Large Pearl Tapioca Pudding Recipe

Make this absolutely thick and creamy pudding using Asian large tapioca pearls the old-fashion way. No more mushy tapioca pearls. If you like slightly chewy tapioca pearls, this recipe does it. The recipe includes vegan version.

After making this easy tapioca pearl coconut milk dessert, I decided to use the same large tapioca pearls to make this old-fashion tapioca pudding. I love tapioca pudding, the one with large pearls. I like large pearls because they give more texture, especially that chewy bouncy texture. I wrote in more detail about tapioca pearls in this post if you are interested to read more.

Large pearl tapioca pudding is not as common anymore compared to the small pearls these days. Large tapioca pearls do take longer to cook, but it's so much better IMHO. Again, everyone is different.

WHY YOU'LL LIKE THIS LARGE PEARL TAPIOCA PUDDING RECIPE

1. Dairy-free
I'm a coconut milk freak and the coconut milk lends its amazing aroma to this pudding, which I absolutely love it.
2. No soaking required
Please note that if you buy the large tapioca pearls from Asian store, you DO NOT soak the tapioca pearls in water for hours or overnight. They will literally turn into mush and dissolves in water. Unless you want tapioca porridge!!!

3. Rich smooth pudding.
I like the smooth rich texture of pudding and so I only use egg yolks in this recipe and save the egg whites for other use. Many recipes call for whipping egg whites separately and then fold them into the pudding for that airy texture. You can do so too if you want, but I prefer a rich and smooth texture.
4. Chewy tapioca pearls texture
That's what I like about tapioca pearls, they are chewy. Don't be mistaken with hard. If they are hard in the center, your tapioca pearls are undercooked. When properly cooked, they will be chewy but not starchy or hard.

HOW TO MAKE OLD-FASHION LARGE PEARL TAPIOCA PUDDING WITH COCONUT MILK

1. COOK THE TAPIOCA PEARLS
DO NOT SOAK THE TAPIOCA PEARLS. Place water and salt in a saucepan with a lid. Bring to a boil and add the tapioca pearls in. Bring it back to a boil and then immediately lower the heat to medium-low to let them gently simmer.

Cover the lid. Make sure the heat is on low so it won't boil over. Stir the tapioca pearls every 10-15 minutes

2. STIR IN SUGAR AND VANILLA EXTRACT
When you are happy with the texture of the tapioca pearls, stir in sugar until it melts and also add vanilla extract. Have a taste and add more sugar if you want it sweeter. Keep the heat on low. The tapioca pearls have slightly thickened the coconut milk too

3. STIR IN COCONUT MILK
They need to be cooked for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the tapioca pearls are no longer hard in the center. They may still have some cloudiness (white spots) in the center, but as long as the tapioca pearls are soft and chewy the way you like them, they are done

4. TEMPER THE EGGS
Scoop about 1 Tbsp of the coconut milk onto the egg yolks while whisking the yolks at the same time. Do this about 2 more times. This is to temper the egg yolks so they won't curdle when you add them into the coconut milk

After that, gradually pour the yolks into the tapioca mixture and continue to stir until everything is well-combined

5. THICKEN WITH CORNSTARCH
Mix cornstarch with water and stir until mixed. Stir this into the tapioca pudding and cook over medium heat until the mixture is thickened. It will thicken further when it cools down completely. It will thicken considerably when it cools down

5. COOL DOWN
Let the tapioca pudding cool down for 15 minutes before serving or storing them in the fridge. They can be served warm or chilled

HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER

Let the tapioca pearl pudding cools down completely then store in an air-tight container and try to consume within 3 days. They should be pleasantly chewy after refrigerated. The longer you store, the harder the pearls will get. You can simply reheat in the microwave or on the stove until they are just warm and pleasantly soft and chewy again

DID YOU MAKE THIS EASY LARGE PEARL TAPIOCA PUDDING RECIPE?

I love it when you guys snap a photo and tag to show me what you've made 🙂 Simply tag me @WhatToCookToday #WhatToCookToday on Instagram and I'll be sure to stop by and take a peek for real!

The recipe is updated on February 2021 to improve taste and to include the video recipe.

Easy Large Pearl Tapioca / Sago Pudding (with coconut milk)

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 1 hr

Total Time 1 hr 5 mins

Servings 4 -6 serving as dessert

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Ingredients

1 cup large tapioca pearls 160 grams
3 cups water
2 cups canned coconut milk
⅛ tsp salt
2 Tbsp brown sugar or more to taste
2 Tbsp sugar or more to taste

For vegan version (omit egg yolk):

1 egg yolk lightly beaten

To thicken the pudding:

1 Tbsp cornstarch + 1 Tbsp water or more as needed

Instructions

Cook tapioca pearls (NO soaking):

Place water and salt in a saucepan with a lid. Bring to a boil and add the tapioca pearls. Bring it back to a boil and then immediately lower the heat to medium-low to let them gently simmer. Cover the lid. Make sure the heat is on medium-low so it won't boil over. Stir the tapioca pearls every 10-15 minutes so they won't stick to the bottom of the pot
They need to be cooked for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the tapioca pearls are no longer hard in the center. They may still have some cloudiness in the center (white spots), but as long as the tapioca pearls are soft and chewy the way you like them, they are done
When you are happy with the texture of the tapioca pearls, stir in sugar until it melts and also add vanilla extract. Stir in the coconut milk. Have a taste and add more sugar if you want it sweeter. Keep the heat on low. The tapioca pearls have slightly thickened the coconut milk

Temper the egg yolk (skip for vegan version):

Scoop about 1 Tbsp of the coconut milk mixture to the egg yolk while whisking the yolks at the same time. Do this about 2 more times. This is to temper the egg yolk so it won't curdle when you add it to the coconut milk. After that, gradually pour the yolk into the coconut milk and continue to stir until everything is well-combined

Thicken with cornstarch:

Mix cornstarch with water and stir until mix. Stir this into the tapioca pudding and cook over medium heat until the mixture is thickened. It will thicken further when it cools down completely

Serving:

Let it cool down for about 15 minutes at room temperature. I love to eat my tapioca pudding warm, but you can chill it in the fridge after it has cooled down for about 15 minutes

Storing:

Leftover can be kept in a container once it cools down completely. Try to consume within 3 days for best taste and texture. The tapioca pearl will be slightly chewier when they are cold, but they should be pleasantly chewy. If you find them getting tougher, you can warm them up in the microwave or over medium heat on the stove before serving.

Video (appear as pop-up)