Taro is a root vegetable found in the produce section of your local grocery store. It’s often used in Asian cooking and has many culinary applications. But what does taro taste like?
Taro is a tuberous plant with long, thick roots which grow underground. The flesh of the root is starchy and bland.
But you can use it to make soups or stews with other flavors, such as coconut milk or curry powder added for extra flavor.
This guide will explore what taro tastes like.
Let’s begin.
What Is Taro?
The tropical regions of Asia and South Indiana are the original taro home.
However, it’s grown worldwide, including in Brazil, Venezuela, and Hawaii.
The root vegetable taro comes from a plant family called Araceae.
This plant has heart-shaped leaves that are also tasty. Taro roots come in various colors, depending on where they are grown: white, pink, or purple.
It typically has brown skin over white flesh.
Inside, there are little purple specks. Due to its starchiness, it has a texture similar to potatoes. In addition, taro is consumed similarly to potatoes.
The taro roots can be fried, boiled, mashed, baked, or roasted.
As an alternative, people can use taro roots to create drinks and treats like taro smoothies or cocktails.
What Does Taro Taste Like: It Tastes Like A Potato Mixed With Celery.
So what does taro taste like? Taro is a root vegetable that you can eat it cooked or raw.
When raw, taro has a bland flavor and texture similar to potatoes.
It’s best eaten when boiled and mashed or cut into pieces and deep fried until crispy, like french fries.
Taro tastes like a potato mixed with celery—a very mild flavor that goes well in soups, stews, stir-fries, and side dishes like fries or potato salad.
How Does Taro Feels In Your Mouth
So what does taro taste like? It’s a fibrous root vegetable with a neutral flavor, although it can be slightly sweet or bitter, depending on the variety.
It’s starchy and bland in its raw form; once cooked, it becomes chewy and crunchy.
You might be wondering how the flavor of taro compares to that of other root vegetables.
Well, it’s not as sweet or earthy as a potato. But it doesn’t have the bitterness that some people taste in potatoes.
Some taro varieties are starchy, while others are more mucilaginous—similar to yams or okra.
What Does Taro Taste Like: It’s Similar To Other Ingredients
Taro is very similar to yams, potatoes, and other root vegetables.
It has a mild flavor that can be enhanced with spices like ginger or garlic.
You can eat taro raw as a snack or in salads. You can also steam it and use it as an alternative to mashed potatoes.
Does Taro Taste Like Coconut?
Flavors of meals might taste different from person to person.
Others find that taro boba has a flavor similar to mild chocolate. Others can taste the coconut, caramel, or vanilla.
Some people find a nutty, milky, creamy, or buttery flavor in the tea.
There is no coconut taste in taro. However, it goes nicely with coconut.
Taro has a little vanilla and nuttiness, and the combination with coconut is delicious.
What Does Taro Taste Like: Does It Taste Like Tea?
Taro boba doesn’t taste like regular tea. There is typically no tea in a taro milk tea. Just the root of the taro plant and some milk create a delicious boba tea.
Nothing in the beverage would cause it to taste like tea.
The nutty flavor of the taro root gives taro milk tea an earthy tone. But this flavor is distinct from the earthy tones in regular tea.
In contrast, the similarity in flavor to tea can be readily explained by ordering taro milk tea made with a tea base (such as green tea or Ceylon).
What’s The Difference Between Taro And Ube?
People mistake ube for the taro bubble tea when they see it. A few factors cause these misunderstandings.
First, the ube plant’s purple hue is strikingly comparable to the beverage’s color.
Additionally, both taro and ube are root plants. And they are somewhat similar in shape.
However, these root plants have different flavors and textures. Ube is just a purple yam.
When cut open, the interior is a bright purple color. But the taro plant wasn’t always purple.
Only a few purple patches can be found on its mostly white part.
The taro milk tea is deep purple because of the manufacturers’ coloring.
Ube is sweeter than taro. When cooked, it has a soft texture.
It looks like yam, but taro is more starchy and looks like a potato.
Health Benefits Of Taro Roots
After asking, “what does taro taste like?” you should also understand the health benefits it offers.
Like many other starchy or carbohydrate-rich foods, the taro root is packed with beneficial dietary fibers.
You can find about 7 to 11 grams of dietary fiber in only one cup of taro root.
Dietary fiber is a must to keep blood sugar levels steady and optimal.
Another taro benefit is that it can reduce the danger of developing heart disease.
It’s also extremely high in fiber and aids in controlling cholesterol and blood sugar.
So it has the potential to aid in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
Ultimately, due to its versatility, you can use this starch as a substitute for a lower calorie number among other starches.
Use Taro As A Substitute For Potatoes
Consequently, this can be used as a substitute for potatoes and other big carbohydrates.
It can help you reduce your overall body weight and caloric intake.
Several reputable sources have studied the health advantages of taro root.
But you should still do your study before making any changes to your diet or health routine.
Conclusion
So what does taro taste like? We hope that this article has helped you understand what taro tastes like.
It can be challenging to describe the flavor of unfamiliar food.
But these tips should help you start your journey to understanding other foods!