided, plus extra for kneading & dusting)
• 1–2 drops food coloring (optional)

Syrup for Coating Cooked Pearls

• ¼ cup maple syrup, agave nectar, simple syrup, or brown sugar syrup

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Instructions

1. Note Preparation: Refer to images, troubleshooting tips, or the accompanying video for visual guidance throughout this recipe.
2. Prepare Fruit Juices and Liquids: For fruit-flavored boba, blend fruit until smooth and strain through a fine sieve to remove pulp. Combine the strained puree with sugar and optional food coloring in a pot. For brown sugar or matcha varieties, mix water, sugar, matcha, and optional food coloring in the pot.
3. Dissolve Sugar: Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves and the mixture begins a gentle simmer.
4. Make the Dough: Add half the tapioca starch to the simmering liquid, stirring to form a paste. Remove the pot from heat once the mixture is sticky and starts clumping.
5. Knead the Dough: Immediately add the remaining tapioca starch. Mix thoroughly, then transfer the dough to a work surface. Knead gently until smooth, covering with plastic wrap or a damp cloth when not working.
6. Adjust Dough Consistency: If dough is sticky, sprinkle tiny amounts of starch (1 tsp increments) and knead until it firms up. If dry or crumbly, moisten hands or add small amounts of water gradually to achieve a smooth, playdough-like texture.
7. Shape the Pearls: Divide dough into four pieces. Roll each into a long log about 1 cm diameter, cut in half lengthwise, place halves side by side, then cut into 0.5×0.5 cm pieces (~1g each). Roll each piece into balls and dust lightly with starch. For faster shaping, roll 5-10 pieces on the surface with palm, dusting with starch as needed.
8. Remove Excess Starch: Place balls in a metal sieve and shake off excess starch.
9. Cook the Tapioca Pearls: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pearls and boil for 15-20 minutes, until they rise to the surface. For softer pearls, boil for the full 20 minutes.
10. Let Pearls Rest: Turn off heat, cover pot, and let pearls continue cooking in hot water for an additional 5 minutes.
11. Drain and Coat: Drain cooked pearls and immediately transfer them to syrup (maple syrup, agave nectar, simple syrup, or brown sugar syrup) to prevent sticking and add sweetness.

Notes

• Use food coloring sparingly to achieve vibrant tapioca pearls in desired shades.
• If dough is sticky, slowly incorporate more tapioca starch and knead well.
• If dough crumbles or is too dry, moisten with small amounts of water while kneading.
• Rolling pearls by hand is time-consuming; rolling multiple pieces on the counter with your palm speeds up the process but results in slightly oblong shapes, which taste the same.
• Boiling time affects chewiness: less time produces firmer pearls, longer time yields softer pearls.
• Store boba in syrup at room temperature for best texture; refrigerating can harden the pearls.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Boiling
• Cuisine: Asian

Keywords: tapioca pearls, boba, bubble tea, homemade boba, tapioca starch, chew, matcha boba, fruit boba