Popping Boba vs Tapioca Pearls
The short answer: Popping boba are juice-filled pearls with a thin skin that bursts when you bite it, and they need no cooking. Tapioca pearls are chewy balls made from cassava starch with little flavour of their own; traditional pearls boil for 25 to 30 minutes. A drink only needs one of them.
Popping boba vs tapioca pearls at a glance
| Feature | Popping boba | Tapioca pearls |
|---|---|---|
| Texture | A thin skin that bursts | Chewy all the way through |
| Flavour | Fruit, brown sugar, caramel, coffee and more | Little of its own; soaked in sugar syrup |
| Cooking | None, straight from the pot | 25 to 30 minutes (instant: 2 to 5 minutes) |
| Made from | Flavoured syrup in a seaweed-based skin | Cassava starch |
| Per drink | 40 to 50g | About 40g dry |
| Once opened | Fridge, use within 5 days | Cooked pearls: within 4 hours |
What is popping boba made of?
Popping boba are small pearls of flavoured syrup held in a thin, edible skin made with sodium alginate, a seaweed extract. The skin bursts when you bite it. Full ingredients are on each popping boba product page.
Is popping boba vegan and gluten free?
All our popping boba is vegan and gluten free. Brown sugar, caramel and coffee popping boba carry a may-contain line for mango, milk and coconut, so we do not sell them as dairy free. Mango popping boba contains mango, and lychee, kiwi and honeydew melon popping boba contain coconut.
Which one should you choose?
- Iced fruit teas, lemonades and slushies: popping boba.
- Classic milk tea and brown sugar drinks: tapioca pearls.
- No time to cook: popping boba, or instant tapioca pearls.
Questions
What is the difference between popping boba and tapioca pearls?
Popping boba have a thin skin that bursts and need no cooking. Tapioca pearls are chewy, made from cassava starch, and traditional pearls boil for 25 to 30 minutes.
What is popping boba made of?
Flavoured syrup held in a thin, edible skin made with sodium alginate, a seaweed extract.
Is popping boba vegan?
Yes, all our popping boba is vegan and gluten free. Brown sugar, caramel and coffee popping boba carry a may-contain line for milk.
Do you need to cook popping boba?
No. Spoon it straight from the pot or tub into the drink.