Instant Pot Tapioca Pudding (vegan)

A creamy and delicious plant-based pudding featuring tapioca pearls and a hint of vanilla, made simple in an electric pressure cooker.

Do you enjoy a gelatinous bowl of tapioca pudding goodness?

Have you ever tried making it yourself?

I have made it on the stove and I’ve made it in the microwave oven. Both require some hands-on time – either by constantly stirring or constantly watching it to make sure it doesn’t start flowing like molten lava!!

After successfully making rice pudding in the Instant Pot, I thought I’d experiment with tapioca. And the end result is Instant Pot Tapioca Pudding!

This Instant Pot Tapioca Pudding has a lot of things going for it. First, it’s super easy. Second, it’s mostly hands-off. Third, it is delicious. Fourth, it’s free from a lot of things that typically go into a tasty pudding treat – things like dairy, eggs, gluten, etc. And because it only uses a few ingredients, it is fairly healthy and inexpensive.

But you don’t have to take my word for it. In the United States, there’s a whole day dedicated to it. That’s right, June 28th celebrates National Tapioca Day. And on July 15th, it’s National Tapioca Pudding Day. And no, I’m not pulling your chain…. What better way to celebrate these food holidays than with tapioca pudding made simple in a pressure cooker!?

To make this Instant Pot Tapioca Pudding, you’re going to need a few things. The first is a pressure cooker (or stove) and the second is tapioca.

This Instant Pot recipe allows you to make delicious and gelatinous Tapioca Pudding super easy – whether you are using Minute Tapioca, Instant Tapioca, or Tapioca Pearls. How is this possible? The methods vary slightly between the two options. But otherwise, it’s fairly straight-forward. Simply combine the tapioca option, non-dairy milk, and sugar together in the Instant Pot liner.

I like that this pudding isn’t overly sweet; but if you prefer your desserts on the sweeter side, feel free to increase the sugar. You can also use coconut sugar or date sugar. It will just be more brown in appearance and have a hint of caramel flavor.

Before proceeding, please note the type of tapioca you are using. There a few different versions of tapioca available. One version seems to be more readily available, at least in my area. And this is Minute or Instant Tapioca. It doesn’t require soaking like another version – tapioca pearls do typically require soaking. That’s where the Instant Pot comes in.

Method 1: Instant Tapioca or Minute Tapioca.

You need to activate the Instant Tapioca by first using the “Sauté” function and stirring occasionally for one to two minutes. This will prevent the dreaded “burn” error.  Then press cancel and allow the hot pudding mixture to cool for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  You must be certain that there aren’t any sticky bits on the bottom of the liner before attaching the lid.

Be sure the gasket is correctly positioned and the sealing knob is turned to “sealing”. Set on high pressure for three minutes; then allow the pressure to release naturally. This can take anywhere from ten to twenty minutes, depending on your Instant Pot.

Once the pressure has released completely, remove the lid. Using a wooden or silicon spatula, aggressively stir in the vanilla and salt, if using. Continue to stir the pudding to fully incorporate the tapioca that may be stuck on the bottom. It should only take a minute or so.

You can now pour the pudding into a larger heat-safe bowl or into individual serving cups. You can either enjoy this tapioca immediately or chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. One batch fully fills five small pyrex glass bowls or almost fills six bowls. I fill the bowls based on whether I’m adding fruit or serving plain.

Method 2: Tapioca Pearls.

Now that we’ve covered Minute and Instant Tapioca, we’re going to focus on pearl tapioca. There are a few nuances that you may or may not be familiar with. First, there are small, medium, and large tapioca pearls. If you are using small or medium, you only need to cook the pearls for seven minutes. If you are using large pearls, you need to cook them for ten minutes on High Pressure.

The thing I really like about using an Instant Pot is that you don’t need to soak the pearls. But for this reason, the process is somewhat different than the Instant or Minute Tapioca method. Start by combining the tapioca pearls, non-dairy milk, and sugar together in the Instant Pot liner.

Place the lid on top, ensuring the gasket is correctly positioned and the sealing knob is turned to “sealing”. Set on high pressure for seven (small or medium pearls) or ten minutes (large pearls). Then allow the pressure to release naturally. Depressurization can take anywhere from ten to twenty minutes, depending on your Instant Pot.

Remove the lid, and stir in the vanilla and salt, if using. I typically don’t use any salt, but feel free to add it in if you prefer. Because the pearls initially result in a thinner pudding, pour the warm tapioca pudding into a one-quart serving bowl and allow it to cool in the refrigerator for at least two hours. While it’s chilling in the fridge, the tapioca will continue to soften, expand, and the pudding will thicken.

Before serving, remove the pudding from the refrigerator and give it a nice stir to thoroughly incorporate all that tapioca starch. Don’t worry, the tapioca pearls will remain intact. You can now spoon the tapioca pudding into individual serving dishes and garnish, if desired.

This Instant Pot Tapioca Pudding can be served cold or at room temperature. It can be served plain (as is), with a sprinkling of nutmeg, cinnamon, or topped with fresh fruit and/or non-dairy whipped cream. This dessert pudding thickens a little as it chills and can be made one or two days before you plan on serving it. Store any remaining pudding covered in the refrigerator for three to four days.

If you follow either one of these processes, you will make delicious Instant Pot Tapioca Pudding!

I hope you enjoy this Instant Pot Tapioca Pudding as much as I do.  

I would love to see your results! Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!   Enjoy!!   

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Instant Pot Tapioca Pudding Ingredients

• 4 cups plant milk*
• ½ cup tapioca** (Instant or Minute <- Method 1, or Tapioca Pearls <- Method 2)
• ¼ cup raw organic sugar (or coconut sugar or date sugar)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• pinch of salt (optional)

Method 1 (Instant or Minute Tapioca) Instructions

1. In the Instant Pot insert, stir together the Instant or Minute Tapioca, plant milk, and sugar.

1. Press “Sauté” and stir for 1-2 minutes.  Press cancel. Allow the mixture to rest for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Make sure there are no bits on the bottom of the liner. This ensures you don’t get a “burn” error.
2. Make sure the gasket is seated properly, then lock the lid in place and ensure the sealing knob is turned to “sealing”.
3. Set for 3 minutes on high pressure, then allow the pressure to release naturally.
4. When you remove the lid, stir in the vanilla and salt (if using). Stir aggressively, scraping the bottom of the liner with the spatula, to fully incorporate any tapioca that has settled on the bottom during pressure cooking.

1. You can now either transfer the pudding to a 1-quart serving bowl or 4-6 individual serving bowls.
2. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature.
3. You can serve this tapioca pudding plain, with a sprinkling of nutmeg, cinnamon, or topped with fresh fruit and/or non-dairy whipped cream.
4. Store any remaining pudding covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Method 2 (Tapioca Pearl) Instructions

1. In the Instant Pot insert, stir together the tapioca pearls, plant milk, and sugar.
2. Make sure the gasket is seated properly, then lock the lid in place and ensure the sealing knob is turned to “sealing”.

1. Set for 7 minutes (small or medium pearls) or 10 minutes (large pearls) on high pressure.
2. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
3. Remove the lid and stir in the vanilla and salt (if using).

1. Spoon into a 1-quart serving bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours to allow the pudding to thicken.
2. Once the pudding has cooled, remove from the refrigerator and stir together to fully incorporate the tapioca starch. If desired, spoon the pudding into 4-6 individual serving bowls and cover until ready to serve.
3. Serve tapioca cold or at room temperature plain, with a sprinkling of nutmeg, cinnamon, or topped with fresh fruit and/or non-dairy whipped cream.
4. Store any remaining pudding covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Notes

* I normally use unsweetened almond milk.

** Be sure to follow the directions for the type of tapioca you are using. If using Instant or Minute, you need to activate the tapioca first by using the “Sauté” feature. Make sure there are no bits on the bottom of the liner before attaching the lid. These steps ensure you don’t get a “burn” error.

Variations: there are a couple of fun optional variations you can use, if you’re feeling adventurous. I can’t take credit for them though, since they were on the package of tapioca.  

– To make a fruit-juice flavored tapioca pudding, substitute 2 cups of fruit juice for the plant milk. When serving, spoon complementary fruit over the tapioca.  

– To make chocolate tapioca pudding, fold in ½ cup chocolate chips with the vanilla after releasing pressure.