Tropical Mango Boba Smoothie

This tropical mango boba smoothie is such a treat, you will love it! It includes fresh or frozen mangoes, frozen bananas (or ice cubes), coconut cream (or other plant milk) and the star of this delicious drink, chewy tapioca balls. It is so versatile and easy to make at home!

We are now almost into May and I am starting to feel the warm sunny weather coming along!

And with the sunshine comes all the fresh fruit and yummy refreshing drinks! I have a ton of chilled fruity drinks featured on the blog, we are obsessed with them (especially this mango cucumber smoothie!), and this new tropical mango boba smoothie sounds like the perfect addition to our collection.

Once I decided to test out the combo smoothie + boba, then it seemed obvious to go for a base made of mango smoothie, we just cannot get enough of fresh mangoes! 

Mango is a fun fruit to get creative with and to make all sorts of sweet recipes such as popsicle mango or mango coulis to drizzle over dessert or layer in overnight oats. But my favorite way to use mango is to make drinks! If you are curious about turning mangoes into healthy concoctions, then these mango mocktail and mango water are good places to start!

And here, combining a sweet, rich and creamy mango smoothie with chewy tapioca pearls was an absolute treat! It is like an upgraded fruit smoothie: you still get all the nutrients (such as vitamins and fiber) from the healthy mango smoothie, but the sweet tapioca balls make the drink even more fun! 

This bubble tea smoothie also is pretty easy to make and apart from having to get the tapioca pearls, then this recipe only requires a few simple ingredients. It combines fresh (or frozen) mangoes with coconut cream (or plant milk) and frozen bananas, although I'll be sharing a few swaps if you don't want to use them.

Hope you give it a try! ❤️

What is boba?

Boba is also called bubble tea or milk tea and refers to a drink from Taiwan (first created in the 80's) that is now a popular drink all over the world. Boba can be found in all sorts of flavors and in many coffee shops and bubble tea shops, especially in larger cities.

Boba usually combines tea, some milk and its signature ingredient, chewy tapioca pearls. Then comes a wide variety of flavoring ingredients that can include fruits, chocolate, spices and much more.

Tapioca pearls (or boba balls) are made of cassava root (tapioca starch) and have a very distinctive chewy texture and sweet flavor. They give more texture and character to drinks and simply make them more fun!

Why you should try this recipe

• Easy and quick: the smoothie takes 5 minutes to make and the tapioca pearls can be prepared in under 10 minutes.
• Perfect for breakfast, but also makes for a delicious snack for the spring and the summer.
• Very filling drink! 
• Amazing hot summer day adult drink, but also very much kid-friendly
• Great balance of sweet vs tart flavors
• Nutrient-packed and especially rich in vitamin C and fiber
• Naturally vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free.

What you will need

(more details down below in the recipe card)

• Ripe mangoes: you can use frozen or fresh mangoes to make this recipe. If you want to use fresh mangoes, then the result will be less cold or frosty, and if using frozen mangoes, then you might have to add more liquid to compensate for the thicker texture, but both work! I used 2 small Ataulfo mangoes (fresh). Make sure they are perfectly ripe and sweet!
• Coconut cream: this is what gives the smoothie such a delicious tropical flavor. You will need a small can of coconut cream for the drink, they are easy to find in the Asian aisle right beside the cans of coconut milk. You can swap for coconut milk or regular non-dairy milk, if you prefer.
• Frozen bananas: I like adding frozen bananas to smoothies for the super creamy and rich consistency it gives to the drink. Also, in that case, I used fresh mangoes, so the frozen banana helps make the drink colder. If you don't have them, then simply add some ice cubes or other frozen fruit.
• Chewy boba pearls: I used the black tapioca pearls found at my local Asian grocery store. If there are no Asian stores close to you, then you can also easily buy boba pearls online. Make sure they are bubble tea tapioca balls that are quick-cooking or instant.

How to make mango boba smoothie

(full recipe down below in the recipe card)

Prepare the boba

Bring a small pot of water to a boil (about 3 cups of water), then add the boba pearls. Let them simmer for 5-10 minutes (depending on how chewy vs soft you like them). You can taste them to check on texture. 

Once done simmering, then turn the heat off and let the pearls sit in the hot water for about 3-5 minutes, then drain (or use a slotted spoon to transfer).

Transfer into a small bowl and add a little brown sugar or maple syrup (1-2 tablespoons), then stir. Set aside.

Blend

While the boba is simmering, then add the mango chunks, frozen banana and coconut cream to a blender and blend on high until smooth.

If you want your smoothie to be colder (such as if using fresh mangoes), then you can also add a handful of ice cubes. If using frozen mangoes, then you might have to add a little extra plant-based milk to help blend to smooth.

Assemble and serve

Transfer the boba pearls to 2 glasses and then pour the smoothie over. Garnish with more fruit and shredded coconut if desired and serve your boba drink right away with a wide boba straw.

Helpful tips

• For a lower-in-fat drink, then simply swap the coconut cream for regular plant-based milk, such as soy milk or oat milk.
• This recipe makes enough for 2 small or 1 large smoothie. As seen in the pictures and video, I served mine all in one glass, but shared it with my daughter, which was a fun sharable treat!
• Try to keep some small pieces of mango aside to garnish your drink when serving.
• You will need a wide straw especially made for bubble tea to serve this drink. Regular straws are too narrow for the boba pearls to go through them. If you don't have a boba straw, then you can use a regular straw to drink the smoothie part and use a spoon to scoop up the tapioca balls.
• Read the boba pearl package instructions for proper cooking. Some might need longer cooking time. I recommend using quick-cooking balls.

Serving suggestions and variations

This is such an easy recipe to tweak as you wish. Here are a few variations that would be lovely:

• Fruit: you can add other fruits for a mix of flavors, such as strawberries, blueberries, peach, pineapple and kiwi. Frozen passion fruit would also add more flavor and make the smoothie even more tropical-ish!
• Zesty: add a squeeze of lime juice or lemon juice to brighten up the flavor, which would be perfect if your mangoes are super sweet.
• Sweet: depending on how sweet your mangoes are, you might need to add a little maple syrup to the blender.
• Plant milk: as mentioned above, I like coconut cream or coconut milk in this recipe to give it a tropical flavor. But, any plant-based milk would be ok, which is a swap you can consider if trying to keep this drink lower in calories and fat. You can also try coconut water or orange juice for a nice twist.
• Matcha: mango + matcha makes for a great pair! Add a teaspoon of matcha powder to the blender to add flavor, nutrients and a little boost of sustainable energy.

FAQs

Is boba smoothie healthy?

Boba pearls aren't considered a healthy food as it is pretty much just carbs without any valuable nutrients. That being said, they add a fun texture to your drink and a more sweet flavor too, which makes your vitamin-packed smoothie more fun and special!

What kind of mango should I use?

I recommend using Ataulfo mangoes if possible: they are sweeter, less fibrous and simply taste better, I think, compared to larger red mangoes. But, you can really use any mangoes that you can find.

Can I store boba for later?

I do not recommend it since the balls tend to significantly change in texture once chilling. If you do have extra, then you can keep them in an airtight container, transfer them to the fridge and when ready to serve, then do a quick boil for 2-3 minutes to make them chewy again.

Do I need a high-speed blender?

No, you should be able to make this recipe using a regular blender. Simply blend for long enough to create a smooth texture!

Check out these other bubble tea recipes!

• Earl grey milk tea
• Honeydew bubble tea
• Strawberry bubble tea
• Hot bubble milk tea
• Chocolate bubble milk tea

More mango recipes to try

• Mango cherry smoothie
• Mango corn salsa
• Chocolate mango smoothie
• Mango matcha latte
• Watermelon mango smoothie
• Roasted mango habanero salsa
• Cucumber, mango and edamame salad

I hope you like this mango boba smoothie as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!

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