Ginataang Bilo bilo (or Ginataang Halo-halo) is a popular Filipino afternoon snack or dessert.
Made with glutinous rice balls, plantain bananas, sweet potatoes and tapioca pearls that is cooked in sweet coconut milk, and to make it more special, jackfruit is also usually added.
Ginataan Bilo Bilo is a great comfort food, especially on a rainy day. It is very versatile as it can be eaten hot or cold so you can enjoy it as an afternoon snack and even for breakfast or as a dessert.
It is hearty and very nutritious at the same time. Plantain or cooking bananas and sweet potato are both good sources of fiber. They also contain a good array of vitamins and minerals. 
When we were young, I remember my mama would buy freshly ground glutinous rice from the local marketplace. She would have to buy the glutinous rice from the rice vendor herself and bring it to the grinder afterward.
Nowadays you can buy a bag of glutinous or sticky rice flour and just add water to it and they are ready to use.
As you can see in the photo below, I added some purple or violet food color to half of my sticky rice balls. It makes the Ginataan Bilo Bilo a bit more vibrant so does the orange sweet potatoes.
There is also an Ube food flavoring that you can buy that will give the same result plus the added flavor to the balls. Just be careful though with using liquid food colors as just some drops can already go a long way.
Do not laugh at me but I have to say that it was my first time to see orange sweet potatoes.
Back home they are usually off-white to yellowish or even purple, they looked weird to me at first and it was like I was cooking squash or pumpkin instead but it tasted just like the sweet potatoes I know.
Update: Orange-colored sweet potatoes are now also available in the Philippines. Hurray!
Too bad though I was not able to find jackfruit so I was not able to add some.
I have to ask the other Filipinas around where they get it because I am fairly sure I saw some jackfruit when a friend brought Ginataan Bilo Bilo to a Filipino get-together one time. Of course, it could only be in a can unless she was able to bring it directly from the Philippines.
Update: I decided to remake the photos and as you can see there is now jackfruit in it. I will never make Bilo Bilo without it again! I mean, it is good without but it is so much better with them.
How to cook tapioca pearls?
Cooking sago or tapioca pearls could take a while, depending on the size. The bigger ones could take more than an hour to cook. This steps here is for the small ones that I usually use for making Ginataang Bilo-Bilo.
There are different ways to cook tapioca pearls but I like this method because it is faster and it makes sure that the pearls are cooked through by cooking it twice.
- Bring 4-5 cups of water into a rolling boil over high heat. Add the tapioca pearls. Let it cook for 10 minutes.
- Place a colander/strainer in a bowl or pot and pour the contents to separate the tapioca from the water. Use the same water and bring it to boil the second time.
- Wash the strained tapioca pearls thoroughly with tap water and put it back into the boiling water and cook again for several minutes until they become completely translucent and no more white spot at the core.
Ginataang Bilo bilo (glutinous rice balls in coconut milk)
Ingredients
- 2 cups glutinous rice flour
- 1 cup water
- 2-3 cups water
- 2 400ml can coconut milk or cream
- 1 ½ cup cooked tapioca pearls
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 big sweet potatoes - peeled and cubed
- 4 piece plantain bananas - peeled and cubed
- 1 cup jackfruit - cut into strips
Instructions
- Prepare the sticky rice balls by adding 1 cup of water to 2 cups glutinous rice flour. Mix with a fork until it forms a dough. Scoop about half a spoon of the dough and form them into balls using your palms. Set them aside.
- In a pot, combine 2 cups water, coconut milk, and sugar and bring to boil. Add the sweet potato cubes and cook for about 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Next, add the plantain banana cubes and cook for about 3 minutes.
- Once the sweet potatoes and bananas are almost cooked, add the sticky rice balls and let simmer until they are cooked (about 5 minutes) while stirring occasionally. You know the sticky balls are done when they are floating.
- Add the jackfruit slices and the cooked tapioca pearls. Let simmer for another 3-5 minutes or until all fruits are tender and cooked.
- Note that it will continue to thicken even after removing it from the heat. Serve hot or cold.
Notes
While cooking, you may need to add more water if it is getting too thick.
Nutrition
Ginataang Bilo-bilo
Recipe was easy to follow. This is one of my favorite Filipino foods from my childhood so I really wanted to perfect cooking it. All was easy except cooking the tapioca pearls. I opted not to make it and just buy the ready to boil ones. But alas to my dismay it didn't cook all the way. The middle part was still white. It always goes this way and it disappoints me. Help me pls. Thanks.
Your hopeless
Hi Marissa, that is why it is better to cook the tapioca pearls separately so you are sure they will cook all though out. The problem when just adding uncooked tapioca pearls is that it will take longer to cook because of the sticky sauce, unlike when you cook it in plain water.
Mostly all you recipes are very easy to follow and turns out really nice, thank you😘❤️
That is good to hear, Christina! Thanks for the great comment.
I love it!
Thanks for sharing this recipe…
I. Love. It. Reminds me so much of my childhood. Just sucks, my plantain banana didn’t get ripe in time 😭 but it still taste ahhmaazing!!! Thank you for sharing this recipe! My tummy is full now 😋
Aloha from Hawaii 🤙🏼🌺
Hello from Canberra, Australian Capital Territory!
Thanks for sharing the recipe 🙂
It brings back childhood memories with mum and nan.
Greetings from Vancouver, BC, Canada! We call giant orange sweet potatoes "yams" here and yellow sweet potatoes "sweet potatoes". Thank you for sharing such a lovely recipe - it helps me to remember my late Mom's recipes in complete detail. Do you add sweet yellow corn? I highly recommend adding it to your recipe! The colours of guinata'an are beautiful - purple ube, white, orange yam, yellow corn and jackfruit...
Maraming salamat for sharing!
Hi Czarina! I will try adding sweet corn next time. 😉 Thanks for the 5 stars.
Love the recipe but I modify some ingredients on it. I place taro besides the sweet potatoes. Rest same. Thanks! I like the idea of the food coloring too for the balls. I enjoy it a lot.
That is great to hear, Fashy! Glad you like it.
You can buy fresh jack fruit at any Asian store anywhere in the US. Costco has them now. I love bilobilo. I guess I will be making them soon.
That is great news, Mila!
recipe looks easy and saw looks yummy.!! Thanks...
Thanks, Roger. Give it a try..
Ginataang Bilo-bilo is different from ginataang Halo-halo... Though cooked the same way Bilo-bilo is Glutenous rice balls and Sago (big and small) (Sago is also different from tapioca balls or boba) All round, hence "bilo-bilo" Jackfruit is used for garnish.
Ginataang Halo-halo has more than just ingredients, hence "Halu-halo" or assortment, just like the one served with shaved ice. Take note that the spelling Halo-halo (popularized by a Chinese fast food chain) was used for branding. The correct spelling "Halu-halo" does not mean "Mix-mix" but assorted or assortment.
Will it taste ok without the jackfruit.I don’t want to go out to get a can.?
Jackfruits makes it special but I think it can stand on its own without it! 😉
Hi. What’s the purple thing?
Thanks Ms Bebs for this recipe. Lucky there is store bought tapioca rice balls here in SG. Super easy & yummy recipe 😄👍🏼
Glad you like it, Dian.
Can I substitute mango with jack fruit?
I have not eaten a bilo-bilo with mango before but although not the same you can add it before serving to give it an original twist.
This was SO GOOD! Thanks!
...and I don't mind adding how lovely you look, Bebs 😉
...and you, sir, just made my day!😉😘 Thanks for the lovely comment!
Missed our annual Christmas Filipino family gathering (social distancing). my Aunt Rosie would normally make this dish for me. I made it myself with this recipe and it was amazing!!! So glad I found it. (The tapioca pearls were a little hard for me - lots of sticky cleanup)
Glad you like it, Liz! The tapioca pearls are my favorite part.😉
I LOVE ginataan! Regarding the nutritional label for this dish, what is the serving size? I know I can eat a huge bowl no problem
Thank you for your recipe! It makes quite a bit! Did you ever freeze leftover? If yes, was it ok when reheated?
I haven't tried freezing it, but it should be ok to refrigerate for a day or two. Rice and tapioca balls do not freeze well.
I love ginataang bilobilo!
I will try this recipe.
Can I use the cooked (ready-made) tapioca in a jar instead? I tried cooking tapioca pearls before and I wasn't successful. Don't want to risk it again with this yummy recipe. Thank you! Love your site. More blessings to you (and your family!) so you can continue to share with us your wonderful recipes. 🤗👍🏼♥️
Sure you can use already-cooked tapioca or sago without a problem. Thanks for your nice comment and stay safe!
Thank you for the recipe of Ginataang Bilo-Bilo (halo). It’s just on time for I will cook this for my pot luck tomorrow.😊
Thanks for the 5 stars, Teresita!
Just made this and it's super good thank you!- quick question - what can I do if the sauce gets too thick after cooling?
You can add more water or coconut milk.
I personally like to add fresh milk in my bowl and heat it up in microwave 🙂
We made it and it was so good.
That is awesome, Marivic.
It tasted exactly how I remembered and was easier to make than I thought it would be. My tapioca pearls took a couple of hours to cook though because I used the larger ones on accident. Great recipe, I’ll definitely make it again!
Hi Kara, glad you like it. Yup, that is why I like the tiny tapioca pearls more, they save you a lot of time to cook. Thanks for the 5 stars...
2 cans of milk are how many in ml?
Hi Sachi, a can is about 400ml to 800ml in total.
I’ve been using this recipe since last April and it never failed to satisfy my love of ginataan, its the best!!! Thank you for sharing... All the best!!!
Glad to hear it, Cheryl. Thanks for your lovely comment.
Thank you for the recipes.. its easy to follow and readily available where i live.
That is great, Helen! Thanks for the 5 stars.
Can it be unsweeted coconut milk?
Hi Crystal, I am not sure if there is sweetened coconut milk at all.
Thank you for this simple recipe. We tried it for the first time and it turned out good.😊
Glad you like it, Elou!
First time making this today and it is so delicious!! Instructions so easy to follow! Thank you for sharing!
Happy that you enjoyed it, Mary Anne.
Am starting the recipe I saw I didn’t make it yet but I will do a comment after I taste it
Your recipe was simple & my first try came out so good! I tried a second time but unlike the first time I made my own White balls with rice flour! It came out super dense and not light and airy like I am used to . It came apart on me when I tried rolling the balls because the flour wasn’t always sticking well so I added more water! Was that a mistake? Is this why the dough balls were so heavy and thick?
Hi Jackee, what did you use the first time? When you make the balls, the texture of the rice daugh should be like play-dough. Maybe they were not cooked yet? They should float on top when cooked.
Hi! I was wondering can I use regular bananas if I don’t have Saba Bananas?
Hi Beverly, saba bananas are really for cooking and add some tartness to the rather sweet dish. I haven't tried cooking regular banana, except for banana bread. I am not sure how it will turn out. But why not try..
Thank you for sharing the recipes. I enjoy cooking. I love the filipino desserts. I will follow them & hope the end result will come close or just as good. Thanks.
Hi Herminia, it is fairly easy and I am sure you will get it! Hope you like it as much as we do!
Hi
Are we able to freeze ginataang bilo bilo for later consumption?
Hi Mae, you can refrigerate for some days but I do not recommend freezing. The quality will not be the same.
You can freeze it in small freezer bags for individual servings. Make sure that it is cooled off completely and that all the air is pushed out of the package. It has to defrost slowly in the refrigerator overnight, then you can warm it using the microwave.
But I would not recommend freezing the tapioca balls, they do not freeze and thaw well. So if you are planning to freeze it just add them before serving.
Hi Bebs,
I'm looking for puto bongbong recipe, by any chance you have this recipe?
Thanks,
Erlinda
Hi Erlinda, I just got hold of the purple sticky rice and was thinking of making puto bumbong with it to make it as authentic as possible. Will try to make it soon.
Hello I tried your recipe for the first time. Once I had put the rice balls in, they did not float and was not cooked in the center. It was still delicious. Tell me what I did wrong, please?!
Hi Gerald, that is actually how you tell that the glutinous rice balls are cooked through, they will float. How long did you let them boil? Maybe you should have waited a bit more... 🙂
I made this ginataang bilo bilo and my co-workers and my ate Ellen really love it. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Great to hear that they all liked it, Rhea!
I can’t find a fresh purple yam but what i got was the frozen grated kind. Can I still use this and just form it into balls or can i mix the grated yam to the glutinous rice mixture? Pls advise. Thanks
Hi Sam, I didn't use purple yam in this recipe.:-) The purple you see are just colored glutinous rice balls. We usually just use sweet potato.
I tried your recipe and the result is deliciousness. Done in no time at all. Simple and true to how our Indang Kasi used to make it. Thanks for sharing anak. God bless!
Hi Tito Vir. I am so happy to read your comment. Thank you, po and I am glad you liked it!
I made some ginataan yesterday. I did not follow the the measurements but I used it as a guide. Thank you for this easy recipe! I will try the Palitaw next time ????
I just cooked Ginatan awhile ago using this recipe. Thanks!
i was looking for a very simple recipe on how to cook ginataang bilo-bilo..yours was really impressive and looks really yummy..thanks for sharing..
It was really yummy !!! Thanks ....!