Matcha Boba Tea (Green Milk Tea)

This summery matcha boba (milk green tea) tea is sweet, rich and earthy, packed with antioxidants, can be enjoyed warm or over ice, and is much cheaper and healthier to make at home!

Bubble tea (boba tea, pearl milk tea, and tapioca milk tea) is a popular beverage that combines traditionally warm or chilled milk tea – most traditionally black tea – with chewy tapioca pearls for an extremely filling beverage. This time we’re making sweet, creamy, slightly earthy, invigorating matcha boba tea (milk green tea!).

Making non-dairy milk tea at home is not only cheaper but also healthier. It’s free of preservatives and additives, you can control the amount of sugar and fat, and – unlike many tea shops that use a “matcha blend” – this version uses 100% matcha powder, meaning 100% of the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory brain -increasing benefits.

Best of all, this non-dairy matcha milk tea is really easy to make. Simply boil the boba, brew the tea, and add all the ingredients to a tall glass. This is an easy and delicious way to satisfy your bubble tea cravings, chilled or warm, all year round. You could also enjoy chocolate milk tea and strawberry milk tea.

The ingredients

• Green tea: It all depends on the quality of the matcha green tea powder. We recommend using ceremonial or premium grade matcha, which has better color, flavor and more antioxidants. Avoid culinary-grade matcha whenever possible.

Look for matcha powder that is lighter/lighter in color over powders that are dark, cloudy and/or tan.

• Water: For making the matcha base.
• Tapioca Pearls: Use regular or quick-cooking brown or white tapioca balls. Adjust the amount to ½ to 1 cup per serving.
• plant milk: Any will work. For example, coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, etc. (the latter two being the creamiest). For an even creamier version, use vegan milk foam.
• Sweetener: Use your favorite sweetener. That is, agave, maple syrup, coconut sugar, regular sugar, or a sugar alternative (like Swerve/erythritol). Adjust according to taste.
• Ice: Optional. Use matcha ice cubes to avoid watering down the bubble tea.

What else could I add to green milk tea?

• vanilla extract: For the best flavor, use natural vanilla.
• Strawberry Matcha Boba: Make an easy strawberry puree by combining ⅓-½ cup of strawberries with a little sweetener. Leave to macerate for 10-15 minutes, then lightly crush the berries. Pour over the boba layer.
• Vegan jelly: There are several popular jellies to add to boba. Coconut or mango jelly work well for matcha bubble tea.
• Brown Sugar Boba: Make a quick brown sugar syrup by combining 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar and boiling water and stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Mix this with the boba at the bottom of the jar and let it soak for 10-15 minutes.
• Whipped Vegan Coconut Cream: To garnish the matcha boba tea when serving.
• Red beans: A sweet red bean topping (canned or homemade) goes well with matcha.

How do you make matcha boba tea?

• 1) First, cook the tapioca pearls according to package directions.
• 2) Meanwhile, bring the water just below boiling point and then let it cool for 2-3 minutes.

The The ideal temperature is 80 °C. If the water is too hot, it can make the matcha bitter.

• 3) Then, in a small bowl, whisk together the matcha powder (using a matcha whisk!) and water for about a minute until fully dissolved. Then set the mixture aside to cool.

You can Mix the sweetener directly into this or Pour it straight into the glass later.

• 4) To prepare the matcha boba tea, place the cooked tapioca pearls in a tall glass along with the sweetener (if you didn’t add it to the matcha). Then add the plant-based milk, then slowly pour in the matcha for a beautiful, layered green milk tea.

To enjoy the green tea milk tea cold, you can optionally Put ice in the glass first. For a warm version, First, heat the plant milk. Serve with a long spoon or a wide bubble tea straw and enjoy!

FAQs

Top recipe tips and hints

• Use warm water: Boiling water can burn the matcha and make it bitter. 80°C/175°F is the ideal temperature.
• Whisk matcha thoroughly: It should be thick, frothy and free of lumps.
• Sweeten to taste: In fact, you can adjust the ratios of each element in this matcha boba tea.
• Cooking boba fresh: It must be consumed within 3-4 hours before it becomes tough/chewy.
• Enjoy warm, chilled or on ice: Enjoy neat or with ice for a refreshing, colder twist. To enjoy it warm, heat the plant milk.

More fun vegan drinks

Or browse our entire collection of budget friendly vegan drink recipes!

Photos by Alfonso Revilla