Frequently Asked Questions – Are Ube and Taro Different?

Welcome to our new series – FAQ! Here we’ll be answering commonly asked questions about Filipino cuisine.

This week’s question, “Are ube and taro the same thing?”

Short and simple answer – no, they’re not the same.

Elaborate answer:

Ube, also known as purple yam, is a tuberous root vegetable. It varies in color between a deep purple and even white. We use ube in a lot of sweets like cake, jam, cookies, ice cream, and now pancakes (of course)! 🙂

Taro is also a root vegetable known as gabi in the Philippines. Taro also varies in color, commonly white but also can be slightly gray or lavender. The portion you see used most is the corm of the vegetable, which is the stem of the plant that is underground. Filipinos use the leaves and the corms of this vegetable to make many different dishes and is used mostly in a savory application. But other cultures also use it in a sweet application since it’s very versatile. We actually sell a taro smoothie here at the shop!

We hope we answered some of your ube vs. taro questions! Check back for more FAQ’s coming soon!