Tapioca Pudding Recipe (2024)

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My recipe for Large Pearl Tapioca Pudding takes some time to cook right, but it is worth every last minute spent waiting for this delicacy to be ready to eat.

Tapioca Pudding Recipe (1)

What is Tapioca?

If you don’t know what tapioca is because none of your older relatives ever made you tapioca pudding, then you might be more familiar with the large black tapioca pearls commonly found in at the bottom of yourbubble tea.Your local boba house might just call them black pearls, they are really just large pearl tapioca that gets its color from the addition of brown sugar.

Boba is available at larger Asian markets. You can find it in white, black and multi-colored. There are also a ton of shapes and sizes.

I have never used these in tapioca pudding. It’s my understanding that they are meant to be cooked in sugar water before adding to boba or bubble tea.

What is the best kind of tapioca for pudding?

I believe the key to the best tapioca pudding is starting with large pearl tapioca. It will leave behind the large clear balls like you see in diners and snack packs.

Small pearl tapioca and instant tapioca can be used, but I have had poor luck with both of those.

Large Pearl Tapioca

Using large pearl tapioca will produce something similar to Kozy Shack. The packages of large pearl always say to soak it overnight, but I only ever soak mine for about 7 hours. It cooks up beautifully, even as a double batch.With that being said, I have also had days that I had to cook the pudding a few minutes longer because of my impatience.

Large pearl tapioca will take about 25 minutes of simmering even after the tapioca has been soaked for 8 hours or longer.

I use Reese brand large pearl tapioca. Use the soaking package directions for whichever brand you use.

Small Pearl Tapioca

Small pearl tapioca needs a much shorter soaking time, 30 to 60 minutes. Use the soaking package directions for whichever brand you’re using. It only needs to be simmered for 10 to 15 minutes. Only cook until te tapioca has turned clear.

Because of the smaller size, this one is more likely to stick to the bottom of the pan and scorch. Stir this constantly to avoid that.

Instant Tapioca

This one requires only 5 minutes of soaking and 5 minutes of simmering. Please don’t walk away from the stove when using this method.

I do not use instant tapioca because I don’t think it turns out as nice. As with the other sizes, look at the package directions and use their recommendations.

How to Make Large Pearl Tapioca Pudding

Soaking the tapioca is an important step for all three sizes. Allow enough time to properly soak whichever size you decide to use. I soak large pearl tapioca in cool tap water for at least 7 hours and up to overnight.

Drain the rehydrated tapioca well before adding to the rest of the ingredients because you don’t want to water down your pudding.

Add the milk and the sugar to the pan first and allow to come to a simmer. You want the sugar to be dissolved so that there is some sweetness inside the tapioca pearls.

As soon as the milk and sugar are hot, add the tapioca and stir it well. Stir as often as necessary to keep the tapioca from sticking to them bottom of the pan. Cook just until the tapioca balls are clear or nearly clear. Large pearl tapioca will take about 25 minutes.

You also want to avoid browning any of the pudding ingredients. It’s ugly and doesn’t taste very good either.

Temper your eggs before adding to the hot tapioca pudding mix or the eggs will turn into tiny scrambled eggs. Tempering eggs is just adding a bit of hot liquid to beaten eggs and mixing it well. I do this a couple of times to make sure that the eggs won’t get shocked. I add about 1/4 cup of the hot liquid to the eggs at a time.

Add tempered eggs back into the pan and mix well. Turn the heat back up and bring it all to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla.

Cover the cooked tapioca with plastic wrap and press the plastic wrap to the top of the pudding. When cooling, make sure it is covered with plastic wrap sitting directly on top of the pudding. This prevents a skin from forming on top.

It is good warm, trust me, I couldn’t wait a minute longer and had to try some as soon as it was cool enough to get into my mouth. It’s a whole lot better cold though.

Can I Double a Tapioca Pudding Recipe?

You can easily double a tapioca pudding recipe, but unless you are feeding a crowd I do not recommend doubling it. It makes a ton of pudding.

How Long Does Tapioca Pudding Last?

Tapioca pudding will last in the refrigerator for up to one week. It’s usually all eaten long before it goes bad!

MORE OLD FASHIONED DESSERT RECIPES YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS

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Vintage Nut Cake

Tapioca Pudding Recipe (2)

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Tapioca Pudding Recipe (3)

Tapioca Pudding

Old fashioned tapioca pudding using large pearls, just like old-fashioned diners used to serve.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 7 hours hours

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 7 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 Servings

Calories: 274kcal

Author: Beth Mueller

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup large tapioca pearls
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar divided
  • 3 eggs beaten
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  • Place tapioca pearls in a bowl and fill with water.

  • Stir the tapioca around and drain.

  • Refill the bowl with water and allow to sit for at least 7 hours and up to overnight.

  • Drain the tapioca and set aside.

  • In a large saucepan mix milk and 3/4 cup of the sugar.

  • Over medium heat, bring milk and sugar to a simmer.

  • When little bubbles start forming around the edges of the pan, add the tapioca and reduce the heat to maintain just a simmer.

  • Continue to simmer for 25 minutes, or until tapioca balls are mostly clear, stirring frequently.

  • In a bowl, combine eggs and remaining 3/4 cup of sugar.

  • Temper the eggs by mixing small amounts of the hot mixture (about 1/4 cup at a time), until half of the hot mixture has been incorporated.

  • Add egg mixture back to the pan and stir well.

  • Cook and stir constantly for 2 minutes or until the pudding is thick.

  • Remove from heat and add vanilla.

  • Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and chill.

Notes

  • Can be made with less sugar, this will affect provided nutritional information.
  • To use small pearl tapioca, sreduce the soaking time to 30 to 60 minutes. Follow the rest of the directions in the recipe and only simmer the small pearl tapioca just until to turns clear, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • To use instant tapioca, soak the tapioca for 5 minutes. Follow the directions in the recipe but reduce the simmering to 3 to 5 minutes or just until the tapioca pieces have turned clear.

★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a rating!

Nutrition

Serving: 1Cup | Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 52.2g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5.6g | Saturated Fat: 2.8g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 72mg | Sugar: 44.1g

Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @PearTreeChefs or tag #PearTreeKitchen!

Elizabeth (Beth) Mueller

Elizabeth (Beth) Mueller is a food journalist, CEO of Pear Tree Kitchen, and co-creator of Food Blogger Help. She also has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a registered nurse licensed in the State of Oklahoma. When she has free time between writing, blogging, and cooking, she can be found volunteering as an RN with the Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps.

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Tapioca Pudding Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is tapioca pudding healthy to eat? ›

The bottom line. Tapioca is high in carbs and calories, so it is not a traditionally healthful food. However, it can help a person meet the recommended daily allowance of several important nutrients. It can also be a tasty, nutritious food choice for people who need to gain weight.

What are the little balls in tapioca pudding made of? ›

Looking at a tapioca pearl, you may think, “What are these made out of?” These white little balls that give tapioca pudding its signature texture actually come from the starch of the cassava root, which is grown in the tropics. After this starch is extracted, it's formed into little pearls.

What is tapioca pudding made from? ›

This delicious old-fashioned Tapioca Pudding recipe is one of my favorite classic desserts and only requires the simplest ingredients, including small tapioca pearls, milk, cream, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.

Is tapioca pudding healthier than rice? ›

Regarding nutritional value, tapioca, and rice pudding are high in carbohydrates and calories, but tapioca pudding is typically lower in fat than rice pudding. Tapioca pudding and rice pudding are both gluten-free, making either a good option for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

Is it OK to eat tapioca everyday? ›

Properly processed tapioca is safe to eat and cheap to buy. In fact, it's a lifesaving staple in several developing countries. However, people who base a large part of their diet on cassava and tapioca-based products may ultimately lack protein and nutrients ( 26 ).

What does tapioca do to your body? ›

Nutrition of Tapioca

It provides a few vitamins and minerals, like iron and potassium. Tapioca is entirely composed of carbohydrates and contains no fat or protein. Tapioca isn't a good source of many nutrients, but it does supply small amounts of minerals, such as calcium, iron, and potassium.

What is tapioca called in the USA? ›

It goes by many different names around the world. In the United States, it's commonly called cassava, yucca, or simply the tapioca plant. The word tapioca comes from the South American Tupí word — tipi'óka — for the starch. After cassava plants are harvested, their roots are treated to remove toxins found in the plant.

What is the hard stuff in tapioca pudding? ›

Tapioca comes from cassava. Naturally gluten-free starch is extracted from the plant, which is then turned into a powder or hard pearls. Both are normally white in color, but turn translucent when hydrated.

What ethnicity is tapioca pudding? ›

Tapioca pudding has a rich history dating back to the 1700s and is a beloved dessert that is enjoyed by many cultures around the world. This dessert originated in Brazil and was especially popular where tapioca flour was abundant and often used in cooking.

Is tapioca good for high blood pressure? ›

Tapioca helps keep the heart healthy by lowering cholesterol and preventing heart disease and stroke, among other things. Because it has less salt, it is especially good for people with high blood pressure.

Can diabetes eat tapioca? ›

Tapioca starch has a high glycemic index. That means it can cause a quick spike in your insulin and blood sugar, and should be eaten in moderate amounts. Some popular tapioca items, such as tapioca pudding and boba tea, are often high in added sugars as well.

What is the flavor of tapioca? ›

Tapioca doesn't have much flavour of its own, other than a mild starch profile. This is actually a plus – it makes tapioca a blank canvas, able to absorb other flavours, whether sweet, savoury or spicy. For example, it imparts texture and body when sweetened and added to puddings.

Is tapioca better than sugar? ›

Tapioca syrupis a healthier alternative to sugar due to its reduced carbohydrate and calorie content. Its low-conversion tapioca syrup is formed by all-natural enzymes. It also isn't exposed to pesticides or genetic alterations, providing great health benefits.

Is tapioca high in sugar? ›

Tapioca is very high in carbohydrates, providing nearly 89 grams per 100-gram serving. The majority of carbohydrates in tapioca comes from starch. Just under one gram is from fiber and 3.35 grams come from sugar.

Is tapioca good for kidney patients? ›

Tapioca pearls are low in potassium and phosphorus, while potatoes and peanuts are moderate sources of these minerals, making them safe for individuals with kidney disease when consumed in moderation.

What is the difference between tapioca pudding and tapioca pearls? ›

Tapioca pudding is historically the most common tapioca dish in the U.S. It's made using tapioca pearls, which are small, white balls with no flavor that are used mostly in sweet recipes. They swim in a sweet, custardy pudding made with milk, eggs, and sugar. Bigger pearls are the star of boba tea, or bubble tea.

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