Pumpkin Tapioca Pudding

This pumpkin pudding is dairy-free, vegan, and comes together in under 20 minutes. Rice milk, canned pumpkin, tapioca flour, a touch of sugar, and vanilla. That’s the whole thing. The tapioca flour (not pearls) gels the mixture into a smooth, creamy pudding with no eggs or cream needed.

The technique is all about timing. Bring the rice milk, water, and pumpkin to a rolling boil while you mix the tapioca flour with sugar and a few tablespoons of water into a smooth slurry. Pull the pot off the heat, let it cool for just a minute, then stir in the vanilla and slowly pour in the tapioca slurry. The mixture gels almost immediately, so work quickly and stop stirring once it’s smooth.

The optional licorice root simmered in the liquid adds a subtle anise sweetness that’s unexpected with pumpkin but genuinely interesting. Remove it before adding the tapioca.

Kitchen Tips

• Use tapioca flour (also called tapioca starch), not pearl tapioca. Pearls won’t dissolve and give you a completely different texture.
• Mix the tapioca slurry until completely smooth before adding. Lumps become permanent once the gel sets.
• If the pudding doesn’t gel, add more tapioca immediately. Once the gel breaks, there’s no fixing it.
• Serve warm right away or chill in small jars or bowls covered tightly. It firms up more in the fridge.

Variations

• Pumpkin spice: Add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg and ginger to the liquid for a classic fall spice profile.
• Coconut version: Replace the rice milk with full-fat coconut milk for a richer, creamier pudding.
• Maple sweetened: Swap the sugar for maple syrup and skip the licorice root for a more traditional autumn flavor.