• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Mains
    • Drinks
    • Snacks
    • Food Tips
    • Sign Up
  • About
    • Food Photography Tips
    • Privacy Policy
  • Work With Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
My Vegan Minimalist
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Collaborate
  • Free Course
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Collaborate
    • Free Course
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Vegan Recipes

    Lychee Bubble Milk Tea - Boba

    Published: Dec 3, 2021 · Modified: Aug 3, 2022 by Tajda Ferko This post may contain affiliate links

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email
    Jump to Recipe

    Refreshing lychee milk tea served with tapioca pearls! So much cheaper than store-bought, ULTRA easy & packed with lychee flavor.

    A side view of a glass of milk tea with black tapioca pearls.

    Hot summer days are so much more pleasant when you drink boba, right?

    After much success with my mango, honeydew, and strawberry milk tea, I'm bringing you another fruity bubble tea I think you'll love!

    This one uses canned lychee to create a fresh tea base you simply HAVE to taste.

    Jump to:
    • 💌 Why I Love This Recipe
    • 🥛 Ingredients
    • 🥄 Equipment
    • ⏲️ Steps
    • 💡 Expert Tips
    • ⚫ Cooking Boba 
    • ❓FAQ
    • 👩‍🍳 Serving
    • 📦 Storing 
    • 🍹More Boba Recipes
    • 🍴Recipe
    • Lychee Bubble Milk Tea - Boba

    💌 Why I Love This Recipe

    • Uses REAL lychee
    • Just 5 ingredients needed
    • Way cheaper than lychee drinks at boba shops
    • A great way to refresh
    • Serve with or without tapioca pearls
    • Super low in sugar

    Don't worry if you've never made your own boba before - I'll walk you through the simple process with step-by-step photos!

    🥛 Ingredients

    You'll need just 5 ingredients for this fresh lychee bubble tea recipe.

    Lychee, sugar, tea, milk & tapioca pearls laid out on a flat surface.

    Ingredient Details

    Milk - Use any milk you want. Oat, almond, and soy are great options. Coconut milk (from a carton - not from a can) works super well.

    Canned lychee - You'll blend the fruit to make a delicious lychee puree and use the leftover lychee syrup too when serving the drink.

    Boba / tapioca balls - Find them in your local Asian supermarkets (Amazon has them too but they're way more expensive online).

    Sugar - I used brown sugar to make a simple syrup. You can replace it with white sugar.

    Tea - Black tea or green tea work best, but you can also use oolong tea, white tea, or fruit tea.

    🥄 Equipment

    • A small pan - for cooking boba pearls
    • A blender or food processor - for making the lychee puree
    • A spoon or scoop
    • 2 large glasses - for serving
    • 2 large straws - optional

    ⏲️ Steps

    Hint - This is just a super quick visual overview! For detailed steps & quantities scroll down to the recipe card.

    A collage of two images showing cooked tapioca pearls in a pan.
    • 1 - In a small pan, cook the tapioca pearls. When cooked, reserve 2 tablespoon of water and drain the rest.
    • 2 - Immediately add sugar and the reserved water. Stir well and set aside.
    A collage of two images showing a mug of tea and canned lychee fruit.
    • 3 - Make tea in a mug. Set it aside to let it cool.
    • 4 - Open a can of lychees (peel & remove pit if needed). Reserve 2 tablespoon of the leftover syrup.
    A collage of two images showing a close-up of a blender and a lychee puree being poured into a glass.
    • 5 - Add lychee to the blender and blend until a smooth puree is formed.
    • 6 - Add ice cubes to a glass. Pour lychee puree & lychee syrup over them.
    A collage of two images showing a tea and milk being poured into a glass.
    • 7 - Then pour tea on top.
    • 8 - Finish off with milk. Stir well & enjoy!

    Serve it with tapioca pearls & more sugar/sweetener if desired.

    💡 Expert Tips

    • Always STIR this drink well before serving.
    • Boba is all about personal preference. Adjust the tea flavor before serving - add more sugar, milk, or tea if desired.
    • You can serve this drink hot too! Simply leave out the ice cubes and serve with piping hot tea & milk.
    • Serve it with or without chewy tapioca pearls!
    • Pour the lychee puree through a fine mesh sieve to avoid any leftover lychee bits (optional).
    • Use loose tea leaves or tea bags - they both work.
    • Boba pearls will usually sink to the bottom of the cup.
    • If you want the pearls to stay on top, fill the glass with plenty of ice cubes and then place the pearls on top.

    Green tip - Use reusable boba straws if you can! They're easily available online and come in all sorts of fun colors.

    ⚫ Cooking Boba 

    A flatlay showing black sugar tapioca pearls in and outside their packaging.

    Here's how you can make cooking boba pearls SUPER easy.

    • Always use quick-cooking boba pearls. They're ready in just 3-5 minutes.
    • Adjust the consistency to your taste.
    • Cook them for longer if you prefer a softer consistency.
    • If you prefer chewy tapioca balls cook them for less long.
    • If you have leftover boba that you haven't cooked, just store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
    • Once the water is drained, you NEED to cover the pearls with sugar straight away

    ❓FAQ

    What does lychee milk tea taste like?

    It tastes super fruity, refreshing, creamy & just a little bit herbal! Remember the taste will depend on what type of tea or milk you add.

    How many calories are in this lychee milk tea?

    There are approx. 200 calories per (large) portion.

    Is this recipe vegan?

    Yes, but make sure to use dairy-free milk (such as oat, almond, soy, coconut, or similar).

    👩‍🍳 Serving

    A side view of lychee milk tea served in a glass.

    This lychee milk tea is best served in tall glasses. Make sure you filled the glass with ice cubes all the way to the top. Only then pour the rest of the ingredients on top.

    I used black sugar flavor tapioca pearls but any pearls will work.

    I recommend dark-colored pearls because they are more visible in the drink. You can also use lychee jelly or lychee boba pearls.

    Remember to enjoy this drink fresh! It doesn't keep well at room temperature.

    📦 Storing 

    If you do want to store it for later, simply leave out the ice cubes and store the drink in an airtight container. If refrigerated, it will keep for approx. 2-3 days.

    You'll need to store tapioca pearls separately. The best way to store them is in an airtight container - soaked in simple syrup.

    Make sure they're completely covered in syrup.

    🍹More Boba Recipes

    I have tons of boba recipes waiting for you!

    • Chocolate or Oreo boba for lovers of all things sweet
    • Okinawa or Oolong milk tea for those that want a truly authentic experience
    • Honeydew or Winter melon milk tea for lovers of fruit
    • Rose or Jasmine boba for those that want something extra special

    If you're considering making this lychee milk tea but have questions please don't hesitate to reach out.

    The comments section below is always open and waiting for your questions!

    And if you made this lychee milk tea, I would SO love to hear from you. A star review, comment, or rating are always MUCH appreciated.

    🍴Recipe

    Lychee Bubble Milk Tea - Boba

    Lychee milk tea served with tapioca pearls. Cheap, ULTRA easy & packed with lychee flavor.
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert, Drinks
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 200kcal
    Author: Tajda Ferko

    Equipment

    • 2 Tall glasses
    • 1 small saucepan
    • 1 Scoop or spoon
    • 1 Blender
    • 2 Large straws optional

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup quick-cooking tapioca pearls
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 1 cup tea black, green, etc.
    • 1 can lychee 20 lychees
    • 1 cup milk I used unsweetened oat milk

    Optional

    • 2 cups ice cubes for serving
    US Cups - Metric

    Instructions

    • In a small pan, add tapioca pearls to boiling hot water and let simmer for 3-5 minutes. Once cooked, reserve 2 tablespoons of water and drain the rest.
    • Immediately add sugar and the reserved water. Stir well and set aside.
    • Make tea in a mug. Set it aside to let it cool.
    • Open a can of lychees. Peel & remove pit if needed. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the leftover lychee syrup from the can.
    • Add 20 pieces of lychee to the blender and blend until a smooth puree is formed.
    • To serve, fill two glasses with ice cubes. Pour lychee puree & lychee syrup over them.
    • Then pour tea on top. Finish off with milk. Stir well & enjoy!
    • Serve it with tapioca pearls & more sugar/sweetener if desired.

    Notes

    Important: Taste before serving! Adjust the sweetness to your own personal taste. Everyone enjoys their boba differently! 
    • Tip 1 - To make things easier, use canned lychee that's already been peeled & stoned.
    • Tip 2 - Always STIR this drink well before serving.
    • Tip 3 - Boba is all about personal preference. Adjust the tea flavor before serving - add more sugar, milk, or tea if desired.
    • Tip 4 - Pour the lychee puree through a fine mesh sieve to avoid any leftover lychee bits (optional).
    To serve HOT -  Simply leave out the ice cubes and serve with piping hot tea & milk.
    To STORE - Leave out the ice cubes and store the drink in an airtight container. If refrigerated, it will keep for approx. 2-3 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 62mg | Potassium: 202mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 252IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 1mg

    Disclaimer: The nutritional information above is calculated automatically. The author of this post cannot guarantee 100% accuracy of this data.

    Tried This Recipe? Tag Me Today!Mention @MyVeganMinimalist or tag #MyVeganMinimalist!

    More Easy Vegan Recipes

    • A yellow frozen lemonade ice cube placed on a small round plate.
      Easy Homemade Frozen Lemonade Concentrate
    • Roasted pepitas on a brown baking sheet
      Oven Roasted Pepitas - 4 Ways!
    • A close-up shot of two slices of lazy cake placed on top of each other
      Lazy Cake - No-Bake Chocolate Cookie Cake Recipe
    • Avocado Lime Crema - Healthy, Vegan Dip

    5-Day Free Food Photography Course

    Privacy Policy

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi there! I'm Tajda (pronounced tide-ah) and I'm here to take you on a delicious plant-based journey! My recipes are easy to make, affordable, and always vegan.

    Trending

    • The Best Easy Immersion Blender Hummus (Vegan & Oil-free Option)
    • A side view of a plate featuring a stack of vegan almond milk crepes
      In-depth Foodtography School Review + Discount (+ Free Bonus)
    • Vegan Stew And Dumplings
    • The BEST Vegan Burrata Cheese with Cashews (Dairy-Free)

    Easter Favorites

    • Creamy Leek Soup Without Potatoes - 30 Minutes
    • Vegan Spiced Pear & Almond Cake
    • Vegan Pigs in Blankets - Easy Carrot Party Snack
    • Crispy Oven Roasted Lentils - 5 Ingredients

    Spring is Coming!

    • 5-Minute Green Pizza Sauce with Basil & Spinach
    • Tabule Salad - Easy & Healthy Ingredients
    • Vegan Soft Silken Tofu 'Egg' Scramble
    • Vegan Wilted Spinach Salad with Tahini Dressing

    As seen in

    Free Course

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work With Me

    Copyright © 2023 My Vegan Minimalist