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Tapioca pearls

Grains, rice & flours · Starches

Tapioca pearls

Balls of cassava starch that turn translucent and chewy when boiled; used for bubble tea and puddings.

Also called: boba, boba pearls, bubble tea pearls, black tapioca pearls, pearl tapioca, sago pearls

Around the world: 珍珠, 粉圓, zhenzhu (zh)

1 recipe with it

Photo: Sophie, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-2.0)

What it is

Tapioca pearls are cassava starch formed into small (2–3 mm) or large (8–10 mm) balls and dried. Boiled, they turn glassy and chewy. Large black boba are coloured with brown sugar or caramel and are made for bubble tea. In South and Southeast Asia, small pearls are often called sago, although true sago comes from the sago palm.

How it’s used

  • Bubble tea (boba)
  • Tapioca pudding with milk or coconut milk
  • Sabudana khichdi and vada (soaked small pearls)
  • Che and other Southeast Asian sweets

Characteristics

Texture
Chewy, bouncy and slippery.
When cooked
Drop into plenty of boiling water and stir so they don't stick; large pearls harden again within hours, so cook them fresh.
Sold as
dried
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for boiling

Storage

Pantry-stable. Dry pearls keep airtight in the pantry. Cooked pearls are best eaten the same day; they firm up in the fridge.

Diet, allergens and safety

No major allergens in typical versions.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Large chewy pearls can be a choking hazard for young children.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
358 kcal
Protein
0.19 g
Carbohydrate
88.69 g
Fat
0.02 g
Fibre
0.9 g
Sugars
3.35 g

USDA FoodData Central: Tapioca, pearl, dry.

Related ingredients

Recipes with tapioca pearls