Instant Pot Tapioca Pudding is absolutely magical and this naturally sweetened Coconut Mango flavor is gonna fill your kitchen with sunshine and rainbows! If you're craving a treat and you want it healthy, this is for you!
I adore mangos. If I had to pick a favorite fruit, mangos would be it.
Creamy, juicy, mostly sweet, just a touch tart – it's undeniably the most perfect fruit there could ever be.
One painfully hot summer day, I was seriously in the mood for a cold, refreshing, healthy treat. I had recently received my Farmbox delivery (a delivery service that delivers fresh organic fruits and vegetables right to your doorstep) and there on my cupboard sat the biggest mango I've ever seen. This world-record sized mango turned into 20 different recipe ideas in my head, all of which were more time consuming and labor-intensive than I felt I could do amidst the life-sucking heat of summer.
So, I went to the pantry to see what I could find and low and behold, an expired box of tapioca pearls.
Never has anyone been so happy to discover expired food in their pantry as I was that day, because I had an idea, and I knew it was gonna be good!
Tapioca + Coconut + Banana + Giant Mango = the ultimate tropical vacation summer treat!
Move aside sugar diabetes popsicles, there's a new girl in town and she's here to smash your artificially flavored fame into the ground!
Ummm . . . perhaps that was a little strong? Care to guess my opinion of rainbow-colored ice pops?
Moving along.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE INSTANT POT TAPIOCA PUDDING
- EASIER: It is a bazillion times easier than stovetop tapioca! To be honest, I've never cooked tapioca on the stovetop, mostly because the directions to “soak tapioca overnight” “double boiler blah blah blah” “beat egg whites until stiff” etc seemed like way more effort than I was willing to give to a pudding. With a pressure cooker, there is no soaking, just dump it in the pot, pressure cook, whisk for a minute, eat (or chill, then eat). Seriously, it's that much easier!
- TEXTURE: Perfectly soft and chewy tapioca is an absolute party to eat! First my kids were scared, then confused, then cheering with complete delight. Until, that is, my daughter told my boys that tapioca was fish eggs, to which I had to explain, no, that's caviar, and this is not fish eggs. Too late, the boys were grossed out and couldn't finish their dessert. Ugh.
- NO ADDED SUGAR: Mangos and bananas take on the job of naturally sweetening this dessert which means the pudding contains 0 grams of added sugar. Yay! When sugar-free desserts work out, it just makes me so darn happy!
- FEEL GOOD TREAT: So light, cold, and refreshing – this is the kind of dessert that leaves you feeling really good.
HOW TO MAKE TAPIOCA PUDDING IN THE PRESSURE COOKER
- Add the tapioca pearls, coconut milk, and water to the pot and pressure cook
- Add the remaining ingredients to a blender
- Blend until very smooth
- When tapioca is done, pour banana/mango mixture into the pot and whisk until it thickens
- Pour into a bowl
- Refrigerate until it is thoroughly chilled and thick
SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR DETAILED COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST TAPIOCA PUDDING
- USE SMALL PEARL TAPIOCA: Do not use large or Minute pearls. I've only used the Reese brand, so I can't say I know if other brands will work with this recipe.
- PREVENT THE BURN SIGNAL: Pressure cooker tapioca has the tendency to burn to the bottom of the pot. For this reason, I use LITE coconut milk (which isn't as thick) and HOT water to cook the tapioca. Knock on wood, I haven't had a single problem with it burning on the bottom using this trick.
- RIPE FRUIT: Use VERY ripe bananas and mangos. Since they are responsible for the sweetness level of the pudding, you want them at their sweetest state.
- PREVENT BROWNING: To keep the pudding a more vibrant orange color, blend the banana/mango mixture right before it's time to stir it into the tapioca pearls. If the mango/banana mixture sits for very long, the bananas start to brown. It still tastes yummy, but the color isn't quite as pretty.
- WHISK WHISK WHISK: When you add the banana/mango mixture, DO NOT STOP WHISKING! Tapioca is very starchy and if you stop for even 10 seconds, it will stick to the bottom of the pot and you will not be happy with me. If you make this mistake, you might want to refer to this post on How to Clean a Burnt Pressure Cooker Pot. Once you're done whisking, immediately take the pot out and set it on a cooling rack.
- CHILL: Chill it completely. I know some people like to eat tapioca pudding warm, but this version is quite loose when it's warm. Once it's thoroughly chilled, it is the perfect creamy texture and the tropical flavors really pop.
- MAKE IT SWEETER: Make it sweeter – If you'd like a more traditionally sweet tapioca pudding, blend 1/4-1/3 cup of sugar into the mango/banana mixture. Honey and maple syrup will also work, but your final product will be a bit loose due to the extra liquid.
- TOPPINGS: I love contrasting flavors and textures and the addition of cream, crunchy coconut flakes, and fresh fruit is a must for this pudding.
- MAKE IT BRIGHTER: Kind of a random discovery, but a splash of fresh squeezed lemon, lime, or orange juice over the top of your bowl of pudding is an unexpectedly tart and delicious addition.
HOW TO STORE AND FREEZE TAPIOCA PUDDING
- Store: Leftover pudding can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for 3 days. Be aware that the color may become less vibrant because of the bananas.
- Freeze: Pudding can be frozen, but in my opinion doesn't taste as great once it is thawed. Instead, pour leftovers into a popsicle mold and make tapioca pudding popsicles!
MAKE AHEAD TIPS FOR TAPIOCA PUDDING
This pudding tastes best when chilled completely so plan on making it 6-24 hours before you need to serve it. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding to prevent it from creating a skin.
WHAT TO SERVE WITH TAPIOCA PUDDING
I'm imagining a full bar of topping choices!
- Shredded Coconut: I like Dang Coconut Chips, but shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened) or toasted coconut is also delicious.
- Whipped Cream: This is a must for tapioca pudding in my opinion!
- Fresh Fruit: Fresh diced mango is a no-brainer, but raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries are also a perfect combo.
VARIATIONS OF TAPIOCA PUDDING
Extra TIDBITS
TYPES OF MANGOS
For this recipe, I use either Ataulfo mangos (also called Honey or Champagne mango) or the more multi-season Atkins Mango. I prefer the smaller, sweeter, orange skinned Honey mango for it's creamy smooth texture. Atkins mangos are larger, have green/red/orange skin, and are a bit more tart and fibrous. Both will work for this recipe, just keep in mind that the Honey mango will bring more natural sweetness to the pudding.
HOW TO PICK OUT A MANGO
Mangos are crunchy and tart when they aren't ripe. Honey mangos are ripe when the skin turns completely yellow, the fruit is soft when lightly squeezed, and the skin appears slightly wrinkled. Atkins mangos color won't change as much as it ripens, but the fruit will be soft when squeezed.
Store ripe mangoes in the fridge and enjoy within a week.
HOW TO CUT A MANGO
Mangos have a large pit in the very center. The best way to cut a mango is to stand it on the bottom end and use a sharp knife to cut off the “cheeks” of the mango. I do this by first finding the pit with my knife, then moving it over until it cuts into the soft mango flesh. Once you have the two cheeks of the mango, use a spoon to scoop the flesh from the skin, and cut it to your desired shape and size. Here is a good video to demo how this is done.
I'm on a mission to convince my kids that fresh, sweet fruit can play a starring role in the dessert world. I consider fruit to be a loving gift from the heavens and I absolutely adore finding as many creative ways as possible to incorporate it into every meal.
Now go put your flip flops on and a brightly colored kimono, put your feet up, and dive into this blissful coconut mango treat. For a long luxurious moment, all will be right in the world, and you deserve every second of it.
Food is the best way to take a cheap vacation and one spoonful of this will have you feelin' the tropical wind blowing through your hair. No sunburns, no long airplane rides, just creamy, sweet spoonfuls of the tropic.
Enjoy!
MORE INSTANT POT HEALTHY DESSERT RECIPES
- Instant Pot Chocolate Zucchini Muffin Cake
- Healthy Instant Pot Peanut Butter Cups
- Instant Pot Hasselback Apples
- Instant Pot Healthy Cookie Dough Dip
TOOLS/INGREDIENTS USED TO MAKE INSTANT POT COCONUT TAPIOCA PUDDING
PrintInstant Pot Coconut Mango Tapioca Pudding – Naturally Sweetened!
Naturally sweetened Tropical Tapioca Pudding with Coconut and Mango, made quick and easy in the pressure cooker.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the tapioca
- ¾ cup Reese Small Pearl Tapioca
- 14 oz can lite coconut milk
- 1 cup HOT water
For the banana/mango mixture
- 1 very ripe banana
- 2–3 very ripe mangos – about 2 – 2 ½ cups roughly chopped (see note)
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the whipped cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 – 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional toppings: diced mango, diced banana, toasted coconut or coconut chips
Instructions
- Add tapioca pearls, lite coconut milk, and water to the pressure cooker pot; stir.
- Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position. Cook at high pressure for 6 minutes.
- When cooking is complete, turn off the pressure cooker. Use a natural release for 10 minutes.
- After 5 minutes of natural release, place banana, mangos, egg yolks, vanilla, and salt in a blender and puree until very smooth. IF YOU BLEND THE MIXTURE TOO FAR IN ADVANCE, IT WILL TURN A BROWNISH-ORANGE COLOR – SEE NOTE.
- After the pressure has naturally released for 10 minutes, manually release the remaining pressure.
- Select saute on the pressure cooker pot. While whisking, pour banana mixture into the pot. Continue to whisk as the tapioca simmers for 1 minute. WHISK THE ENTIRE MINUTE – THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO PREVENT BURNING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE POT.
- Immediately remove pot and set on a cooling rack. It will be very loose at this point.
- Pour into a bowl and let it cool for 5 – 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover with a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding.
- Chill completely in the refrigerator, about 4-6 hours or overnight.
- Once chilled it will be perfectly thick and pudding-like.
- Whip heavy cream, vanilla extract, and maple syrup until thick.
- To serve, scoop into serving bowls, top with whipped cream, diced mangos, and coconut flakes.
Notes
- Use Small Pearl Tapioca NOT Minute Tapioca. I tested the recipe with Reese Small Pearl Tapioca
- This tapioca is sweetened naturally only with fruit. For a more traditional sweet version, add ¼ – ⅓ cup of sugar to the blender with the bananas and mangos.
- The tapioca has the best taste and consistency when completely chilled.
- When they are in season, I prefer to use Ataulfo mangos (also called Honey or Champagne). Since they are smaller, I use 3 for this recipe. The mango variety most commonly found year round at grocery stores are larger so I use 2. Whatever variety you are using, make sure they are VERY ripe and sweet.
- If you want the tapioca to be an appealing orange color, wait until the tapioca is in the “natural pressure release” step to puree the mango/banana mixture. If the mixture sits more than 5 minutes, it starts to brown. The tapioca will still taste delicious, it just won’t be as pretty.
Keywords: instant pot dessert, tapioca, healthy dessert
I burned that tapioca 2x’s
Did exactly like you wrote it.
You sure you cook it on high.
Have Duo Evo Plus 6 qt.
Marg, that makes me so sad! I tested this one so many times to prevent that, darn it! Did you start with hot water?
Well, now, that looks perfectly amazing and a must make for Sunday dinner with the grandgirls-who adore mangos! Thank you!
★★★★★
Karen, it reminds me of summer, the cream really makes it! Let me know what they think!