Strawberry sago dessert is an easy 30-minute recipe that only needs 5 ingredients to make! This sweet, creamy, and refreshing sago dessert infuses fresh strawberries, coconut milk, evaporated milk, and condensed milk with chewy translucent sago tapioca pearls.
Strawberry sago is personally one of my favorite desserts because I am obsessed with strawberries and it is easily customizable based on your preferences. It is the perfect sweet treat for the hot summer days.
Strawberry sago is a refreshing tapioca pudding dessert that is a variation of mango sago that incorporates fresh strawberries instead of mangoes. It is made by mixing fresh strawberries with coconut milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk, and sago pearls.
This strawberry sago dessert is best served chilled and then garnished with a mint for added color. It can easily be customized by adding more sweetness or other types of jellies for textural contrast.
Ingredients
You can find all of the ingredients for this strawberry sago recipe at your local Asian grocery store. I have linked everything I used below.
Sago (small tapioca pearls):sago are tiny chewy tapioca pearls that are about 3-5 mm thick. They are usually white and will become translucent when cooked.
Strawberries: fresh ripe strawberries will yield the best flavor. However, frozen strawberries can also work as well.
Evaporated Milk:evaporated milk adds a layer of rich and creamy texture and flavor to the tapioca pudding.
Condensed milk:condensed milk acts as a thick creamy sweetener. Adjust the amount of condensed milk based on your preferences.
Coconut Milk:full-fat coconut milk is ideal for the best thick creamy texture and rich coconut flavor.
Substitutions and Additions
You can customize your strawberry sago based on your preferences with the suggestions below.
Substitutions
Sweetener: instead of condensed milk, use honey, agave syrup, maple syrup, or granulated sugar instead.
Milk: instead of evaporated milk, you can use almond milk or regular milk instead. Or you can simply use more coconut milk.
Additions
Fruit: you can add other fruits such as canned lychees, longan, or jackfruit for added flavors and textures.
Fruit Jelly: for added texture, you can add your choice of fruit jelly.
Popping Boba: for more flavors, add popping boba.
How to Make Strawberry Sago
Here are the steps for how to make this strawberry sago recipe.
Cook the sago. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Then, add the small tapioca pearls. Reduce the heat to medium-high heat and cook until pearls turn transparent about 15 minutes while stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for another 10-15 minutes or until the sago becomes translucent.
Cool the sago.Strain the cooked tapioca pearls and rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking. Submerge the sieve with the cooked tapioca into a bowl of water to prevent the pearls from drying. Set aside.
Blend the strawberries. Add the washed strawberries into a blender. Next, add the evaporated milk and condensed milk. Then blend at the highest speed until it forms a smooth paste. Taste and add more condensed milk if needed and blend until combined. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
Combine. Drain the tapioca pearls. In a large mixing bowl, add the tapioca pearls and mix with the chilled coconut milk. Then add in the strawberry mixture and mix until combined.
Assemble. Serve in individual-sized cups and garnish with fresh strawberry pieces. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
Use fresh ripe strawberries. Using fresh ripe strawberries is key for the best-tasting strawberry sago pudding.
Watch the sago when cooking. Boil the sago in a saucepan over medium-high heat and stir them occasionally to prevent them from sticking. It is okay if some of the sago has a small white dot in them when you take them off the heat. It will continue to cook while it sits in the pot.
Let the sago sit in cold water. Once you strain the sago and before you incorporate it with the coconut milk, let it sit in a bowl of cold water to prevent them from sticking to each other.
Adjust the sweetness. When blending the strawberries taste and adjust the sweetness level to your liking. You can also use alternative sweeteners like honey or sugar instead.
Chill the strawberry pudding mixture. You can chill the individual ingredients before you blend them or after it is all incorporated. Alternatively, you can add ice cubes to flash-chill them but this will dilute the flavor.
Customize based on preferences. You can add additional jellies, popping boba, or fruit to your strawberry tapioca pudding for more added flavors or textural contrast.
Storage Instructions
This strawberry sago dessert recipe is best served immediately. For any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The longer the tapioca pearls are refrigerated, the more they could harden and be unpleasant to eat.
Freeze: Do not freeze this mango sago dessert. The sago will become mushy after thawing.
Frequently Asked Q’s and A’s
What kind of milk can I use for strawberry sago?
For this strawberry sago recipe, I used coconut milk and evaporated milk. However, you substitute the evaporated milk for regular milk, almond milk, soy milk, or any other plant-based milk instead.
Can I change the consistency of the strawberry tapioca pudding?
Yes, if the strawberry tapioca pudding is too thick, you can thin it with more coconut milk or evaporated milk.
What other toppings can I add to strawberry sago?
You can add other canned fruits such as lychees, jackfruit, or longan or fresh fruits like blueberries and raspberries. Or for added textural contrast, you can add fruit jellies or popping boba.
Is strawberry sago gluten-free?
Yes! Strawberry sago is gluten-free. Sago pearls are made with gluten-free tapioca starch.
Cook the sago. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Then, add the small tapioca pearls. Reduce the heat to medium high heat and cook until pearls turn transparent about 15 minutes while stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, cover and let sit for another 10-15 minutes or until the sago becomes translucent.
Cool the sago. Strain the cooked tapioca pearls and rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking. Submerge the sieve with the cooked tapioca into a bowl of water to prevent the pearls from drying. Set aside.
Blend the strawberries. Add the washed strawberries into a blender. Next, add the evaporated milk and condensed milk. Then blend at the highest speed until it forms a smooth paste. Taste and add more condensed milk if needed and blend until combined. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
Combine. Drain the tapioca pearls. In a large mixing bowl, add the tapioca pearls and mix with the chilled coconut milk. Then add in the strawberry mixture and mix until combined.
Assemble. Serve in individual-sized cups and garnish with fresh strawberry pieces. Enjoy!
Notes
Use fresh ripe strawberries. Using fresh ripe strawberries is key for the best-tasting strawberry sago pudding.
Watch the sago when cooking. Boil the sago over medium-high heat and stir them occasionally to prevent them from sticking. It is okay if some of the sago has a small white dot in them when you take them off the heat. It will continue to cook while it sits in the pot.
Let the sago sit in cold water. Once you strain the sago and before you incorporate it with the coconut milk, let it sit in cold water to prevent them from sticking to each other.
Adjust the sweetness. When blending the strawberries taste and adjust the sweetness level to your liking. You can also use alternative sweeteners like honey or sugar instead.
Chill the strawberry pudding mixture. You can chill the individual ingredients before you blend them or after it is all incorporated. Alternatively, you can add ice cubes to flash-chill them but this will dilute the flavor.
Customize based on preferences. You can add additional jellies, popping boba, or fruit to your strawberry tapioca pudding for more added flavors or textural contrast.
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