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Home » Drinks

Matcha bubble tea

Published: May 11, 2023 by Vandana Chauhan. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Matcha bubble tea, also known as matcha boba tea is a refreshing alcohol-free summer drink that every matcha lover will enjoy. The contrasting combination of the subtle earthy flavor of matcha with sweet and chewy tapioca pearls makes this drink very interesting and delicious.

Bubble green tea in a glass with a pink straw.

I tasted matcha for the first time many years back when someone from my office ordered a matcha cake for our ex-boss, who loved matcha. I hated that cake and really couldn't understand how could someone enjoy the matcha flavor.

But then I started drinking matcha tea because of its exceptional health benefits and developed a taste for matcha.

Now I am obsessed with matcha and have started using it in a lot of my recipes, not just the matcha tea. I have already shared some other matcha recipes on my blog like matcha yogurt and matcha mug cake. If you also love matcha, don't miss to check out these recipes.

Today I am sharing the recipe for a refreshing matcha drink called matcha bubble tea or matcha boba tea.

It's a fun drink in which two contrasting flavors i.e. the earthy flavor of matcha milk tea is combined with sweetened chewy boba pearls. This interesting combination makes matcha bubble tea very enjoyable.

If you also love matcha, you will definitely enjoy this green tea boba.

Jump to:
  • What is bubble tea?
  • Ingredients needed
  • Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions
  • How to make matcha bubble tea (step-by-step reactions)?
  • Serving tips
  • How to store?
  • Make ahead tips
  • Recipe tips, tricks, and variation suggestions
  • Frequently asked questions
  • More refreshing non-alcoholic summer drinks
  • More matcha recipes
  • Recipe

What is bubble tea?

Bubble tea also called boba tea is a Taiwanese drink with a milk base and large chewy, sweetened tapioca pearls. The drink is flavored with different ingredients to create a lot of delicious versions.

This fun drink has become so popular that now will find bubble tea cafes all over the world.

However, making your own bubble tea at home is so easy that you don't need to buy it from outside.

Ingredients needed

To make bubble tea with matcha, you will need the ingredients shown below:

Ingredients needed for matcha bubble tea, labeled.

Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions

  • Dried boba: Don't use the regular small tapioca pearls that are used in recipes like mango sago dessert or sabudane ki kheer. For bubble tea, you need to use large tapioca pearls that come especially for this drink. I have used dried boba which you need to cook and sweeten before using in the drink. However, you can also use instant tapioca pearls that are already cooked and sweetened. If using instant tapioca pearls, don't use one with a contrasting flavor. Try to use a flavor that will go with every boba tea like brown sugar flavor.
  • Matcha powder: It's a very fine Japanese green tea powder that's made with shadow-dried young tea leaves. Use good quality organic matcha powder for the best result.
  • Soy milk: I prefer using soy milk or almond milk with matcha but you can use your choice of milk like coconut milk or oat milk to make matcha bubble tea. Both plant-based milk and dairy milk are fine to be used.
  • Sweetener: Use liquid sweetener like maple syrup or honey, to sweeten boba tapioca pearls. If you want to use dark brown sugar to sweeten them, first make a brown sugar syrup and then use it.

How to make matcha bubble tea (step-by-step reactions)?

To make matcha bubble tea follow the steps given below:

Collage of images of steps 1 to 4 of matcha bubble tea.

Step 1: Put matcha powder in a bowl. Add hot water and whisk. Keep it aside.

Step 2: Boil water in a deep pot and add dried boba to hot water. Stir boba until they start floating on the surface of the pot.

Steps 3 and 4: Cover the pot and cook for around 35 minutes. Keep checking and stirring after every 10 minutes to ensure that the pearls are not sticking to the bottom of the pot. Turn off the heat and leave the tapioca pearls in the pot covered for another 30 minutes.

Collage of images of steps 5 to 8 of matcha bubble tea.

Step 5: After 30 minutes, strain the tapioca pearls.

Step 6: Rinse them with running water.

Step 7: Transfer to a bowl. Add liquid sweetener.

Step 8: Mix and leave for a few minutes i.e. until they reach room temperature.

Collage of images of steps 9 to 12 of matcha bubble tea.

Step 9: Put sweetened tapioca pearls into a glass.

Step 10: Add ice cubes.

Step 11: Add chilled milk.

Step 12: Add matcha tea. Stir.

Your refreshing drink- matcha boba tea is ready to be sipped!

Bubble green tea in a glass.

Serving tips

Serve matcha bubble tea chilled. Use transparent, see-through glasses to serve it so that tapioca balls also remain visible in the glass, making the drink look more appealing.

You can add some whipped cream or ice cream on top of matcha boba tea if you want.

Don't use a regular straw to drink it as the tapioca pearls are quite large and won't be able to pass through them. You get special boba tea straws in the market, use them.

Never drink it directly from the glass without a straw because all the pearls remain at the bottom of the glass. If you drink it without a straw you will not be enjoy the tea and chewy tapioca pearls together.

Always, stir this bubble tea before drinking because only the pearls are sweetened not the tea. Stirring the tea will distribute the sweetness. Also, cooked tapioca pearls stick to each other, stirring helps in separating them.

How to store?

Bubble tea doesn't last for a long time. You can store it for a maximum of 24 hours in the fridge.

It's best to consume it as soon as possible.

Make ahead tips

If you want to do some preparation in advance, cook tapioca pearls, sweeten them, and then transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 2 days, maximum.

When you want to enjoy boba tea, put some sweetened boba in a glass, add ice cubes, add any chilled flavored milk tea, stir, and enjoy.

Recipe tips, tricks, and variation suggestions

  • Use a deep cooking pot to cook tapioca pearls so that they don't stick to the bottom of the pot.
  • If you are using instant boba, it won't take this long to get cooked. Follow the package instructions to use it.
  • Don't leave the cooked tapioca pearls without sweetener otherwise, they will stick to each other.
  • If the sweetness of this drink is not enough for you, drizzle some more sweetener on top. However, matcha drinks taste better without any sweetener or with very little sweetener.
  • If you have leftover cooked tapioca, store them with sweetener in airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
  • Don't serve bubble tea with regular straws. You need to drink it with special broad bubble tea straws. You can find them by the name boba straw or bubble tea straw in the market.
  • Don't drink it directly without the straw as then you won't be able to enjoy the tea and pearls together.
  • You can create different versions of bubble tea by flavoring milk with different ingredients like mango bubble tea, strawberry bubble tea, blueberry bubble tea, etc.

Frequently asked questions

Is there gelatin in tapioca pearls?

No, there is no gelatin in tapioca pearls. It's made with cassava root starch.

Are tapioca pearls vegan?

Yes, tapioca pearls are vegan.

Are, tapioca pearls gluten-free?

Yes, tapioca pearls are made with cassava root starch (tapioca starch) which is gluten-free. However, if you are on a gluten-free diet, make sure to check the ingredients list on the packet of the tapioca pearls you are using.

Can cooked tapioca pearls be frozen?

Yes, you can also freeze cooked, sweetened boba. The best way to freeze them is as ice cubes in an ice tray.
When you want to use them take out the number of ice cubes you want to use, and microwave them for around 10 seconds or until they defrost. Strain them, add some more liquid sweetener, and use in your bubble tea.

Do you need a special bamboo whisk to whisk matcha?

Bamboo whisk makes whisking matcha easy and doesn't put scratch marks on your fine glasses. However, if you don't have a matcha whisk you can use a regular small metal or silicon whisk too. A small electric milk frother can also be used.

Instead of using a metal whisk in your finest glass, use any regular small daily-use bowl to whisk matcha and water. Then transfer it to the main serving glass.

I have always used a small metal whisk to make my matcha tea and never faced any issues.

More refreshing non-alcoholic summer drinks

Looking for more refreshing summer drink recipes that are alcohol-free? Don't miss checking out the following links:

  • Virgin pina colada
  • Watermelon lemonade
  • Orange iced tea

More matcha recipes

If you liked this matcha bubble tea recipe and want to try more recipes using matcha then don't miss to check out the following easy matcha recipes:

  • Matcha yogurt
  • Matcha mug cake
Matcha boba tea in a glass with a pink straw.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in the recipe card below. You can also follow me on Instagram, Youtube, and Pinterest.

Recipe

Matcha bubble tea in a glass with a pink straw.

Matcha bubble tea

Matcha bubble tea, also known as matcha boba tea is a refreshing alcohol-free summer drink that every matcha lover will enjoy. The contrasting combination of the subtle earthy flavor of matcha with sweet and chewy tapioca pearls makes this drink very interesting and delicious.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Asian, Taiwanese
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Resting time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 280kcal
Author: Vandana Chauhan

Equipment

  • Cooking pot
  • Whisk small metal whisk or bamboo matcha whisk
  • Strainer
  • Serving glasses

Ingredients

Ingredients to make matcha tea

  • 1 teaspoon matcha tea
  • ¼ cup hot water

Ingredients to cook boba

  • ½ cup dried boba
  • 4 cups water

Other ingredients required to make matcha bubble tea

  • 2 cups soy milk or any milk of choice
  • 2 tablespoons any liquid sweetener of choice
  • Ice cubes

Instructions

  • In a bowl, mix matcha powder with hot water, whisk, and keep aside.
  • Boil water in a cooking pot. Add dried boba. Stir until the pearls start floating on the surface. Cover the pot and cook for around 35 minutes. Keep stirring after every 10 minutes to make sure there is enough water in the pot and the pearls are not sticking to the bottom of the pot. Turn off the heat. Leave the pot covered for 30 minutes.
  • After 30 minutes, drain the tapioca pearls and rinse with running water. Transfer them to a bowl.
  • Add liquid sweetener. Mix and leave for a few minutes i.e. until they reach room temperature.
  • Take two serving glasses and equally divide the sweetened boba between them.
  • Add ice cubes.
  • Pour one cup of soy milk into each glass.
  • Divide the matcha green tea between the glasses.
  • Stir and enjoy.

Video

Notes

  • Use a deep cooking pot to cook tapioca pearls so that they don't stick to the bottom of the pot.
  • If you are using instant boba, it won't take this long to get cooked. Follow the package instructions to cook it.
  • Don't leave the cooked tapioca pearls without sweetener otherwise, they will stick to each other.
  • If the sweetness of this drink is not enough for you, drizzle some more sweetener on top. However, matcha drinks taste better without any sweetener or with very little sweetener.
  • If you have leftover cooked tapioca, store them with sweetener in airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
  • Don't serve bubble tea with regular straws. You need to drink it with special broad bubble tea straws.
  • Don't drink it directly without the straw as then you won't be able to enjoy the tea and pearls together.
  • You can create different versions of bubble tea by flavoring milk with different ingredients like mango bubble tea, strawberry bubble tea, blueberry bubble tea, etc.
  • More recipe tips and tricks are shared in the post above, please follow them to make this recipe.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 337mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 603IU | Calcium: 338mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Tag me on instagram #greenbowl2soul

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Hi! Thanks for stopping by my blog. My name is Vandana Chauhan and I am on a mission to explore vegan/ vegetarian recipes from around the world. I am delighted to welcome you to join me on this exciting journey.

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