Homemade Tapioca Pudding Recipe

A delightful milk-based custard thickened with the excess tapioca starch from hundreds of slightly chewy tapioca pearls.

By
Lauren Weisenthal
Lauren Weisenthal is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Lauren Weisenthal
Lauren Weisenthal was the author of the Pie of the Week and Sweet Technique columns for Serious Eats. From 2017–2021, she ran a restaurant called The Nightingale in Vinalhaven, Maine.
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Updated June 06, 2023
Tapioca pudding, served in a small black bowl.

Serious Eats / Lauren Weisenthal

Why It Works

  • Allowing tapioca pearls to soak for 12 hours softens and partially hydrates them.
  • Tempering the eggs when adding them to the custard base ensures the pudding will come out smooth and silky.
  • Pressing plastic wrap against the surface of the pudding keeps it from drying out and forming a leathery skin as it chills.

Tapioca pudding is the kind of dessert that gets forgotten about until it's sitting right in front of you, and then, all at once, you're smitten with it all over again. I recently fell back in love when, prompted by my recent obsession with using fine-ground pearls as a thickener for pie juices, I purchased several bags.

It was at the spice store that I discovered why people might shy away from making tapioca at home. With few standards for pearl size and lots of arbitrary labeling, it can be hard to pin down exactly what size of pearls you are buying.

One taste of homemade tapioca pudding is all it takes to remind you why it's so very worth the risk of purchasing the wrong size. You'll love the creamy texture and simple vanilla flavor that's unadulterated by the cornstarch used in so many other pudding recipes. And, of course, there's the delightful little squish of the tapioca, like so many bubbles of happiness. A little extra soaking time can help mitigate against ratio issues if the tapioca pearls are too large for the recipe, and even if you slightly over-shoot the desired size, adding a little extra milk or cream right before serving can help ease a pudding that's too stiff.

May 2012

Recipe Details

Homemade Tapioca Pudding Recipe

Active 45 mins
Total 14 hrs
Serves 6 servings
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup medium pearl tapioca (do not use instant varieties)

  • 4 cups whole milk

  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1 cup sugar, divided

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 egg

  • 3 egg yolks

Directions

  1. Place the tapioca in a large bowl with a quart of cold water. Cover and allow the tapioca to soak for at least 12 hours. When ready to use, use a fine-mesh strainer to drain off the water and set the soaked pearls aside.

  2. In a large saucepan, combine the milk, vanilla, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt and set aside. Place eggs and yolks in a large bowl and whisk them until they are combined. Slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, a little at a time, whisking constantly, until all of the sugar is added. Whisk until the egg mixture is a very light yellow color, about 2 minutes, then set aside.

  3. Place the saucepan with the milk mixture over low heat and bring to a simmer. Once it begins to bubble, remove the pot from heat and temper the eggs with the hot liquid by whisking the eggs constantly as you add the liquid a little at a time.

  4. Once the two mixtures are completely combined, pour the custard back into the original pot and add the tapioca. Whisk constantly over low heat. As you whisk, the mixture will begin to thicken. Watch the pearls, they will become translucent, with just a bit of cloudiness in the centers, indicating that the pudding is done. Do not worry that the pudding looks a bit watery, as extra liquid will be absorbed during the cooling process. Scrape the pudding into a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the top surface. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
337Calories
9gFat
53gCarbs
10gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories337
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g12%
Saturated Fat 4g22%
Cholesterol 171mg57%
Sodium 296mg13%
Total Carbohydrate 53g19%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Total Sugars 42g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 0mg0%
Calcium 209mg16%
Iron 1mg5%
Potassium 269mg6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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