Tapioca

Name: Tapioca
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Brazilian
Ingredients: 200g tapioca starch (goma de tapioca or polvilho); Water for hydrating; Pinch of salt; Savory filling: 100g coalho cheese or mozzarella, shredded; 50g shredded chicken or dried beef; Butter; Sweet filling: shredded coconut; condensed milk; banana slices; Nutella

Tapioca (tah-pee-OH-kah)

Tapioca Crepe

⏱ Prep Time 15 min

📈 Difficulty Easy

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 282 kcal

A lacy, translucent crepe made from hydrated tapioca starch, cooked dry on a griddle until the edges crisp and the center turns chewy, folded around sweet or savory fillings.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 10.0g

Carbs 38.0g

Fat 10.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

gluten-free nut-free

Allergen Warnings

⚠ dairy

Equipment Needed

non-stick skillet fine-mesh sieve

Presentation Guide

Vessel: plate

Garnishes: butter, powdered sugar for sweet version

Accompaniments: coffee, fresh juice

Ingredients

200g tapioca starch (goma de tapioca or polvilho)
Water for hydrating
Pinch of salt
Savory filling: 100g coalho cheese or mozzarella, shredded
50g shredded chicken or dried beef
Butter
Sweet filling: shredded coconut
condensed milk
banana slices
Nutella

Instructions

1
Hydrate tapioca starch: sprinkle water over the starch gradually, rubbing with your fingers until it feels like damp sand. It should clump when squeezed but not be wet.
2
Pass the hydrated tapioca through a fine-mesh sieve to remove lumps and create a fine, fluffy powder.
3
Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Do not add oil.
4
Sprinkle a thin, even layer of tapioca through the sieve directly onto the hot skillet, forming a circle about 20cm wide.
5
Cook for 1-2 minutes until the edges lift and the bottom is lightly golden. The starch granules will fuse together into a lacy crepe.
6
Add your chosen filling to one half — cheese, chicken, coconut, or sweet fillings.
7
Fold in half, press gently, and cook 1 more minute. Serve immediately while hot and chewy.

💡

Did You Know?

In northeastern Brazil, tapioca vendors called "tapioqueiros" set up stands on beaches and street corners, and the crepe has become Brazil's most popular gluten-free alternative to bread.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

non-stick skillet
fine-mesh sieve

Garnishing

butter, powdered sugar for sweet version

Accompaniments

coffee, fresh juice

The Story Behind Tapioca

Tapioca crepes are a direct inheritance from indigenous Brazilian peoples who processed mandioca (cassava) into starch thousands of years before European contact. The technique of extracting and drying tapioca starch is one of the oldest food technologies in the Americas. In the 2010s, tapioca experienced a massive revival across Brazil as a trendy, gluten-free alternative to wheat-based foods.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed breakfast, afternoon snack 📜 Origins: Indigenous origin, pre-colonial

Comments (0)

No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!