Strawberry Matcha Boba

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This strawberry matcha boba is made with layers of strawberry milk, earthy matcha, and chewy tapioca pearls. It's a delicious, fruity bubble tea flavour that you have to try!

Strawberry matcha boba in a glass with straw and matcha whisk on the side.

This strawberry matcha boba is such an easy and beautiful drink to make at home. It's the perfect combination of fruity strawberries, refreshing matcha, and warm tapioca pearls with brown sugar sweetness.

It's no secret that I love bubble tea and this one has to be one of the prettiest drinks you can make with its layered look. You can enjoy the layers separated or mix them all together before sipping!

Why you'll love this recipe

The flavour of this strawberry matcha boba is delicious! Earthy, fruity, milk, and sweet.
The chewy tapioca pearls are so satisfying to chew on.
It's easy to make!
You can adjust the drink to your tastes. Add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter drink. Use more matcha powder for a stronger green tea flavour. Use whatever milk you like.
It's a beautiful drink to serve with stunning layers!

Ingredients

Tapioca pearls - You'll need large uncooked tapioca pearls, also known as boba pearls. You can usually find them in Asian grocery stores in vacuum-sealed packaging.
Brown sugar - Tapioca pearls by themselves don't really have much flavour. They're sweetened by soaking them in brown sugar syrup.
Strawberries - Use ripe and sweet strawberries. Roughly dice them into smaller pieces so that they're easier to muddle. You can also use frozen strawberries but fresh tastes best. Thaw them at room temperature before use.
Milk - Use any dairy or non-dairy milk. I recommend using a thick plant-based milk like oat milk or soy milk because they make the drink super creamy and the flavours go well with matcha.
Matcha powder - Use your favourite good quality ceremonial grade matcha powder that has a vibrant green colour for the best taste and colour.
Hot water - You just need a little bit to dissolve the matcha powder.

How to make strawberry matcha boba

Cook tapioca pearls - Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add all of the tapioca pearls at once. Give them a stir to break up the clumps. Boil for 15 minutes. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat, and let it sit for another 15 minutes.

Soak pearls in brown sugar syrup - Drain the water and transfer the pearls to a small bowl. Add brown sugar and stir to mix until the sugar dissolves into a syrup. Set aside.

Left to right: tapioca pearls cooking in a pot of water, mixing tapioca pearls with brown sugar in a bowl.

Muddle strawberries - In a serving glass, add the diced strawberries. Use a muddler, wooden spoon, or flat end of a rolling pin to muddle the strawberries until they become a rough puree.

Add pearls - Add the cooked tapioca pearls along with the brown sugar syrup to the glass.

Left to right: hands muddling strawberries in a glass with a muddler, pouring boba pearls into glass from a small bowl.

Mix strawberry milk - Fill the glass halfway with ice and pour in milk until about ¾ full. Stir to mix it into strawberry milk and to loosen the pearls. You can keep the layers separate if you prefer.

Left to right: pouring milk in glass on top of strawberry puree mixture, strawberry milk in a glass with boba pearls on the bottom.

Make matcha - In a chawan or small bowl, sift in matcha powder. Add hot water and use a bamboo whisk to whisk in an "M" motion for 15 seconds until frothy.

Left to right: pouring hot water into a bowl of matcha powder, hand holding bamboo whisk in bowl of frothy matcha.

Layer matcha on top - Pour the matcha on top of the strawberry milk layer. Serve layered but stir to mix before drinking!

Left to right: pouring matcha on top of strawberry milk mixture, hand putting straw into glass of strawberry matcha boba.

Storage

This strawberry matcha boba is best served immediately while it's freshly made and the boba pearls are still warm. If you can't drink it right away, it can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 day. Keep in mind that the texture of the tapioca pearls will become harder the longer they sit in the fridge.

Glass filled with boba pearls, strawberry milk, and matcha split into two layers.

Tips & tricks

Use a high quality ceremonial grade matcha powder. The flavour of the matcha powder you use shines when there are only a few ingredients in a drink so always use a good one! Use a matcha powder meant for drinking that has a vibrant green colour and sweet taste.
Use ripe and sweet strawberries. You can use either fresh or frozen strawberries but just make sure they're ripe and sweet. Ripe strawberries have a more fragrant strawberry flavour and more vibrant red colour.
Keep tapioca pearls covered, warm, and moist until you're ready to use. Cover your bowl of pearls at room temperature if you're not using them immediately. Warm tapioca pearls stay softer.
Don't forget a bubble tea straw. This is obvious but you'd be surprised at how easily overlooked this can be. You'll need a straw with a wide opening that the large boba pearls can pass through.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between bubble tea and boba?

Bubble tea refers to the whole drink (even if there's no tea in it) whereas boba can refer to the tapioca pearls themselves and the drink. They are different names for the same thing. I find that the term "bubble tea" is more commonly used in Canada while "boba" is more commonly used in America.

Why does my boba get hard?

Boba pearls will naturally become harder as they cool, when ice is added to the drink, or if they're stored for a while. Keep your boba pearls warm before using them and enjoy your bubble tea right away.

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