Ube vs Taro - What is the difference?

When you stop by your local ice cream shop looking for a new flavor to try, you might come across a purple-looking flavor that isn’t raspberry, or blueberry, or anything else.

It turns out that this tasty variety of ice cream is ube (pronounced ooh-bae).

But the search doesn’t end there, as you’ll soon discover that this little purple yam is often confused with another root vegetable: taro.

Two root vegetables, from similar parts of the world, with similar uses? At first glance, it might seem that these two vegetables have everything in common. But it’s not like that.

So what is the difference between ube and taro?

Ube and taro, although they look similar on the outside, have notable differences. The ube has a bright purple interior, while the taro has a pale beige flesh with small purple specks. The ube is also much sweeter and is used more often in desserts. Taro is salty and is most often used as a substitute for potatoes.

There are even more differences, so read on to find out how these two root vegetables differ.

What is Ube?

Ube is a purple yam native to the Philippines. This yam is a kind of “tuber,” an enlarged structure that plants use to hold nutrients during periods of time when the plant is waiting for its normal growing season.

It may be a confusing definition, but you may be more familiar with these “ tubers ” as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and of course, yams like our beloved ube.

Ube has long been a staple of Philippine cuisine, used to color and flavor puddings, cakes, flans, and many other delicacies. One of its most popular forms, ube halaya, is an iconic Filipino dessert.

However, although the ube is native to the Philippines, this root vegetable has become quite the sensation among health and plant-based dieters around the world.

Even outside of the most health-conscious diets, desserts of which ube is often the star have also piqued the interest of many people outside of the Philippines.

What does the ube taste like?

As already stated, ube has a slightly sweet flavor , although the intensity of the flavor may depend on the size of the yam and where it was grown.

It has a kind of earthy and nutty flavor , similar to vanilla or pistachio. For this reason, ube has become a favorite ice cream flavor for its subtle richness.

Finding whole ube can be difficult if you don’t have an Asian grocery store nearby. So ordering powdered or frozen ube extract works well when no other options are available to get the tiny tuber.

How to use ube in a recipe

The ube has a myriad of uses in many sweets, all of which are delicious. Be sure to try as many as you can!

ube ice cream

Perhaps the ube’s most popular application right now is ice cream . Their subtle flavors lend themselves well to this frozen snack. Plus, it turns your candy a luscious purple.

Simply add powdered, frozen or crushed ube to the cream mixture before the churning process and you are on your way to delicious ube ice cream.

Ube Halaya

Ube halaya (basically meaning “ube jam”) is one of the more traditional ways of turning ube into a dessert.

As the name suggests, this ube shape is a type of “jam,” though it may seem more like a cold pudding cake than the raspberry preserves you may be more familiar with.

This Filipino dessert starts by adding pounded ube and condensed milk to a hot pan with melted butter.

After fully incorporating all three ingredients, stir the mixture until it has thickened. Afterwards, you have to cool it and refrigerate it before eating it.

Traditionally, the mixture is served with toppings such as shredded coconut, latík (which is a kind of caramelized coconut cream), and condensed milk.

There are even more possibilities, so feel free to get creative. Ube halaya can also be used to complement other desserts, such as halo-halo, a sweet Filipino ice cream.

ube cookies

There are many ways to use the ube in the form of cookies. One of our favorites is a twist on an old classic: crispy cookies.

Instead of using cocoa powder or vanilla, opt for ube powder to create a crinkle cookie that’s not only incredibly delicious, but purple too . Who doesn’t like purple cookies?

ube pancakes

Like ube cookies, adding ube to pancakes is very easy.

Just add the ube to the pancake batter like you would cranberries or cinnamon and voila! Now you have a nutty, sweet, and most importantly purple flavored breakfast cake!

What is taro?

Now that we’ve taken the time to talk about the ube, let’s take a look at what many people mistake for the ube.

First of all, taro is not a tuber, unlike its purple friend. The part of the taro that is eaten the most is a “corm”, which fulfills a function similar to that of the tubers, but with the addition of a basal plate.

Taro also has noticeably larger leaves than ube, growing out of the part of the corm that is eaten. These shade the root and can even be used to make a sort of spinach-like dish.

Confused? Undoubtedly. But beyond the internal look and taste, it’s important to know how these subterranean inhabitants are biologically different.

Taro lives throughout the Pacific Ocean, and is cultivated from China to Hawaii. Its exact origins are not known, but it must have come from somewhere in Southeast Asia.

What does taro taste like?

Taro is not as sweet as ube. Its flavor is much more nuanced than the already subtle purple yam, and as such its applications can range from a savory side dish to a vanilla-like flavor in bubble tea.

When cooked, taro tends to maintain its structural integrity and doesn’t fall apart like other root vegetables. After cooking, its flavor becomes a little more suitable for savory dishes, although it still has a mild sweetness.

Taro is noted for its ability to absorb flavors, which often means sweeteners and other powdered fruits and vegetables are added to it.

This can end up confusing people about the true taste of taro. However, we do know that this little corm has a subtle nutty flavor that has many different applications.

How to use taro in a recipe

Taro has so many variations that it’s hard to know where to start. Here are some ways to add taro to your meals.

taro chips

Making taro chips is a lot like making potato chips. In fact, it’s almost identical! Start by cutting the taro root as thin as possible with a mandolin or knife.

From there, you can either put them on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet to cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or you can fry them in vegetable oil.

Some cooks recommend washing ube in water, similar to French fries, to remove any excess starch that could threaten the crunchiness of your potatoes.

However, if you like your chips a bit chewier, similar to dried fruit, then pop them in the oven! And don’t forget to season with kosher salt!

taro latke

This is a very creative way to use your new favorite vegetable. Start by using the largest setting on your cheese grater to cut the taro into small pieces.

As with the taro chunks, you’ll want to try to remove as much excess starch as possible to prevent the latkes from becoming soggy. Wrapping the grated taro in cheesecloth and squeezing out as much starch as you can is a quick and easy way to do it.

From there, just fry your little purple latkes in a thin layer of vegetable oil, season with kosher salt, and they’re ready to eat!

Additionally, these tasty fried treats can be topped with a variety of different toppings. Some of our favorites are smoked salmon, cream cheese, sour cream, or even jam to add some sweetness to your breakfast.

taro cake

Taro is a very versatile root. It not only has salty applications, but also sweet ones. For the taro cake, the way to add this vegetable is up to you. Simply add it as a flavoring to your preferred style of cake and enjoy!

Some of our favorites include adding taro to cheesecake, carrot cake, and even instead of chocolate in some chocolate cakes.

poi

Poi is a way of eating taro that may be more for the adventurous at heart, as it is a cuisine that may seem strange at first. However, when you take a bite (or drink?) of this Polynesian dessert, it’s easy to get hooked on its delicious flavor.

The preparation of the poi is quite simple, since it is a process that goes back hundreds of years. Originally it was made using a mortar and pestle to properly pound the taro to its consistency.

These days, using a food processor to blend the taro together with a little water is really all that needs to be done before serving, although water can be added before consuming to achieve the desired consistency.

The viscosity of poi is measured in “fingers”, which generally range from one to three fingers. In essence, this is meant to illustrate how many fingers it takes to pick up the pudding-like food.

This type of dish is very simple, but it has a rich history and even some ways of experimenting with food, such as fermentation and the addition of milk and sugar. Be creative and try it yourself!

ube vs. Taro -Nutritional Content

Now that we’ve gone over how both ube and taro can be used in different dishes, you might be wondering if these yams are even healthy to eat.

Of course, if you add ube to ice cream or fry taro in peanut oil, these roots are sure to be unhealthy. However, what about the roots themselves?

Are there any health benefits from eating these vegetables?

ube nutrition

To begin with, ube is quite similar to other yams. It is rich in fiber , which experts say is important to include in plenty in your diet, and has fairly high levels of B vitamins, thiamine, and nicacin.

Interestingly, the iconic purple color of ube has its own special properties, similar to how the bright orange color of sweet potatoes has added benefits.

In sweet potatoes, the orange color indicates the presence of cartenoids, a reddish-orange pigment present in many varieties of fruits and vegetables. These cartenoids act in a similar way to antioxidants.

However, in the case of the ube, the purple color indicates the presence of anthocyanins . Anthocyanins are the reason foods are deep red and purple in color, and have been shown to help fight inflammation.

taro nutrition

Taro root has properties similar to those of ube, especially due to its fiber and carbohydrate content.

Fiber is said to be necessary to help the body process and eliminate food waste, while carbohydrates give us the energy to do the things we love, like cooking all the aforementioned taro and ube dishes. .

Taro is also high in manganese , which has been shown to help maintain good metabolism and bone health, as well as prevent blood clotting.

The high levels of potassium in taro also help maintain and keep high blood pressure low by contributing to the breakdown of salts in the body.

Related questions

Oh! What an extensive analysis of the differences between these two seemingly similar root vegetables.

While they clearly have many of the same uses, we hope you were also able to learn what makes these amazing vegetables unique. Here are some more questions we thought you might have while reading this article.

Is the ube from the Philippines or Japan?

Although ube is currently native to the Philippines, it appears that these purple sweet potatoes may also have originated from Japan (more specifically from Okinawa).

However, there is also emerging evidence that it may have reached somewhere in the Americas. Looking at its cultivation history, it appears that this vegetable was first cultivated in New Guinea before spreading to the rest of Asia.

That may be why we see some of its origins in Japan, although it’s not entirely clear at the moment.

Is taro poisonous?

Taro is poisonous in its raw form, similar to rhubarb leaves.

The presence of calcium oxalate makes this plant unsafe to eat, since calcium oxalate naturally binds calcium within the body.

This can create the unwanted presence of kidney stones and can sometimes lead to kidney disease.

However, these oxalates can be largely nullified by soaking the peeled corms of the taro in cold water overnight or by the simple process of root boiling , which helps break down the calcium oxalate.

What does ube ice cream taste like?

Although ube itself tastes quite sweet but mild, adding it to ice cream greatly amplifies the sweet and nutty notes of purple yam.

Many people compare it to pistachio ice cream because of its tendency to have a creamy texture and a very simple, understated taste.