Tapioca pearls (also called boba or boba pearls) are small, chewy spheres made from tapioca starch — a starch extracted from the cassava plant (Manihot esculenta). They are the defining ingredient of bubble tea, the Taiwanese drink that has swept global popularity since the 1980s, and what gives the drink its other name: boba tea.
What They Are
Standardly, tapioca pearls are cooked until soft and translucent, then soaked in sugar syrup to add sweetness and prevent clumping. They are dark brown or black (from brown sugar or caramel colouring) in the classic form, though coloured and flavoured versions exist. The texture is uniquely “Q” (springy and chewy in Taiwanese food culture), quite unlike any other food additive.
Use in Tea
Pearls are placed into the bottom of a cup, and tea — most often milk tea, black tea, or fruit tea — is poured over them. They are consumed by sucking them up through a wide-diameter straw designed to accommodate their size. In drinks like tiger milk tea and taro milk tea, they are a key textural and visual element.
Variations
- White/clear tapioca pearls — flavourless, used in lighter or fruit-based drinks
- Popping boba — juice-filled gel spheres that burst in the mouth, not traditional tapioca
- Mini pearls — smaller versions used in shaved ice and lighter drinks
- Brown sugar boba — pearls cooked and steeped in brown sugar syrup for additional sweetness
Related Terms
- Boba vs Bubble Tea: The history and varieties of bubble tea
- Tiger Milk Tea: A drink featuring brown sugar tapioca pearls
- Taro Milk Tea: A popular boba drink with taro flavouring