Easy Boba Smoothie Recipe With Banana And Coconut Milk

This post for the boba smoothie recipe was first published on the 9th of June 2023.

If you had told me a couple of years ago I would have loved drinking bubble tea and even drinking a boba smoothie, I would have probably laughed at you! Don’t get me wrong, there was nothing bad the first time I tried it years back, but tapioca pearls had a chewy consistency I couldn’t handle.

Fast forward to today, I am proud to say that I gave tapioca pearls multiple chances and homemade ones made all the difference and took me to their side! If you haven’t tried bubble tea yet, you have to. This delicious drink is made of tapioca pearls, steeped tea and milk, and nowadays you can also add many toppings to it, as well as find different drinks made with tapioca pearls. From the classic brown sugar bubble tea, matcha to strawberry or taro. You can also find cold brew boba, which we have to try ASAP, as well as a pumpkin-spiced one. The choices are endless!

This drink was born in Taiwan in the 1980s, but quickly became popular in the USA years after and today, you can find small and big chains making boba tea almost anywhere. But in case you don’t have any nearby or want to try your hand at it yourself, homemade boba tea is quite easy to make. And even easier to make a boba smoothie, so that you can drink something that is full of nutritional value and with a tasty chewy texture. What more could you ask for?

Time to enjoy this delicious boba smoothie

I swear the taste of this boba smoothie is nothing I’ve ever had. And I love all the ingredients that make this boba smoothie, singularly. Especially matcha. So sit back and make sure you put them all on your shopping list!

What is boba tea? What are boba pearls?

The term boba is used now interchangeably for both the drink and the tapioca pearls used in it. Boba tea is a tea-based drink that originated in Taiwan in the 1980s and is now widely popular all around the world. This drink is made of tapioca pearls or boba pearls, steeped tea – from green tea to black tea and oolong – and milk. Milk teas can range from condensed milk, plant-based milk or powdered milk. A lot of bubble teas can have a lot of different toppings too, which makes the drinks even more appetizing. 

Boba pearls or also known as tapioca pearls are made of the starchy part of the cassava root. Originally used as a substitute for sago (spongy tissue of some palms) in South Asian cuisine, including desserts and drinks. Chewy tapioca pearls don’t have a distinctive flavour, that’s why they get soaked in syrups to give them colour and flavour, for example, the most popular is black tapioca pearls are soaked in brown sugar syrup, which gives them their colour (Wikipedia).

Can I make tapioca pearls at home?

You absolutely can make boba pearls at home! Buying them is possible don’t get me wrong, but Simona insisted we try our hand at it even if we can find them at the local Asian market. Anyway, we followed The Flavour Bender recipe and even tried store-bought one for a regular measure, and let me tell you, homemade ones are much more delicious!

I agree that we don’t all have the time to make them, but if you are in the market for them, all you need is brown sugar, tapioca starch, cocoa powder and water. As simple as that you can make your own tapioca pearls and open your personal boba tea bar! It’s the easiest recipe that we found and let me assure you the first two times we used different recipes and they were a total flop! 

Everything is well-explained step by step and easy to follow, so if you are up for homemade boba pearls do follow this recipe! 

What ingredients will I need for this bubble tea smoothie?  

This smoothie calls first and foremost for chewy boba pearls and brown sugar syrup to make the base of your smoothie recipe and add some chewy texture to your drink. The rest of the ingredients are as follows:

1. Spinach:
   • Spinach is rich in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folate, iron, and magnesium. It contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which are beneficial for eye health and it also helps with digestion and maintaining a healthy gut;
   • In terms of the flavour profile, spinach is mild and slightly sweet, it blends well into smoothies without overpowering other flavours;
2. Matcha:
   • Matcha is extremely high in catechins, particularly EGCG, which have powerful health benefits. It provides a calm, sustained energy boost due to its unique combination of caffeine and L-theanine, and at the same time, its high chlorophyll content aids in detoxifying the body;
   • In terms of flavour, being earthy and slightly bitter, matcha adds a vibrant green colour and a unique taste to smoothies;
3. Coconut Milk:
   • Rich in medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which can provide a quick source of energy and promote fat loss, coconut milk also contains vitamins C, E, B vitamins, iron, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. It’s a great way to keep you hydrated and adds a creamy texture to smoothies;
   • Creamy and slightly sweet, with a distinct coconut flavour that complements other ingredients;
4. Banana:
   • Bananas are high in potassium, which is essential for heart health and maintaining normal blood pressure. They provide a natural energy source through their carbohydrates and sugars and contain dietary fibre that aids digestion;
5. Maple Syrup:
   • A healthier alternative to refined sugar, with a lower glycemic index, maple syrup contains manganese, zinc, calcium, and potassium, it also has antioxidants that can help protect cells from damage;
   • Rich, sweet, and slightly caramel-like, maple syrup enhances the overall flavour of the smoothie.

Can I substitute anything in this refreshing boba smoothie?

This recipe is so easy and versatile that you can actually substitute a lot of the ingredients. We initially used frozen berries and a frozen banana, only to then change the recipe completely to a spinach, matcha and banana mix. But you could also go for any fruit of your choice like fresh strawberry and mango chunks to get a delicious mango boba smoothie, or you could make it an avocado smoothie or anything you can think of, even using frozen fruit (like frozen mango, frozen berries or frozen melon to mention some), as long as you like it. 

Next, you can change your milk. We went for coconut milk as we used it for the hojicha latte, but you could substitute it for almond milk, dairy milk, skim milk, soy milk, oat milk or any other plant-based milk. If milk is not your choice, coconut water can make a great substitute too! There are plenty of different tapioca pearls brands that can be bought at your local Asian market, so you can also choose to use flavoured or clear tapioca pearls. As a sweetener, we used maple syrup, but you could also skip it since the boba balls are already coated in brown sugar syrup, or use another sweetener like agave, vanilla extract, or honey. 

What equipment will I need for this boba smoothie?

For this brown sugar boba smoothie you will need a speed blender, a tall glass and most importantly, you will need wide straws. To drink boba milk teas and eat the boba, you will need a thick straw, whether they are paper straws, plastic wide straws or reusable large straws. In case you don’t have any handy, you can also use a slotted spoon to eat the tapioca pearls. 

How to make boba smoothie recipe

To start off, cook your tapioca pearls following the package instructions. Most tapioca pearls take different times depending on what the instructions require. We cooked ours for twenty minutes in boiling water and then covered them in brown sugar syrup.

The syrup is made with half a cup of water and half a cup of brown sugar. Let it simmer and it’s ready to use. You can make the syrup in advance and store it in the fridge in an airtight container until you’re ready to use it. Just make sure to use the boba balls when they are still warm or they will get harder.

After that, in a blender add your coconut milk, spinach, matcha powder, maple syrup and banana and blend everything until smooth or it reaches your preferred consistency. At this point, you can adjust the sweetness or thickness of your boba smoothie by adding maple syrup or half a banana, and even more milk if it’s too thick for your taste.

In a large glass, add half a cup of tapioca pearls with their sugar syrup. Pour the smoothie on top and add your wide straw of choice. Add some ice cubes if you prefer it colder and enjoy! 

You will find the most delicious drink with a chewy texture added and with great nutrition too. Healthy drinks don’t have to be boring!

Any tips for the best boba smoothie recipe?

First, make sure to still use warm tapioca pearls, so don’t cook them too far in advance. They tend to get harder very easily and you don’t want to get stuck on a hard boba ball. You want a chewy and flavourful texture when you eat them.

You can make the smoothie in advance and keep it in the fridge for at least a couple of days if you are in a rush. Prepping is minimal, but you can do it in advance if you please.

Do follow the instructions at the back of your tapioca pearls packet. You can find brands that don’t take longer than ten minutes others that take more than twenty minutes cooking. Unless you buy the same brand of the recipe you follow, always follow the packet’s instructions.

Are boba drinks gluten-free? 

Yes, most boba drinks are actually gluten-free. Tapioca pearls, also known as boba balls, tapioca balls or boba pearls,  are made out of tapioca starch which comes from the starchy root part of the cassava root. As tapioca itself is naturally gluten-free, most boba drinks are considered gluten-free too. The only thing you will have to check is for any toppings that contain gluten as well as cross-contamination. But making your drinks at home can really help. 

Is this boba smoothie vegan?

This boba smoothie is indeed vegan! We used plant based milk for this smoothie recipe, making it an easy dairy-free option for everyone to enjoy. But you can even use regular whole milk or your favourite plant-based milk. You could also substitute milk for your favourite kind of yoghurt making it even more thick, as well as adding more nutritional value to your recipe. 

Boba vs popping boba, what’s the difference? 

Among the many types of boba, you can find even popping boba, also known as fruit balls. But differently from the usual tapioca pearls, these popping boba don’t contain tapioca and they are actually made from a mix of fruit juice and sodium alginate. They then get mixed with calcium chloride and water to create popping boba. So they are made out of a chemical reaction between ingredients and used mostly for smoothies, to add even more flavour (Spoon University).

Do you have more boba tea recipes?

We have plenty of recipes that can be amazing besides this blended boba tea:

• strawberry milk tea – if you love strawberries and boba tea this is for you;
• chocolate milk tea – a tasty concotion for any chocolate lover;
• iced Hojicha latte – because hojicha is not just for tea;
• taro latte – you have seen taro in desserts, but what about in a drink?
• oreo milk tea – if you love oreos and boba, this is the drink for you.

Shop the boba tea smoothie recipe

Have you ever tried boba tea? Have you tried a boba smoothie yet? Will you try making your own tapioca pearls at home? Let me know in the comments!

Pin the tapioca smoothie recipe for later!