Coconut Tapioca Pudding topped with mango chunks and a touch of maple syrup, a creamy and incredibly refreshing dessert that is vegan friendly and wonderfully delicious. It's so easy to make with only 6 ingredients, and it's a firm family-favourite pudding recipe with us.
A delighful variation of an old-fashioned dessert, this vegan tapioca pudding is made with creamy tinned coconut milk for a rich and creamy touch, then sweetened with sugar and maple syrup to make it lush and indulgent.
Cooking it with coconut milk instead of regular milk or cream doesn't make it any less creamy. Plus, there are no raw eggs used, which I never like to used in desserts anyway.
I absolutely love the combo coconut and mango, it's refreshing and delicious ( I used this combo in my Mango Chia Seed Pudding with Coconut Milk), but you can also serve this tapioca pudding with any other fresh fruit of your choice, or even jam or compote.
I must admit that it's the very first time I have ever tried tapioca pudding, it's not something that I grew up with. My childhood puddings were semolina pudding and rice pudding, but this tapioca pudding is such a revelation!
To say that I love it, it's an understatement! It will definitely make its way to our table pretty often, given that we all loved it. I can see this being such a treat on a hot summer's day, cold straight from the fridge, and utterly delicious!
Tapioca pearls can be found in the international aisle in large supermarkets, and are pretty inexpensive. Cooked right, they are such a treat! Do give this a go!
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Note!
Go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and detailed instructions!
Ingredients used
- tapioca pearls - I used small pearls for this recipe, the larger ones will need a longer cooking time
- coconut milk - use tinned full-fat coconut milk for a creamy texture, the light coconut milk won't give the same level of richness and creaminess
- granulated sugar - or caster sugar, you can replace it with the sweetener of your choice too
- vanilla pot - it works really well with the coconut, you can also use vanilla extract, although for this particular recipe I prefer the suble flavour of the vanilla pod
- maple syurp - for topping the pudding, it's so good! Honey, agave nectar or any other syrup can be used too
- mango chunks - definitely a winning combination, it adds freshness and extra sweetness
Why the recipe works
- it's naturally gluten free, which makes it ideal for people who are gluten intolerant or who prefer to eliminate gluten from their diet
- it's vegan friendly, which caters for people with various allergies too
- super easy to make: just a few steps and you have pudding ready!
- it's so delicious!
Step-by-step photos and instructions
- pour the coconut milk into a large pan and add the tapioca pearls
- mix well, then allow the pearls to soak up for 40-45 minutes
- set the pan over a medium heat, add the sugar and scrape the vanilla seeds off the vanilla pod
- mix everything well, and leave the mixture to simmer for 15-20 minutes until the tapioca pearls become translucent, and the mixture resembles a soft porridge
- remove it from the heat, remove the vanilla pod, and transfer it to serving bowls
- leave it to cool down completely, then top with mango chunks and drizzle over maple syrup
Expert tips
It might look like the ratio tapioca pearls to coconut milk is not right, and you might be tempted to add more tapioca, but that's not necessary, it's the right amount.
Too many tapioca pearls, and you will end up with a rock-hard pudding. Also, the tapioca pudding has to be removed from the heat while it's sloppy - as it cools down, it will set well and become thicker.
If the pudding is cooked for too long, the end result will be a tough and chewy pudding, rather than a melt-in-your-mouth dessert that is light and creamy.
I highly recommend using tinned coconut milk rather than the drinking coconut milk that comes in cartons. That one does not have the right consistency to make a creamy pudding.
If the tinned coconut milk has the cream separated from the rest of the liquid, just whisk it well to make sure it's a nice and creamy texture before adding the pearls to it.
Recipe FAQs
Soaking the tapioca pearls in liquid before cooking reduces the cooking time considerably, and makes the pudding light and creamy.
Tinned coconut milk is the best option for tapioca pudding, it's thick and creamy and adds so much more goodness than the drinking one.
While you can enjoy the tapioca pudding warm, I prefer refrigerating it and consuming it cold, it's refreshing and the flavours really come through a lot better. It's even more delicious served the next day!
Other pudding recipes
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Coconut Tapioca Pudding
Ingredients
- ½ cup tapioca pearls
- 2 tins full-fat coconut milk ( 2X 400 ml or 2 x 13 oz)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 vanilla pod
- 1 mango
Instructions
- Pour the coconut milk into a large pan, and whisk it well to make sure the liquid is creamy.
- Add the tapioca pearls, give it a good stir, and leave it to soak up for 40-45 minutes.
- Place the pan on a medium heat, add the sugar and scrape the vanilla seeds off the vanilla pod.
- Mix everything well, and leave it to simmer, stiring often, until the tapioca pearls are translucent and most of the liquid is absorbed, but the mixture is still sloppy.
- Remove the vanilla pod and divide the pudding between 4 large dessert bowls.
- Top with mango chunks and drizzle over maple syrup.
- Serve warm or cold from the fridge.
Video
Notes
- It might look like the ratio tapioca pearls to coconut milk is not right, and you might be tempted to add more tapioca, but that's not necessary, it's the right amount.
- I highly recommend using tinned coconut milk rather than the drinking coconut milk that comes in cartons. That one does not have the right consistency to make a creamy pudding.
- If the tinned coconut milk has the cream separated from the rest of the liquid, just whisk it well to make sure it's a nice and creamy texture before adding the pearls to it.
Nutrition
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