I’m bringing tapioca pudding back.
I would argue it kind of already has made a comeback, but no one knows it. Cassava flour is crazy trendy right now, and cassava and tapioca both come from dried yucca. Now ya know!
When I was growing up, tapioca pudding was my favorite. I might have been a weird kid. My grandma seemed to always have tapioca pudding in her fridge that I gladly helped myself to. It’s something about those little tapioca pearls!
Michelle Tam of Nom Nom Paleo included recipes for tapioca pudding in her latest cookbook, Ready or Not!, and it totally inspired me. Her version was for a tropical tapioca pudding, which didn’t feel quite right for this time of year, so I stayed true to my relatively basic self and made a pumpkin version.
You might be wondering: where would I possibly get tapioca pearls? I am a huge fan of Thrive Market and and get tons of my favorite weird natural ingredients (and nearly all of Husband’s work snacks) on here. Yes, there’s a membership fee, but if you’re regularly purchasing natural and organic ingredients or subscribe to a special diet, I highly recommend thinking about it. The tapioca pearls I got from Thrive are Bob’s Red Mill brand.
HEADS UP: make sure you give yourself some time for prep because the tapioca pearls need to soak for a half hour before you cook them.
This tapioca pudding is easy, delicious and makes for a unique fall dessert. Even better: it’s a pretty light calorie load!
You can also view this recipe as a step-by-step web story here.
Get the Recipe:
Pumpkin Tapioca Pudding
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup tapioca pearls
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups pureed pumpkin, fresh or canned
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 eggs, yolks and whites separated
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- Whipped cream and dried cranberries for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Add the tapioca pearls and water to a medium-sized saucepan. Let soak for 30 minutes. Do not drain.
- Add the pumpkin, whipping cream, and lightly beaten egg yolks to the tapioca pearls. Turn heat to medium-low. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring frequently.
- While the mixture is cooking, whip egg whites until peaks form.
- Remove pudding from heat. Add about a half cup of the cooked tapioca mixture to the whipped egg whites and gently fold to temper it. Fold the egg white mixture into the pudding until completely incorporated.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice. Taste and add more spice if desired.
- Let cool for 15 minutes, then serve or refrigerate. Can be eaten warm or cold.
- Serve with whipped cream and dried cranberries on top if desired.
Hi Chelsea from Octavia – question: could I swap out the heavy cream for same amount of coconut cream ? What do you think?
I think that would be fine!