Ube
PHPurple yam: Dioscorea alata
- Color
- Naturally deep-purple
- Taste
- Subtle vanilla and hazelnut
- Texture
- Full, velvety-smooth
- Use
- Lattes, cakes, ice cream, desserts
A common confusion
Ubevs Taro
They both look purple on Instagram, and their names get used interchangeably, but ube and taro are completely different plants. Time to set the record straight.
Ube★ PH
Taro Side by side
Ube, taro and purple sweet potato: what is the difference?
Taro
A whole different tuber: Colocasia esculenta
- Color
- White / beige with purple flecks
- Taste
- Earthier, nuttier, less sweet
- Texture
- Starchy, neutral
- Use
- Bubble tea, savoury dishes, chips
Purple sweet potato
A third plant: Ipomoea batatas
- Color
- Purple varieties have purple flesh
- Taste
- Sweet, like sweet potato
- Texture
- Soft and creamy once cooked
- Use
- Baked, mashed, in bakes
Difference 01 · Color
One is purple. The other pretends to be.
Purple varieties such as Kinampay are naturally deep purple. Slice a fresh ube in half and the color jumps right at you. Taro has a light cream, beige or pale-lilac inside with purple flecks. Some taro products get their purple color from added coloring.
Ube: naturally purpleTaro: light with flecks Difference 02 · Taste
Creamy dessert vs. earthy side dish
Ube has a subtle vanilla and hazelnut flavor. It fits naturally in dessert. Taro is drier, nuttier and earthier. Lovely in savoury dishes or bubble tea, but it lacks the soft, oh-so-round flavor of ube.
Ube
Subtle vanilla and hazelnut
Taro
Earthier, nuttier, less sweet
Difference 03 · Texture
Velvet vs. starch
Boiled and mashed, ube turns velvety-soft and full, perfect for folding into whipped cream or cheesecake. Taro stays drier and starchier, closer to a white-potato mash.
Difference 04 · Use
Where each one belongs
Ube is used for
- Ube lattes (hot & iced)
- Cheesecake
- Ice cream
- Crinkle cookies
- Pandesal
- Halaya & jam
- Pancakes
Taro is used for
- Bubble tea
- Taiwanese savoury dishes
- Taro chips
- Mochi (sometimes)
- Roasted taro
- Soup
★ Why the confusion
How do we keep mixing them up?
Both tubers are at home in Asian cuisine and increasingly show up in the same cafés. The names purple yam, taro and purple sweet potato get used interchangeably in the Western world.
And then there are the powders: some taro products get their purple color from added coloring. The result: people think taro is purple, while on its own it is almost white.
For the latte fans
Which do you pick for your latte?
For a purple latte with a subtle vanilla and hazelnut flavor: ube. Mix 10 g Ube Powder with 30 ml warm water and add 150 ml milk. Taro works better in bubble tea with tapioca, where the earthy flavor balances sweet syrup.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Now that you know the difference: pick the real one.
Ube Powder from Taste Filipino is 100% ube (purple yam) powder, with no carriers, flavorings or artificial colors.