Use your Instant Pot to make Iced Boba Tea the easy way! Learning how to make Bubble Tea isn't difficult, and you're going to love having it at home.
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What is Boba?
Boba is a little sphere of sugary goodness made from tapioca pearls. It's usually used to add flavor and texture to drinks like teas and coffees.
What is Bubble Tea?
Boba Tea is simply tea that's been filled with cooked, sugary tapioca pearls. They add great flavor and texture to a drink, and make ordinary tea magical!
How Do You Make Bubble Tea in the Instant Pot?
- Place the boba pearls, water and sugar in the inner liner of your Instant Pot. It is important to use sugar in this recipe, as the boba need to rest in a sugar syrup in order to stay chewy and pliable.
- Cook at high pressure for 2 minutes. Allow the pot to sit undisturbed for 5 minutes, and then release all remaining pressure.
- When you open the lid, you will see some mighty big boba floating around. These will settle down to a much more manageable size as they cool. Do not refrigerate the boba. Allow them to cool in the liner, or pour them out into a mason jar and let them cool, about 15-20 minutes.
- The boba can be kept in the refrigerator in this sugar syrup for a few hours, but they really don't store very well. Which is a great excuse for eating them all up actually, so that works out.
- Meanwhile, mix together the tea, sugar, milk and ice cubes and shake to chill the tea.
- Divide the boba amongst four glasses, cover with tea and serve.
Where Can You Buy Boba Pearls?
You can normally find the large boba or tapioca pearls at Asian Food Markets, or when in doubt, do what I do and shop on Amazon for boba pearls.
Instant Tapioca Pearls
These were the boba pearls that I bought. It saves me an unnecessary trip, and I know they will have them in stock and be on my doorstep in 2 days.
How Long Can You Store Instant Pot Bubble Tea?
- Storing. Boba doesn't store all that well. You can increase their lifespan a little by storing them in the sugar syrup, and then draining the syrup afterward. But the best thing to do is to only make enough for one day.
- Refrigerating. The other thing I found out the hard way is that they don't refrigerate all that well. They get a little weird and chewy--and not in a good way.
- Single Batches. What works for me is to just make enough for one day and given how fast it is to make Instant Pot Boba tea, it's not a hardship to make it again. And again.
Tips and Tricks for Making Instant Pot Bubble Tea
- Refrigerating. Don't cool them after cooking in the refrigerator, or store them there. The texture gets weird and chewy.
- Amazon. Find Boba Pearls on Amazon for the easiest method of purchasing.
- Sugar. Don't skip the sugar in this recipe, as the boba pearls need the sugary syrup to stay at the right consistency.
- Alternative. You can use coconut milk with vanilla or pandan as your base liquid for the pearls rather than tea.
- Use A Straw. Forget trying to enjoy boba with a traditional straw. Use one of these Boba Straws for a fun and convenient experience.
- Correct Boba. Make sure you are using instant Boba or tapioca pearls.
Want Some More Awesome Drinks You Can Make In Your Instant Pot?
- Instant Pot Masala Chai - SO good when you make it in the pressure cooker!
- Instant Pot Iced Tea - I PROMISE you'll never make it another way once you have it in the Instant Pot!
- Lemongrass Tea - one of my all-time favorites!
- Instant Pot Horchata - sweet cinnamon milk that I can never get enough of!
- Hibiscus Tea - this is my favorite kind of iced tea!
Now that you know how to make Bubble Tea at home, you can have it any time you feel like having Boba Tea! Save this recipe by pinning it on Pinterest or sharing it on Facebook!
★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below! Just click on the stars in the recipe card to rate. Don't forget to pin this recipe for later!
Equipment
Ingredients
FOR THE BOBA
- 1 cup (152 g) large Instant Boba or Tapioca Pearls
- 2 cups (375 g) Water
- 1/4 cup (50 g) Sugar Or Other Sweetener Equivalent
FOR THE TEA
- 4 cups (944 g) strong brewed tea
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) Sugar Or Other Sweetener Equivalent
- 1/2 cup (122 g) Whole Milk
- 1 cup (14 g) ice cubes
Instructions
- Place the boba pearls, water and sugar in the inner liner of your Instant Pot. It is important to use sugar in this recipe, as the boba need to rest in a sugar syrup in order to stay chewy and pliable.
- Cook at high pressure for 2 minutes. Allow the pot to sit undisturbed for 5 minutes, and then release all remaining pressure.
- When you open the lid, you will see some mighty big boba floating around. These will settle down to a much more manageable size as they cool. Do not refrigerate the boba. Allow them to cool in the liner, or pour them out into a mason jar and let them cool, about 15-20 minutes.
- The boba can be kept in the refrigerator in this sugar syrup for a few hours, but the really don't store very well. Which is a great excuse for eating them all up actually, so that works out.
- Meanwhile, mix together the tea, sugar, milk and ice cubes and shake to chill the tea.
- Divide the boba amongst four glasses, cover with tea and serve.
Tips and Tricks for Making Instant Pot Bubble Tea
- Refrigerating. Don't cool them after cooking in the refrigerator, or store them there. The texture gets weird and chewy.
- Amazon. Find Boba Pearls on Amazon for the easiest method of purchasing.
- Sugar. Don't skip the sugar in this recipe, as the boba pearls need the sugary syrup to stay at the right consistency.
- Alternative. You can use coconut milk with vanilla or pandan as your base liquid for the pearls rather than tea.
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Nutrition
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Indian Instant Pot, Keto Instant Pot, Instant Pot Fast and Easy, Healthy Instant Pot & Vegetarian Instant Pot.
Eve
I usually always read the comments but did not today. Lesson learned. Complete waste of pearls. I am not familiar with these pearls so wouldn’t have known that there were different kinds.