If you love purple drinks or desserts, you’ve probably come across these three names before: ube, taro, and purple sweet potato. They all share the same purple hue, but everything else sets them apart. Here’s how to tell them apart once and for all.
Ube: The Treasure of the Philippines
Ube is a variety of purple yam that grows mainly in the Philippines. It’s a staple ingredient in local cuisine, especially in desserts: ube halaya (a sweet jam), cakes, ice cream, and now the must-try ube latte.
- Color: a bright, deep, and vibrant purple.
- Taste: naturally sweet, with notes of vanilla and hazelnut.
- Uses: perfect for desserts, beverages, and baked goods.
Taro: a more neutral Asian root vegetable
Popular throughout Asia, taro shares its purple hue with the ube - and that’s about all they have in common.
It’s easily recognizable by its white flesh streaked with purple veins.
- Color: never completely purple, always marbled.
- Taste: much more neutral, slightly earthy, not sweet.
- Uses: bubble tea pearls, purées, savory dishes, chips.
The Purple Sweet Potato: Colorful Cooking
Finally, there is the purple sweet potato, which is commonly found in Japan and Hawaii. It is sometimes mistakenly sold as ube, even though its characteristics are different.
- Color: deep, dark purple, less vibrant than the Ube variety.
- Taste: slightly sweet, but without the fragrant notes of the Ube variety.
- Uses: mashed, fried, in pastries, and in both savory and sweet dishes.
The key differences at a glance
| Ingredients | Origin | Color | Taste | Uses |
|
Ube |
Philippines | Bright Purple |
Mild, Sweet Vanilla / Hazelnut |
Desserts Drinks Pastries |
| Taro | Asia | Light purple color | Neutral Earthy |
Bubble tea |
| Purple Sweet Potato | Japan / Hawaï | Dark purple Matte, deep |
Sweet Low in aroma |
Mashed potatoes French fries Pastries |
Now you can't go wrong !
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