Tapioca has never been more popular, headlining in drinks and desserts, or hidden as a silent player in sauces, baked goods, and untold numbers of processed foods. This guide to its common forms — tapioca starch (sometimes called tapioca flour) and pearl tapioca.
Despite such ubiquity, it’s often overlooked in the U.S, disregarded as just another white powder or odd pearls of unknown origin.Dig deeper to find the true capabilities of this powerful starch and how it’s come to revolutionize the modern gluten-free market.
What Is Tapioca and Where Did It Come From?
Tapioca is the pure starch derived from cassava roots, which are tubers (root vegetables) similar to potatoes.
Also known as yuca, manioc, or tapioca root, cassava is grown in tropical and subtropical regions, including Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Domesticated cassava dates back to somewhere between 7,000 and 9,000 BCE, originating in the Amazon in present day Brazil.
The word “tapioca” comes from the Tupi language (spoken by native Brazilians), from tipi’óka, which refers to the process of making starch from cassava. Here are the main forms in which it’s available:
Tapioca starch is traditionally made as a byproduct of manioc flour when processing cassava roots. The cassava is ground into a pulp and pressed to squeeze out the starchy liquid. This liquid is left to settle, and when the water is poured off, the wet starch that remains is dried into a fine powder, creating the pure white tapioca starch most recognizable in American grocery stores.
Tapioca pearls are made by mixing this starch with hot water to form a dough, which is then rolled into small balls. They range in size from 2mm to 5mm, depending on the intended use. These balls are dried for storage, and when ready to use, they’re boiled until they become soft and translucent.
Tapioca syrup is less commonly found in stores but is used frequently in commercial applications for processed foods. The starch is broken down into sugars using enzymes, creating a thick, clear syrup similar in texture to corn syrup. It’s commonly found in breads and cakes in particular, as it keeps these products moist and preserved longer than granulated sweeteners.
Buying and Storing Tapioca Starch (Flour) & Pearls
All tapioca products are sold dry and remain shelf-stable for many years when kept out of the heat and light.
Tapioca starch is found in most mainstream grocery stores in the baking aisle, alongside other flours and dry mixes. The terms tapioca starch and tapioca flour can be used interchangeably.
Small tapioca pearls, particularly “instant” tapioca used for making pudding, are often nearby, either as a separate ingredient or a pouch that contains sugar and flavors for a complete dessert.
Large tapioca pearls meant for making boba (or “bubble”) tea can be harder to find. Your best bet is to shop Asian markets or online stores. Tapioca pearls are either white or black; they don’t change color when cooked. The black ones are often dyed and/or pre-sweetened. White pearls may turn brown because brown sugar and/or honey are popular sweeteners, but they’ll never change color from white to black or another color through cooking.
Note: Popping boba is a completely different ingredient and contains no tapioca at all.
Tapioca Nutritional Notes
Considering the fact that tapioca is just pure starch, it’s naturally high in carbohydrates, with no fiber, protein, vitamins, or minerals to speak of.
While it can be a good source of quick energy, it’s not very nutrient-dense on its own. One of its key benefits is that it’s gluten-free, which makes it a common ingredient in gluten-free baking and cooking.
Tapioca is easy to digest due to its low fiber content, so it’s often used in bland or low-residue diets. However, it has a high glycemic index, meaning it can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar, which may be a concern for people managing diabetes. Here’s the complete nutrition profile of tapioca.
How to Cook with Tapioca
Tapioca starch is a popular gluten-free alternative, used in part to replace wheat flour, though always as a blend with other starches or flours. Pure tapioca flour would create gummy baked goods, which is why it’s ideal as a binder or thickener. Tapioca and be swapped with cornstarch or potato starch in equal amounts.
When used to thicken sauces, soups, or pie fillings, it creates a clear gel with a stretchy, chewy texture, especially when used in larger quantities. This also makes it a good choice for creating meltable vegan cheeses and dips like queso. In these cases, always whisk cornstarch into cold liquid to make a slurry before applying heat to prevent lumps.
Pure tapioca has no flavor, so it works wonderfully for both sweet and savory recipes.
Tapioca pearls have different cooking times and need different amounts of water depending on their size, so always refer to the instructions on the packages for the best results. Don’t try to substitute pudding tapioca for boba pearls, and vice versa.
Tapioca Serving Suggestions and Recipe Ideas
Tapioca is like the Swiss army knife of the kitchen. It can rescue a broken sauce, salvage a watery stew, and bring together crumby baked goods with just a small pinch. Though it gets little credit for all its hard work, it’s the backbone of many recipes.
Whether you’re looking for comfort food, traditional Asian staples, or something fun and creative, tapioca offers a wide range of delicious possibilities.
Boba tea: Large tapioca pearls are essential to boba tea, slurped through wide straws to add a chewy element to refreshing iced milk teas and fruit drinks.
Boba coffee drinks: Similarly, large tapioca pearls make coffee special. Here’s a delicious vegan coffee recipe.
Crispy coating for frying: When deep-frying, stir-frying, or air-frying, a light coating of tapioca starch can help create a crispier finish. It works on plant-based proteins, mushrooms, and vegetables alike.
Tapioca pudding: One of the most popular ways to enjoy it is in tapioca pudding, where small pearls are simmered in milk with sugar and vanilla until creamy. Quick-cooking tapioca may need only 30 minutes to cook, whereas traditional tapioca is often soaked overnight first, then simmered for up to an hour. And here’s a lovely Thai-style tapioca pudding as well.
Pie filling thickener: For fruit pies, you can do no better than a touch of tapioca starch to hold everything together. It creates a light sauce that’s never cloudy, slimy, or gloopy, as in this apple pie and this blueberry pie, just for starters.
Baked goods booster: In baking, tapioca starch is a favorite for gluten-free recipes, helping create a toothsome, moist, and cohesive crumb. Try these:
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Easy Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
- Vegan Gluten-Free Muffins
- Vegan Gluten-Free and Paleo Pancakes
- Gluten-Free Gluten Bread
Sauce thickener: Tapioca starch is also an excellent thickener for soups, stews, cheese sauce, and gravy, as it creates a clear, glossy finish.
A classic dessert soup: Sago is a beloved dessert soup from China that features tapioca pearls in a chilled and lightly sweetened coconut milk base, often accompanied by fresh fruits like mango, banana, and lychee. There are endless flavor variations!
Tapioca crepes: In Brazilian cuisine, hydrated tapioca starch is used to make tapioca crepes, sometimes merely referred to as “tapioca,” which are thin, chewy flatbreads that can be filled with sweet or savory ingredients.
Brazilian cheese bread: It’s also responsible for the beloved pão de queijo, AKA Brazilian cheese bread, a chewy, savory appetizer that’s gained acclaim as a starter in overseas steakhouses.
Noodling around: Noodles made from tapioca starch are sometimes referred to as glass noodles or cellophane noodles, but both terms can encompass a wide number of starch bases. They’re favored in Asian soups, particularly Vietnamese bánh canh chay.
Contributed by Hannah Kaminsky: Hannah has developed an international following for her delicious recipes and mouthwatering food photography at the award-winning blog BitterSweet. Passionate about big flavors and simple techniques, she’s the author of Vegan Desserts, Vegan à la Mode, Easy as Vegan Pie, Real Food, Really Fast, Sweet Vegan Treats, The Student Vegan Cookbook, Super Vegan Scoops, and The Everyday Vegan Cheat Sheet Pan. Visit Hannah at BittersweetBlog.com.
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