How to Make Boba & Popping Boba at Home – Easy DIY Recipes

Boba tea, or the famous bubble tea, has become a global favourite of millions, approved by both millennials and Gen Z. It has a great aesthetic appeal, which makes the drink Instagram-worthy.

But why wait at trendy cafes when you can recreate your favourite boba tea with homemade boba or popping boba in your kitchen? Sounds fun, right? Here we are going to talk about the origin of boba, its types and then the easy DIY recipes to make boba.

What is Boba?

The chewy tapioca pearls or balls named Boba has a Taiwanese history and originated in the 1980s. The inspiration for the boba tea comes from the local desserts and the traditional tea culture in the country.

First, it was made by mixing tapioca pearls and sweet milk tea. Then the drink’s base became black or green tea, milk or fruit flavourings and customised toppings over time. People sometimes call the beverage itself boba.

Two tea houses, Chun Shui Tang in Taichung and Hanlin Tea Room in Tainan, have a friendly rivalry over who should be credited with inventing it.

The drink later gained popularity in the 1990s across Asia and then worldwide due to its unique textures, wide flavour variety, and visually appealing aesthetics.

Regular boba are chewy pearls made from tapioca starch, whereas popping boba are juice-filled balls. Homemade boba is more affordable than store-bought versions, letting you sip freshly made tea with the freedom to experiment with flavours, textures, and styles. Both are delicious—the choice comes down to your mood: chewy or juicy.

How to Make Boba at Home

Ingredients needed:

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup Meron’s tapioca starch

1/4 tsp black food dye (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to make boba at home:

Add water and brown sugar into a heated pan and dissolve it.

Add black food dye for colouring (optional).

Stir in half of the tapioca starch and bring to a boil.

Continue stirring until it reaches a sticky consistency.

Turn off the heat and mix in the other half of the tapioca starch.

Place the mixture on a clean table and knead into a smooth batter.

Roll into a log shape, cut in half, then roll into smaller logs.

Cut into small pieces and shape into pearls with your hands.

Cook the pearls in boiling water for 15 minutes.

Let it sit for 5 minutes after switching off the heat.

Strain and cool the pearls.

Serve with your favourite milk tea or fruit flavours.

💡 Note: Homemade popping boba lasts about 1–3 days in the refrigerator. Best enjoyed fresh, as it may lose its structure over time.

How to Make Popping Boba

The science that goes into making popping boba is called molecular spherification. It turns the liquid into a popping boba by enclosing it in a thin, gel-like membrane. So, to make it, we need the juice you prefer, along with Meron’s Sodium Alginate and Calcium Lactate. Also, a syringe or dropper is required.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Take the fruit juice in a bowl, mix with sodium alginate, and let it rest.

Prepare a mix of calcium lactate powder and water. Add the juice-alginate mixture drop by drop using a dropper or syringe.

The calcium bath forms a gel outside while keeping liquid inside, creating popping boba pearls.

Let the pearls sit for 2 minutes, then rinse them in cold water.

The popping boba is ready. Use immediately or refrigerate to preserve the structure.

Simple Popping Boba Recipe

You know, there are many types of popping boba recipes you can try out. It includes black tea-based boba and green-based bobas, as well as fruit-flavoured bobas using mango, strawberry, lychee, etc., which are great with popping boba. Here is a simple popping boba recipe – Mango Popping Boba.

Ingredients

Main Mix

Mango – 1 cup (chopped)
Water – 1/2 cup
Sodium Alginate – 1 teaspoon

For Calcium Lactate Water Base

Cold Water – 500 ml
Calcium Lactate – 2 tsp

For Assembling

Ice Cubes – 1/2 cup
Mango Milk – 1 cup
Milk with added sugar

Step-by-Step Process

Using a blender, combine chopped mango, water, and Meron Sodium Alginate.
Refrigerate the mixture for 3 hours in a bowl to remove bubbles.
Blend cold water with Meron Calcium Lactate.
Take the mango solution from the refrigerator and drop it into the Calcium Lactate solution using a syringe or dropper.
Let the boba pearls set for 2 minutes, then strain and rinse with cold water.
Serve the mango popping boba with ice cubes, mango milk, and plain milk.

Making boba and popping boba at home is not just fun; it’s budget-friendly and customisable according to your preference and also allows you to experiment with recipes.

With Meron Tapioca Starch, you will get the perfect boba structure, while Meron Calcium Lactate Powder ensures smooth spherification.

If you are interested in making your boba, then enjoy café-style bubble tea in the comfort of your home.