Taho is a popular Filipino street food made with three simple components: silken tofu, small tapioca pearls, and arnibal, a sweet brown sugar syrup! It’s served either warm or cold, and eaten any time of day—breakfast, dessert, or as an afternoon snack. It’s a dish that is close to home for me, and something I make whenever I miss the Philippines. 🙂
Looking for another flavor to try? Check out my matcha taho or ube taho!
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What Is Taho?
“Tahoooooo!”
In the streets of the Philippines, it’s common to hear that call from local taho vendors. Think of it like the ice cream truck, but better (my opinion, lol). These vendors carry large aluminum buckets filled with all the taho ingredients, assembling each cup fresh to order.
Taho is made with silken tofu, a brown sugar syrup called arnibal, and small tapioca pearls. It’s sweet, chewy, and silky—a super simple combination with a really satisfying texture. You can eat it for breakfast, as a snack, or dessert.
Taho is typically served warm, but cold taho is also a refreshing alternative, especially in the summer. These days, many flavors of taho have become popular, such as strawberry, ube, vanilla, and buko pandan.
For this recipe, I’ll show you how to make the classic arnibal version. Just follow my easy, step-by-step process detailed below, and you’ll have a comforting cup of homemade taho in no time. I promise it’s very popular for a reason!
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You won’t need any special equipment. The arnibal syrup and tapioca pearls are both made on the stove. Once you’ve prepared these two, you’ll simply layer them with the silken tofu. That’s it!
- It’s delicious—period! There’s nothing quite like the melt-in-your-mouth texture (and taste!) of taho. For those who grew up eating taho, it’s definitely a taste of home. For those who have yet to try it, this recipe is for you!
- It’s high in protein. Since it’s made with silken tofu, taho is a great option for those looking for a low-fat, high-protein breakfast, snack, or dessert.
Looking for other Filipino recipes? Try out my leche flan or ube halaya!
Ingredients
To make taho from scratch, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Make sure to use silken tofu for this recipe, NOT the regular block of soft or firm tofu. The delicate texture of silken tofu is the cornerstone ingredient of taho.
- For the arnibal (brown sugar syrup), you can use either light or dark brown sugar. You can even use muscovado sugar for a deeper caramel, molasses-like flavor.
- It’s best to use sago or small tapioca pearls for taho, instead of the bigger varieties. The smaller pearls complement the silky texture of the tofu better than the bigger, more rubbery pearls.
For the full list of ingredients and measurements, see the recipe card below.
How to Make Taho
Step 1: In a small pot, add brown sugar and water. Cook on medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Set this mixture (aka arnibal) aside.
Step 2: In a medium pot, simmer small tapioca pearls for 10-15 minutes, or until the tapioca turns mostly translucent. Turn off heat and cover pot with lid until pearls are fully translucent, about 10 minutes. Strain and rinse under cold water, then transfer to a bowl. Stir in a few spoonfuls of arnibal to coat the pearls.
Step 3: In your serving container, add cold or warm silken tofu. Top with sago pearls, then pour in arnibal.
Step 4: Stir taho together and enjoy!
For full instructions, see the recipe card below.
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Thank you so much! -Bianca ❤️
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Taho
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Equipment
- medium pot
- small pot
- serving cups
- ladles for serving
Ingredients
For the tapioca pearls:
- 3 cups (711 g) water
- ⅓ cup (50 g) small tapioca pearls or sago
For the arnibal (brown sugar syrup):
- 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar light or dark; can also use muscovado
- ¾ cup (177.44 g) water
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) vanilla paste or extract
Assembly:
- 16 ounces (454 g) silken tofu drained
Instructions
Cook the tapioca pearls:
- In a medium pot, bring 3 cups (711 g) water to a rolling boil. Stir in ⅓ cup (50 g) small tapioca pearls. Slightly lower heat and simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes, or until tapioca turns from white to mostly translucent.
- Turn off heat and cover pot with lid. Let tapioca sit for 10 minutes, or until pearls are fully translucent. If the pearls still have small white dots in the center, cover pot with lid again and let sit for another 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer tapioca pearls to a fine mesh strainer. Rinse with cold water to stop them from cooking and get rid of excess starch. Transfer to its own bowl.
Cook the arnibal:
- In a small pot, add 1 cup (220 g) brown sugar and ¾ cup (177.44 g) water. Stir and cook on medium heat until the sugar fully dissolves, about 3-4 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon (4 g) vanilla.
- Add a few splashes of arnibal to the cooked tapioca pearls and gently mix. You just want to hydrate the pearls and add a bit of brown color.
Assemble taho:
- If you want warm tofu, feel free to microwave your tofu on a microwave-safe plate for 1-2 minutes.
- Scoop slices of tofu into your serving cups. Top with tapioca and arnibal.
- Enjoy!
