Elevate your dessert game with these Handmade Sweet Potato Balls and Matcha Balls, a vibrant and nutritious alternative to traditional tapioca Boba. While the world is obsessed with brown sugar pearls, these authentic Taiwanese treats offer a more sophisticated ‘QQ’ (bouncy and chewy) texture with the added depth of real, earthy flavors. Made from fresh mashed sweet potatoes and premium matcha powder, these colorful balls are naturally gluten-free and contain no artificial preservatives or dyes. Whether you serve them in a warm ginger syrup, atop a bowl of shaved ice, or as a healthy Boba alternative in your favorite milk tea, these chewy delights provide a superior, farm-to-table experience. Simple to prepare and incredibly satisfying to eat, this recipe is a must-try for anyone looking to explore the authentic soul of Taiwanese dessert culture.
Taiwanese Sweet Soup (Sweet Potato Balls & Matcha Balls)
Equipment
- Hand Mixer
- Pot
- steamer or instant pot
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Balls
- 100 g sweet potato
- 180 g tapioca starch
- 30 g sugar
Matcha Balls
- 10 g matcha powder
- 80 g tapioca starch
- 40 g white sugar
- 30 g potato starch
- 100 ml water
Syrup
- 100 g golden sugar
- 500 ml water
Instructions
Make sweet potato ball
- We make sweet potato balls first. Peel and cube sweet potato on the plate. Steam sweet potato for 10 min until soft. (Note: You can cook sweet potatoes in a food steamer or instant pot.)
- Put the hot sweet potato into a mixing bowl. Add tapioca starch and sugar into the mixing bowl and mix with a hand mixer until form a soft dough.(Note: Some of the sweet potatoes are watery or dry. You can add more tapioca starch or a little water depends on different sweet potatoes varieties.)
- Roll the dough into a thick strip and dice into pieces. Place aside.
Make matcha ball
- Add the tapioca starch, potato starch, and matcha powder into a mixing bowl. Mix well and place aside.
- Add white sugar and water into a pot on medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat.
- Pour the hot syrup into the mixing powders and stir with rolling ping until form a soft dough.
- Again, roll the matcha dough into a thick strip and dice into pieces. Place aside.
Taiwanese sweet soup
- Now, we are making syrup. Add golden sugar and water in a pot on medium heat until boiling. Remove from the heat.
- Cook the sweet potato balls and matcha balls in boiled water for 3~5 minutes on medium heat until they float to the top. Then drain the balls.
- Place the balls into a bowl and add syrup.
- Serve Taiwanese Sweet Soup. Finish and enjoy
Cooking & Storage Tips
- After rolling the pearls, toss them in a light dusting of extra tapioca starch. This prevents them from sticking together before they hit the boiling water.
- Once the pearls float to the surface, let them simmer for another 2-3 minutes, then immediately transfer them into a cold water bath. This ‘thermal shock’ is the secret to achieving that professional, extra-bouncy texture.
- Best served immediately after cooking. Balls can be stored in the fridge (uncooked) for 1 day. Once cooked, store in syrup for up to 6 hours to maintain texture.
Tools & equipment you may need
Pots and Pans
Hand Mixers
Steamer
Tapioca Starch
Last Updated on 2026-04-27