This classic tapioca pudding is very easy to make in advance. I kept it very simple. Ingredients are milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla. In the end you get this delicious creamy custard with soft tapioca pearls in it.
Hey, also check out 3 more tapioca pudding recipes!
Fan of tapioca?
We are for sure!
Classic Tapioca Pudding Custard
Here’s a thing you need to do before cooking this tapioca pudding.
First check the instructions on the package of tapioca you bought.
You need to soak some types of tapioca pearls overnight in water.
Watch out: for these tapioca recipes you can’t use the instant tapioca though.
I used larger tapioca pearls for this tapioca pudding custard. You can use any size of pearls, the only difference is the cooking time that the pearls need.
If you need to soak the tapioca pearls that you bought, then reduce the amount of milk for this tapioca pudding recipe ½ cup (120 ml) or the pudding will be too liquid in the end. It should be creamy like a vanilla pudding but not runny.
Desserts
Also check out another pudding recipe from scratch: my vanilla pudding!
Enjoy!
Classic Tapioca Pudding Recipe
The classic, a delicious creamy tapioca custard!
- ½ cup tapioca pearls (75 g)
- 3 cups whole milk (720 ml)
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup caster sugar (110 g)
- ½ vanilla bean
- salt
-
1) Check the cooking instructions on the bag of tapioca that you are using: some have to be soaked (overnight) first, other types of tapioca can be boiled right away.
-
2) Pour the milk in a large saucepan and add the caster sugar and a pinch of salt. Slice the vanilla bean in half and remove the black seeds inside with the tip of a sharp knife. Add both the vanilla seeds and the vanilla bean to the milk as well.
-
3) Bring the milk to a good boil over high heat and then add the tapioca pearls. Turn the heat lower to medium-low and bring the milk and tapioca to a light simmer. Don’t cover the pan. Let the tapioca thicken until cooked through. Mine took about 30 minutes to become tender. Taste the tapioca regularly to check on the tenderness.
-
4) Once the tapioca is tender, take the pan off the heat and let it cool down for 10 minutes. Remove the cooked vanilla bean. Then add the egg yolks to the tapioca milk and stir vigorously to keep the yolks from curdling.
-
5) Then put the pan back of medium-low and slowly warm the tapioca pudding up again. Stir constantly. The tapioca pudding will thicken into a custard. Keep the heat low.
-
6) Then pour the tapioca pudding into ramekins or glasses and serve warm or let them cool down.
Sago vs. tapioca
So is there a difference between those two?
Sure.
Tapioca is made of cassava root.
Sago comes from the soft centre of palm trees.
Some say that you can tell the difference by its size, wrong. Both sago and tapioca come in various sizes from small to very large.
Colors
They also exist in several colors and flavors.
You can find ready cooked tapioca pearls easily in Asia. All you have to do is add them to a dish. My Asian supermarket only sells the dried tapioca pearls that still need to be boiled.
Do you know bubble tea? This Taiwanese tea based drink comes in several colors and flavors. Some contain milk, fruits and even coffee.
Green Tea Tapioca Pudding
Here is another fun tapioca pudding dessert to make!
This green tea tapioca pudding here is quite the flavor challenge! But you would be surprised how well the green tea matches the creamy tapioca pudding and kiwifruit.
I was first going to add some orange instead of kiwifruit but then I decided to keep the tapioca pudding very subtle. Next time I think I will add white grapes to it.
Instant Tapioca
When I was a child my mom would add tapioca to soups just like you add vermicelli or any other kind of pasta. It was only while traveling through Asia that I became aware that tapioca is also a main ingredient. In desserts and pudding for instance.
Watch out: for these tapioca recipes you can’t use the instant tapioca though.
Soaking Tapioca
I bought these large tapioca pearls in my local Chinese supermarket. I guess that there are many types of them so carefully read the cooking instructions before you use them. You have to soak some tapioca pearls (overnight) first, other types of tapioca can be boiled right away.
Enjoy!
Green Tea Tapioca Pudding Recipe
- ½ cup large tapioca pearls (75 g)
- ½ cup coconut milk (120 ml), or cream
- 1 tea bag green tea
- 3 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 kiwifruit
-
Check the cooking instructions on the bag of tapioca that you are using: some have to be soaked (overnight) first, other types of tapioca can be boiled right away. Then add the (soaked) tapioca to a large saucepan and add 3 cups (720 ml) of water.
-
Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring the tapioca to a boil. Stir and put a lid on the pan. Turn the heat lower to medium. Cook the tapioca for 20 minutes. Stir regularly. Make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Add extra water if necessary.
-
Once the tapioca is almost tender, take the pan off the heat and drain the tapioca in a colander or sieve. Pour the cream in the same saucepan and add the caster sugar and the bag of green tea.
-
Place the pan over medium heat again and bring it to a light simmer. Don’t let the cream boil. Simmer the cream for 10 minutes. Then take the pan off the heat and let the teabag cool in the cream for another 5 minutes. Then remove the teabag and combine the drained tapioca and cream.
-
Stir and place the tapioca over medium heat for another 5 minutes. Check the seasoning and add extra sugar to taste if necessary. Also add extra cream if you want the pudding to be runnier.
-
Peel the kiwifruit and chop it up. Scoop the tapioca pudding into bowls and garnish with the kiwifruit and sesame seeds. Serve lukewarm.
Tapioca Pudding Recipe with Pumpkin
Pumpkin?
Yes! The inspiration for this pumpkin and tapioca recipe comes again from my stay in Penang, Malaysia.
I talked about my frequent visits to a great Nyonya restaurant already and some of the fabulous dishes I tasted there were stuck in my head for so long I decided to replicate them as much as possible. Same for this sweet dessert, fresh pumpkin cooked in coconut milk and tapioca.
Nyonya
Sago can also be used.
If I remember it clearly this dessert was not on the menu but it was my local friend Pin (also raised in a Nyonya family) who asked to have it prepared. She said it reminded her so much of her childhood.
I had never heard of tapioca in dessert until I tasted the mango version of this recipe below in Thailand. In Europe we mainly add tapioca pearls to soups.
For the record again: Nyonya cuisine is a fantastic mixture of Chinese, Malay, Indian, Thai, Indonesian and even Western influences, spices and techniques.
Nyonya Recipes
Other Nyonya recipes I tried: sweet and sour eggs belanda, belacan chicken and kerabu bee soon prawn noodles.
I use pandan extract here but if you can’t find any, just leave it out.
Enjoy!
Pumpkin Tapioca Pudding Recipe
- 7 oz fresh pumpkin (200 g)
- 3 oz caster sugar (85 g)
- ⅓ cup water (80 ml, cold)
- 2 cups coconut milk (480 ml)
- 1 tbsp grated coconut
- 3 oz tapioca pearls (85 g), or sago pearls
- ¼ tsp pandan extract optional
- salt
-
1) Check the cooking instructions on the bag of tapioca that you are using: some have to be soaked (overnight) first, other types of tapioca can be boiled right away.
-
2) Pour the coconut milk and the water in a large saucepan and add the sago or tapioca pearls to it.
-
3) Stir well. Now add the caster sugar and a tiny pinch of salt.
-
4) Stir again. Add the pandan extract (optional).
-
5) Stir the coconut milk well and place it over medium heat. Bring it to a light simmer. Don’t let it boil or the coconut milk will separate. Let the tapioca pearls cook and thicken for 20 minutes in the milky liquid. Stir regularly to make sure the sago doesn’t stick to the bottom. In the meantime dice the fresh pumpkin up finely. Once the pearls are more or less soft, add the pumpkin and the grated coconut.
-
6) Stir well and cook the pumpkin and sago for 5 more minutes or until the pumpkin is soft. Then take the pan off the heat. Check the seasoning. Add extra sugar or salt to taste. Pour the tapioca and pumpkin in 4 small bowls or glasses and let it cool down a little. Sprinkle with extra grated coconut. Serve lukewarm or at room temperature.
Bananas & Tapioca in Coconut Milk
Here is a Thai tapioca recipe with bananas!
I love coconut milk in combination with the creaminess of the tapioca.
Enjoy this one!
Bananas & Tapioca in Coconut Milk Recipe
Here’s a Thai tapioca recipe with bananas! I love coconut milk in combination with the creaminess of the tapioca. Enjoy this one!
- 1 ripe banana
- 2 tbsp tapioca pearls
- 1 cup coconut milk (240 ml)
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp lime juice
- salt
-
1) Check the cooking instructions on the bag of tapioca that you are using: some have to be soaked (overnight) first, other types of tapioca can be boiled right away.
-
2) Pour the coconut milk in a large saucepan. Place it over medium-low heat. Add the caster sugar and a pinch of salt.
-
3) Stir in half of the lime juice.
-
4) Simmer the coconut milk for 5 minutes. Stir regularly. In the meantime slice the bananas into bite-size pieces.
-
5) Add the tapioca pearls to the warm coconut milk.
-
6) Turn the heat lower to medium. Gently cook the milk until the tapioca pearls become translucent and tender. Take the pan off the heat. Let the coconut milk cool for 5 minutes. Add the sliced banana.
-
7) Stir well. Check the seasoning. Add more lime juice, caster sugar or salt to taste. Scoop the banana and tapioca coconut pudding into bowls. Serve warm.
I am loving this recipe! something I need to try very soon 🙂 tnx for sharing.