Strawberry Matcha Boba (10 Minutes!)
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This strawberry matcha boba is a mix between the popular Korean strawberry milk and a delicious matcha latte. The sweet strawberry puree mixed with fresh milk balances the slight bitterness of the matcha, making it the perfect summer beverage for all matcha lovers!
What’s your favorite bubble tea? Did you know that boba was SUPER SIMPLE TO MAKE AT HOME?
I’m a boba addict and every time I’m heading to the boba shop, I get super excited :’) I love traditional milk tea but I’m also a big fan of more trendy and reinvented boba such as my Oreo Bubble Shake.
So a few years ago, during the pandemic, when all shops were closed I started making my own boba. And honestly… it takes me less time to make it than to get out of the house to buy it.
What is Strawberry Matcha Boba?
For those who are not familiar with Asian food, bubble tea or boba refers to this Asian beverage containing tapioca pearls. You can either have it hot or cold but today we are making a COLD ICY and REFRESHING bubble tea!
This matcha and strawberry bubble tea is pretty much a combination of my Korean Real Strawberry Milk and a matcha latte.
I made a sweet strawberry puree by mixing strawberries with a bit of sugar, then topped it up with ice cubes and some cold fresh milk. For the top part, I dissolved a tiny quantity of matcha powder in boiling water. Once cooled, the trick is to pour it gently over the milk so that they slightly mix together but not entirely. You must still see the two distinct layers. And if you don’t? well, you’ve been too rough! : ) Don’t worry! Taste matters first!
Which tapioca pearls to use?
I usually buy tapioca pearls from this brand since they are super QUICK TO COOK (5 minutes!). But depending on the brand and type you buy, cooking time may vary up to 15 minutes.
Tapioca pearls are also very easy to make at home if you have some tapioca flour (and a bit of patience) in hand! I will try to post my recipe and video soon.
Which ingredients do I need?
- strawberries – I usually make this beverage in summer so fresh strawberries are always available in-store. However if it’s just not the season or if you already have frozen strawberries at home, that will work perfectly too! You’ll have to defrost them to crush them.
- white sugar – for making strawberry puree I prefer using white sugar since its taste is neutral.
- matcha powder – I always use ceremonial-grade matcha powder to make matcha beverages. The green color looks more vibrant – ok this is only the aesthetic aspect – and its taste is less bitter than lower quality (darker in color) matcha powder. See my Matcha Ice Cream recipe to learn about the differences between matcha powders.
- boiling water – make sure water is boiling to dissolve any matcha powder lump. With cold water, lumps will remain.
- tapioca pearls – it is definitely much quicker to buy them but when I get some spare time, I sometimes sit down and make them from scratch.
- brown sugar – brown sugar is essential to make the sweet syrup coating the tapioca pearls however if you wish to decrease the intake of sugar in your drink, you can also skip the syrup!
- ice cubes – totally optional but ice cubes will make your drink icy cold and super refreshing.
- milk – I use fresh whole milk for this recipe. In my opinion, this tastes the best. But if you’re dairy intolerant, you can easily substitute with any milk. Just bear in mind that any other milk may add an extra taste that may or may not (according to your personal tastes) go well with all other ingredients.
Can I make it ahead and keep it in the refrigerator?
You can easily prepare strawberry puree and matcha in advance, but I always recommend cooking tapioca pearls when you’re ready to have your drink. Tapioca pearls tend to harden when left in the refrigerator outside any liquid.
The best option if you wish to make it the previous day, is to mix tapioca pearls with milk so that the pearls retain their moisture. For the assembling, you’ll just pour them on top of the strawberry puree. Refrigerate tapioca pearls this way for a maximum of 2 days.
How to Make Strawberry Matcha Boba?
- Crush strawberries into purée, adding 1 tbsp white sugar. Set aside.
- Dilute matcha into boiling water. Mix well. Set aside to cool a little.
- Cook tapioca pearls for 5 minutes, or as per package instructions.
- Once cooked, drain the tapioca pearls. Return them to the pot and mix in 1 tbsp brown sugar. The sugar will melt and coat the tapioca pearls.
- Assemble all ingredients. In a glass, drop the tapioca pearls at the bottom. Add strawberry purée, ice cubes and milk. Finally, slowly pour the matcha, be gentle enough so that the matcha remains on top of the milk and does not entirely mix with it.
- Serve with a wide-opening straw.
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Matcha Strawberry Boba (10 Minutes!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 80 g strawberries
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- ½ tsp matcha powder
- 60 ml boiling water
- 50 g tapioca pearls
- 1.5 tbsp brown sugar
- 5 ice cubes
- 180 ml milk
Instructions
- Crush strawberries into purée, adding 1 tbsp white sugar. Set aside.
- Dilute matcha into boiling water. Mix well. Set aside to cool a little.
- Cook tapioca pearls for 5 minutes, or as per package instructions.
- Once cooked, drain the tapioca pearls. Return them to the pot and mix in 1 tbsp brown sugar. The sugar will melt and coat the tapioca pearls.
- Assemble all ingredients. In a glass, drop the tapioca pearls at the bottom. Add strawberry purée, ice cubes and milk. Finally, slowly pour the matcha, be gentle enough so that the matcha remains on top of the milk and does not entirely mix with it.
- Serve with a wide-opening straw.
