In this summer section, we made lots of boba recipes. For all of the bubble tea recipes, the first step is to cook boba pearls. So I decided to separate this guide as there are lots of changes concerning tapioca pearls.

What are tapioca pearls?

Tapioca pearls, the plain and common boba pearls, are round chewy pearls made from tapioca starch. We have introduced how to make homemade boba pearls at home from the starch itself. Boba pearls may have lots of colors depending on the ingredients used. Brown sugar or Asian black sugar can be used to make black or dark brown tapioca pearls and golden tapioca pearls.  Other coloring ingredients like strawberry, mango, passion fruit, and dragon fruit may help to create lovely colored tapioca pearls.

golden boba |chinasichuanfood.com
homemade golden boba pearls

Black tapioca pearls are tapioca pearls usually with black coloring. They are the most common types of tapioca pearls.

Brown sugar tapioca pearls have a darker brown color from brown sugar. It contains all-natural ingredients.

Golden tapioca pearls are made with brown sugar too but with a totally different ratio. The golden color is achieved by reducing the amount of brown sugar.

Why we are using tapioca pearls instead of boba pearls 

In most cases, boba pearls are equal to tapioca pearls. But there are two new groups of boba that have been quite popular now: popping boba and crystal boba. Both of the new types of boba do not require any pre-cooking method.

how to cook boba pearls

Three types of store-bought tapioca pearls  

If you plan to buy tapioca pearls from online stores or boba shops, figure out the three types and then follow the instructions.

  1. Instant tapioca pearls: those tapioca pearls have been cooked previously and packaged in syrup. They are ready to use and you don’t need any further cooking process.
  2. Quick tapioca pearls or 5 minutes tapioca pearls: Quick tapioca pearls are also packaged in an air-tight bag, similar to regular tapioca pearls. But they are pre-softened.  The cooking time can be much shorter than common dried boba pearls.
  3. Homemade or regular tapioca pearls: For homemade or store-bought tapioca pearls, the cooking time can be a little bit longer. So if you are making bubble tea at home, cook the tapioca pearls first before moving to other preparation.

How to cook tapioca pearls with a half cooking half resting method

Step1: Boil the water

 Bring a large pot of water (Recommend 10 times in volume) to a rolling boil.

how to cook boba pearls|chinasichuanfood.com

Step 2: add the tapioca pearls and cook

Add the tapioca pearls to the boiling water. Stir the tapioca pearls gently to prevent them from sticking together. Cook for 20 minutes or 5 minutes for quick boba pearls on medium heat.

how to cook boba pearls|chinasichuanfood.com
how to cook boba pearls|chinasichuanfood.com

Step3: rest it

Turn off the fire and let it rest for another 20 minutes or 5 minutes for quick boba.

 

how to cook boba pearls|chinasichuanfood.com

Step4: rinse or soak

Rinse the tapioca pearls in running water to remove extra starch. For an even chewier texture, soak the tapioca pearls in iced water.

how to cook boba pearls|chinasichuanfood.com


Step5: Sweeten the tapioca pearls

Drain the tapioca pearls and then flavor the tapioca pearls with simple syrup honey or brown sugar syrup.  If you don’t have syrup by hand, mix it with white sugar. If you want a caramelized brown sugar version, add some brown sugar in a saucepot, then place the cooked tapioca pearls in. Cook until the sugar is completely dissolved.

how to cook boba pearls|chinasichuanfood.com

Now your tapioca pearls are ready to serve.

how to cook boba pearls|chinasichuanfood.com

How to store leftover tapioca pearls

I suggest cooking tapioca pearls in smaller batches because they will harden very quickly (they can last for 4 hours usually). So recommend starting with 1/4 cup of tapioca pearls for 2 cups of bubble tea. So if using 1 cup of tapioca pearls, you will need to prepare 8 servings of bubble tea.

If you have dry leftover tapioca pearls, remember to seal them completely with an air-tighter container and then place them in the fridge. It can last for 2 weeks.

How to eat tapioca pearls

The most common way of using tapioca pearls is to make bubble tea. But you can also use it as a topping for tarts, cakes, or ice creams.

What are white tapioca pearls?

White tapioca pearls are made with tapioca starch, white sugar, and water. It has a white color which is different from the black tapioca pearls. Only color differences, no taste and texture ones.

How long cooked tapioca pearls can last

It can last for around 4 hours, so always make smaller batches.

how to cook boba pearls|chinasichuanfood.com

How to cook boba pearls- Regular boba or homemade boba

How to cook boba pearls – Regular boba or homemade boba instruction
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Resting time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup uncooked tapioca pearls
  • 8 cups water

Sweetener

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

Instructions

Boil the water

  • Bring a large pot of water (Recommend 10 times in volume) to a rolling boil.

add the tapioca pearls and cook

  • Add the tapioca pearls to the boiling water. Stir the tapioca pearls gently to prevent them from sticking together. Cook for 20 minutes or 5 minutes for quick boba pearls on medium heat.

rest it

  • Turn off the fire and let it rest for another 20 minutes or 5 minutes for quick boba.

rinse or soak

  • Rinse the tapioca pearls in running water to remove extra starch. For an even chewier texture, soak the tapioca pearls in iced water.

Sweeten the tapioca pearls

  • Drain the tapioca pearls and then flavor the tapioca pearls with simple syrup honey or brown sugar syrup. If you don’t have syrup by hand, mix it with white sugar. If you want a caramelized brown sugar version, add some brown sugar in a saucepot, then place the cooked tapioca pearls in. Cook until the sugar is completely dissloved.

Video

how to cook boba pearls|chinasichuanfood.com

How to cook boba pearls- 5 minutes boba

How to cook boba pearls – pre softened 5 minute boba
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Resting time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup uncooked tapioca pearls
  • 8 cups water

Sweetener

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

Instructions

Boil the water

  • Bring a large pot of water (Recommend 8 times in volume) to a rolling boil.

add the tapioca pearls and cook

  • Add the tapioca pearls to the boiling water. Stir the tapioca pearls gently to prevent them from sticking together. Cook for 5 minutes for quick boba pearls on medium heat.

rest it

  • Turn off the fire and let it rest for another 5 minutes for quick boba.

rinse or soak

  • Rinse the tapioca pearls in running water to remove extra starch. For an even chewier texture, soak the tapioca pearls in iced water.

Sweeten the tapioca pearls

  • Drain the tapioca pearls and then flavor the tapioca pearls with simple syrup honey or brown sugar syrup. If you don’t have syrup by hand, mix it with white sugar. If you want a caramelized brown sugar version, add some brown sugar in a saucepot, then place the cooked tapioca pearls in. Cook until the sugar is completely dissloved.

Conclusion

In this post, we learned how to cook tapioca pearls, which are also called boba pearls. Well-cooked tapioca pearls have a lovely chewy texture. If you want it to be softer, serve the boba pearls in bubble tea as warm pearls. Soaking in cold water can make it even chewier. You can use the cooked tapioca pearls in bubble tea, desserts or any types of smoothie.

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2 Comments

    1. You’re welcome! I’m glad to hear that you feel confident about cooking boba now. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask. Happy cooking!