What Is Boba? What You Need To Know About Bubble Tea - Delish

Boba is super popular. Seriously. There are about four bubble tea places within a five-block radius of where I'm writing this. But many people don't know what the chewy bubbles at the bottom of their drinks are, let alone what the entire drink itself is. Don't worry, though: You're about to find out!

What Is Boba?

"Boba is technically tapioca pearls but also refers to the boba tea drink," said Matthew Wong of the New York City-based bubble tea store Tea and Milk. "The East Coast calls it bubble tea and the West Coast calls it boba tea."

The tapioca pearls are made from tapioca or cassava starch (so they are gluten-free) and formed into small spheres. To sweetened them, they are often simmered in sugary syrup. From there, they can be added to a base, often a milk tea (tea combined with either powdered or fresh milk and sometimes a sugary syrup), but also green or black tea, coffee, a slushie, or a smoothie to become bubble tea.

The pearls that end up in your drink can come in many sizes, though they're usually accompanied by a straw with an opening thick enough to suck 'em all up.

Where Does Boba Come From?

The drink originated in Taiwan in the 1980s and eventually made its way to the U.S. sometime in the '90s. From there, it's only become a more and more popular treat.

How Is Boba Made?

To be clear, we are talking about the tapioca pearls here. "The starch is added to boiling water and kneaded in to a dough-like consistency," Wong said. "Vanilla, caramel, and even brown sugar syrups can be added to the dough for color and flavoring." Then, the dough is cut, rolled into little balls, and placed in boiling water for 30 minutes.

What Does Boba Taste Like?

"Quality boba should always have a nice chew to it," Wong said. "It should be soft but not too mushy where it just melts in your mouth."

The flavor can vary based on the syrup the pearls are cooked in and the sweeteners added to the dough. Flavors can be anything from fruits to honey. The milk tea most boba pearls come in are available in different flavors, too. Common ones include matcha, honeydew, strawberry, thai, and taro.

Where To Buy Boba

Wong recommends checking out your local Asian supermarkets or boba tea store for boba kits. "Boba, tea leaves, and milks are included in the kit, along with recipes," he said.

J WAY Instant Boba Tea Kit

How To Store Boba

"Once cooked, boba can only last for three to four hours for optimal quality," Wong said. That means drink up!

Tea Recipes