It’s hard to resist the allures of dark tapioca pearls (boba) floating in a creamy, purple cup of tea. And that’s precisely why every bubble tea shop post pictures of the beautiful taro-flavored bubble tea all over their windows. And once you fall victim to its siren call, you’re hooked for life. But what, exactly, is taro bubble tea?
Taro bubble tea is a type of Taiwanese tea-based drink made with taro root powder, black or green tea, milk, ice, and chewy tapioca pearls known as boba. The tea has a creamy consistency with smooth, earthy flavors. And it’s known for its beautiful lavender color from natural taro root.
Taro is an edible root vegetable native to Southeast Asia and Pacific Islands. It has a unique white flesh flecked with purplish specks and a nutty flavor with hints of vanilla. Combined with all other bubble tea ingredients, it produces a creamy and earthy drink loved by many. So, let’s dive deeper into the taro bubble tea world and learn more about its distinctive flavor and color.
What Does Taro Bubble Tea Taste Like?

Taro bubble tea has a sweet, slightly nutty flavor with hints of vanilla. Some people describe it as a cross between a sweet almond and a vanilla. However, remember that the sweetness in the drink doesn’t come from the taro powder itself but from added sugar and milk—taro isn’t naturally sweet.
The tea base also contributes to the flavor of taro bubble tea. Most bubble tea shops use black tea in the standard recipe, but you can also find green or jasmine tea versions.
The milk gives the drink a creamy texture and can range from non-dairy options such as soy or almond milk to full-fat dairy options like whole milk or condensed milk.
You can also add additional ingredients to customize the flavor of your milk tea. Popular additions include popping boba, jellies, honey, foam, and fruit syrups. Each ingredient can add texture and sweetness, so it’s up to you to find the perfect balance.
Where Does the Purple Color Come from?
The distinctive purple color of taro bubble tea is all-natural and comes from taro root powder added to the drink.
Raw taro root has white or light pink flesh flecked with purple spots, and when it’s ground into a powder, it imparts a beautiful lavender shade, giving taro bubble tea its signature hue.
However, the natural shade from taro powder is very light and subtle. So many bubble tea shops add natural or artificial food coloring or ube extract to enhance the color and make it brighter. But it’s not necessary to get the signature taro bubble tea look.
Taro vs. Ube: What’s the Difference?
Both taro and ube are tubers with starchy texture, mild flavor, and brown skin. And they’re both popular ingredients in Asian cuisine. But the most common similarity that often makes people lump them together is the purple color they lend when added to drinks and dishes.
While there are some similarities between these two tubers, quite a few differences set them apart.
Taro
Taro, also known as the dasheen, is native to Southeast Asia and India. However, it has widely spread worldwide and is now part of many Pacific Islands, Africa, and Caribbean cuisine.
Taro has rough, brown, scaly skin and white flesh freckled with purple flecks. Blended, mashed, or ground into a powder gives a lavender color. It has a balanced flavor, blending starchy and earthy notes with a subtle hint of vanilla.
Taro is often used in savory dishes and can be boiled, roasted, stirred, or baked. Regarding texture, taro has a soft, starchy, and slightly slimy consistency. In addition to the tuber, many Asian cultures also enjoy using taro leaves for various dishes.
Overall, taro works really well with Asian spices and can be used in many preparations, from curry to soups and sweets.
Ube
Ube (pronounced OO-bae) is a yam native to the Philippines and is primarily grown in East Asia. It’s a close relative of the sweet potato with a similar texture and flavor.
Its skin is much smoother than taro and has a purple hue. Raw ube has a light purple flesh that becomes vivid violet when cooked.
Ube has a sweeter flavor than taro with a nutty undertone, so it’s predominantly used in desserts. It’s also creamier and denser than taro, making it a great addition to ice cream, cakes, and pancakes. In addition, Ube goes exceptionally well with coconut, condensed milk, and other Asian flavors.
Taro is easy to find in Asian markets and many grocery stores, whereas ube can be challenging to track down. But both ingredients are incredibly versatile and are perfect for creating unique and delicious purple-hued dishes.
How is Boba Made?

Boba, or tapioca pearls, are the dark, chewy balls that make bubble tea special. These springy balls are made from tapioca starch, a product made from the root of the cassava plant.
To make boba:
- Tapioca starch is mixed with boiling water and some brown sugar. Traditionally, boba is brown, so you can also add brown food color at this point to get the signature look.
- The mixture is kneaded into a dough and then shaped into long thin strands.
- The strands are then cut into tiny pieces and rolled into the familiar boba balls. The standard boba size is about 1.5 cm in diameter, but you can find them in different sizes in stores.
- Once shaped, the balls are covered in dry tapioca powder and left to sit for 2 hours. This helps make them a bit firmer and chewier. At this point, you can pack them in a can or jar and freeze them to use later.
- When ready to use, the frozen or fresh boba is boiled in water until they become soft—this can take anywhere between 5 to 10 minutes. If you want to further sweeten the boba soak them in flavored syrup for an hour before serving.
And that’s it! You now have delicious, chewy boba pearls ready to add to your bubble tea drinks.
Boba recipe is completely customizable; you can experiment with different sugar syrups, juices, and flavors. You can also experiment with different sizes or shapes of the boba balls to create unique bubble teas.
Once you have your boba pearls ready, ensure you use them within a day, or they will stick together and become hard.
How Sweet is Taro Bubble Tea?
There is no exact answer to this question, as it depends on the recipes and ingredients used. Generally, all bubble teas are sweetened with brown sugar, honey, or other syrups, so the sweetness will depend on how much you add.
Taro bubble tea is no exception. However, since taro isn’t a sweet ingredient by itself, the powder added to tea doesn’t influence much on the sweetness of the tea much unless it has added sweeteners to the powder mix.
Therefore, you can adjust the sweetness of taro bubble tea to your liking.
What are the Health Benefits of Taro Tea?
Almost every ingredient (except sugar) in taro bubble tea is packed with health benefits.
However, the star ingredient, taro powder, is an excellent source of many essential vitamins and minerals, like potassium, manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and dietary fiber. These nutrients benefit your overall health and can help support your immune system, heart health, and digestion.
Additionally, taro tea contains antioxidants that protect your cells from damage and may reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
The tapioca pearls are loaded with calcium and iron, which are essential for your bones and muscles. Plus, milk used the bubble tea can provide added protein, calcium, and vitamin D.
Though taro tea is not lower-calorie, it is still a healthier option than other sugar-laden drinks like sodas or Starbucks Frappuccinos. It’s also low in caffeine, so you can enjoy this delicious drink any time of the day.
To Finish
All in all, taro bubble tea is a fun and flavorful way to get a variety of essential vitamins and minerals. So whether you enjoy it for its chewy texture, sweet flavor, or health benefits, taro bubble tea is sure to be a refreshing treat.