Has everyone jumped on the boba trend yet? (Or is the boba trend on it’s way out..? I can never be sure..)
Since moving to California I’ve been educated on numerous Asian trends, and boba is certainly one of my favorites. I did have boba in college, but back in Michigan (which is basically the East Coast when you live in California), it’s referred to as bubble tea.
If you happen to have never heard of boba before, it’s a type of drink that originated in Taiwan and can be anything from a milky tea drink to a fruit smoothie. The common denominator between the drinks is the tapioca “boba” which are round, gummy, and occasionally fruit flavored spheres that you suck up with a wide-bore straw and which create a very interesting textural drinking experience.
Taro milk tea boba with black tapioca has always been my standard drink of choice, but the fruitier teas are always welcome and the popping boba are always an interesting and fun taste adventure.
So up until very recently I hadn’t really tried the smoothie variety of boba. Or sweetened blended fruity ice drink. Whatever you want to call it.
But I needed to figure out something to do with all the beautiful Ataulfo Mangoes I so recently purchased. And I have a friend who has been begging me for a recipe for a Mango Smoothie with Boba, so in this week, all the stars aligned, and I attempted my version of this amazing and refreshing beverage.
I do recommend Ataulfo mangoes for this recipe and here’s why- they tend to be sweeter, slipperier, and less fibrous than the standard mangoes you find at so many American grocery stores. This make it a heck of a lot easier to make a smoothie more delicious and flavored correctly. But if you can’t find this type of mango, I suppose I will grant permission for you to use another variety. (At your own peril!)
This recipe is incredibly easy and just includes mango, ice, and condensed milk as the sweetener.
Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that if you click through the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps me continue to provide delicious and free content on The Gourmet Gourmand.
If you are going to do the boba, I’d definitely suggest getting the wide-bore straws that you find at boba restaurants. I found mine at 99 Ranch, an Asian grocery store chain common out here in California. But if you don’t have access to this type of store, you can find the straws over on amazon. The boba pearls are also available here.
Anyway, I’m signing out for the weekend. Another East Coast wedding trip is calling my name. See you when I get back!
Thai Mango Smoothie with Boba
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup uncooked boba will make extra
- 2 Ataulfo Mangoes or about 2 cups of diced mango
- 1 cup crushed ice
- 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
- Wide bore boba straws
Instructions
- Prepare boba per package instructions. The instructions on my package were to bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Then add boba and cook until "plumped." Then cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
To make the smoothies
- Place the mangoes, ice, and condensed milk in a blender. Blend on high until ingredients are completely pureed.
- Add about 1/4 cup of cooked boba into a tall glass. Pour mango smoothie puree over the boba.
- Use a wide straw to drink.
We have bubble tea here but I’ve never tried it. Will have to give it a go sometime. Enjoy your weekend away ?
Thanks Tandy! Hope you have a lovely weekend as well 🙂
Once again, you’ve taught me something new Sarah! At my age it’s easy to be out of the loop! Ha! You’re keeping me current! Looks delicious!! Thanks for sharing!
Ask your son about Bubble Island on South U. in Ann Arbor! I bet he’s been there or at least seen it. They have awesome boba (bubble tea) drinks! 🙂 🙂
What an interesting and beautiful drink. I just love the contrast of colors. Very curious about the texture. I love chia drinks. Is it similar? Will have to give it a try. Enjoy the wedding!
It’s kind of similar, although chia is definitely smaller. It has that same chewy gummy texture though. Hope you give it a shot! 🙂
I’ve always called it bubble tea. It’s interesting how there is regional variation in what it is called.
I know! It took a minute for me to figure out what boba was when we moved from Michigan to California.. I always thought it was only referred to as bubble tea as well 🙂
I’ve definitely had a boba tea or ten before, but never a boba smoothie!! This is genius girlfriend AND absolutely gorgeous! LOVE that you used mango in here! SO GOOD! Cheers!
You would LOVE it!! Thanks Cheyanne 🙂
This mango boba smoothie sounds so incredible! So I have enjoyed boba smoothies for years, but never tried making them at home, totally have to give it a go now, and there’s this awesome international grocery store near me where i know i can pick up all the ingredients at! Gorgeous photos per usual 😉
They are so good!! The boba is surprisingly easy to make at home; I’d definitely recommend 🙂
I have tried bubble tea in my travels, but never at home. I love your smoothie. Mango is my absolute favourite fruit, so much so I freeze great amounts of it to get me through the winter. I will track down the few ingredients and give your recipe a go. Perhaps I will have to turn the heating right up so it feels like summer.