Tapioca pearls, or boba, are translucent and sweet pops of goodness that give drinks and desserts an extra chewy bite. While I love asking, “Boba?” after every meal, I also like to cook these at home since it’s pretty easy and worth it if you’re making drinks for a group of people.
If you have white boba, I have a separate post about how to cook white tapioca pearls. While it is very similar, there are some brand-specific differences which could matter if you happened to buy those.
If your package of tapioca pearls comes with instructions, following that is your best bet since cooking methods and times can vary greatly between brands.
If the silly manufacturers sent you packing with a bag of boba without instructions for some reason, the 30 & 30 method below is a good start, since it worked for most brands of boba I tested, whether it required a slight time reduction, or multiple rounds.
How to prepare Tapioca Pearls for Bubble TeaStep 1: Boil Water. … Step 2: Pour tapioca into boiling water. … Step 3: Stir lightly. … Step 4: Let the tapioca float to the top. … Step 5: Cook for 15 minutes on high heat with cover on. … Step 6: Steep the cooked tapioca for 15 minutes. … Step 7: Drain the water from the cooked tapioca.
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Step 1: Boil Water. …
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Step 2: Pour tapioca into boiling water. …
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Step 3: Stir lightly. …
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Step 4: Let the tapioca float to the top. …
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Step 5: Cook for 15 minutes on high heat with cover on. …
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Step 6: Steep the cooked tapioca for 15 minutes. …
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Step 7: Drain the water from the cooked tapioca.
What are tapioca pearls made of?
Boba are chewy, round balls made of tapioca flour and water.
Quick cooking method – WuFuYuan & E-FA brand pearls
This quick method is based on two very specific boba brands: WuFuYuan and E-Fa boba. These brands have boba that’s quick to make in about five minutes and you don’t even need to soak the boba first. If you don’t know if your boba is quick cooking or it doesn’t specifically state on the label it is quick cooking, I would recommend using the 30 & 30 method above.
For different sizes and types of brown tapioca pearls, the steps and timing can vary so make sure you reference the package first. However, here’s how I’ve done it:
Step 1. Bring your water to a boil over high heat. Don’t add the boba yet.
Step 2. When the water is boiling, add your boba carefully (they may splatter a bit) and wait until the boba begins to float. I prefer WuFuYuan’s medium sized brown boba.
Step 3. After all the boba floats to the top, lower the heat to medium, cover the pot and cook for an additional two to three minutes. I watch over the pearls throughout this entire time because they cook fairly fast.
Step 4. Test one ball and test for chewiness to make sure it’s cooked and transfer the boba to a new container. The texture should be chewy, but slightly al dente. You want to remove the boba from the pot before it gets too soft and begins to degrade. The boba will also continue to cook slightly after removing them from the water, too, so keep that in mind.
Step 5. I don’t know about you, but I like to add extra flavor to my boba by soaking it further in a simple syrup sauce using the leftover water and brown sugar. Add this sauce into the boba container and soak for about 10 minutes. Soaking the boba also keeps your boba from sticking to one another and drying out before adding them in your drink or dessert.
Step 6. This should give you chewy and sweetened boba. Now you can add the sweetened boba to your drinks and dessert and enjoy!
Some frequently asked questions:
How to Cook 5 Minute Boba
FAQ
Do you have to soak pearl tapioca before cooking?
How do you cook tapioca pearls?
Because they are so starchy, you’ll have to change the water a couple times and discard batches of starchy water. Note that 1 cup dried tapioca pearls yields roughly 2 1/2 cups cooked tapioca pearls. Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a deep pot, and add the tapioca. Bring it to a boil again, cover, and turn the heat down to medium low.
Can You boil tapioca pearls?
Bring the water to a boil before you pour in the tapioca pearls. If you boil the water after adding the tapioca pearls, it will take way longer! Measure out the amount of water you need, pour it into a large, heavy-bottomed pot, and bring the water to a rolling boil over high heat.
How much water do you need to cook tapioca pearls?
Generally, you should use about 8 cups of water for every 1 cup of tapioca pearls. Boil the water first: It’s important to bring the water to a rolling boil before adding the tapioca pearls. This helps ensure that they cook evenly and don’t stick together.
How do you cook Boba pearls?
In a large pot, add 10 cups of water and bring to a boil. When it hits a rolling boil, add the tapioca pearls and wait for them to float to the top of the water. Once the boba is floating, lower to medium heat. Continue to simmer for 30 minutes uncovered. Stir occasionally to prevent the pearls from sticking.