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Learn How to Prepare Tapioca Pearls (Boba) for making bubble tea and for having other drink recipes!

How to Prepare Tapioca Pearls (Boba)

Hi Everyone, do you love getting Bubble Tea (also called, Boba tea)?

Well, guess what?

You can make it right in your kitchen at home!

I love buying bubble tea (or coffee) when I am out and about - to get those squishy, chewy little tapioca pearls but since I spend a lot of time at home and work from home, it's useful to be able to make it at home!

What are tapioca pearls?

According to Wikipedia:

Tapioca balls are translucent spheres produced from tapioca, a starch extracted from the cassava root. They originated as a cheaper alternative to pearl sago in Southeast Asian cuisine.

Ingredients

Here is the list of ingredients to prepare the tapioca pearls:

• 1 cup dried tapioca pearls (boba)
• 10 cups water (or enough to cover the tapioca pearls in the saucepan

Kitchen Tools

Here are some helpful kitchen tools to prepare the tapioca pearls:

• dry measuring cup
• small-medium saucepan
• slotted spoon
• mesh strainer

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What kind of flavor bubble tea or coffee would you make?

If you make this recipe, and like it, please give it a rating in the recipe card below and let us know in the comments at the end of the post.

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How to Prepare Tapioca Pearls (Boba)

Yield: 1 cup

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes

Total Time: 9 minutes

Learn How to Prepare Tapioca Pearls (Boba) for making bubble tea and for having other drink recipes!

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Ingredients

• 1 cup dried tapioca pearls (boba)
• 10 cups water (or enough to cover the tapioca pearls in the saucepan

Instructions

1. Measure 1 cup of dried tapioca pearls. Fill a small-medium saucepan with 10 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add 1 cup of dried tapioca pearls to the boiling water. At medium heat, wait until the tapioca floats to the surface of the water (2-3 minutes), then cover and cook at a low simmer for 2-3 minutes for a total cooking time of 2-6 minutes.
2. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until tender. Spoon out with a slotted spoon or just drain through a mesh colander. Now they are ready to add to a drink!

Notes

Storage: In my experience, tapioca pearls do not store well unless they are, perhaps, stored in a "sugar-syrup" mixture, so that they do not stick together. They are best when made fresh for your cold drink.

Should they be served hot or cold?: Tapioca pearls are usually enjoyed in cold/iced drinks. That doesn't mean they can not be enjoyed in hot coffee or tea as well but they are best served in cold drinks, in my humble opinion.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 544Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 49mgCarbohydrates: 135gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 0g

Please note that the Calculated Nutrition is an estimate at best.

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Did you make this recipe? If you share it on social media tag us @lifeslittlesweets and hashtag it #lifeslittlesweets - Thank you in advance!

• This post was first published on 3/31/2021 and updated and republished on 10/5/2022, 10/3/2022, 1/3/2023, 3/26/2024, 6/6/2024

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Sara Maniez

Owner at Life's Little Sweets

Sara is an architectural designer turned work-at-home Mom. She lives in New Jersey by way of New England and New York, with her husband and 3 kids under 8. She loves design, being creative, and spending time with family and friends. She loves checking out local businesses and eats and being apart of the local farm to table community.

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