Malanga gives the same dense, slightly sticky chunks that crisp at the edges, and potato supplies the starchy bulk if you cut it larger and add it later so it does not break up without taro's mucilage.
You're simmering taro in a coconut braise or soup and counting on it to thicken the liquid.
All three shed starch into the liquid as they soften, so the sauce still thickens, with malanga and cassava also keeping taro's dense, slightly gluey bite while potato goes softer.
You're boiling taro as the plain starch on the plate, Pacific-style, to eat with coconut cream, fish or meat.
Here the job is filling starchy bulk, which all three cover, with malanga closest in texture, cassava denser and chewier, and green banana firmer and plainer.
You're mashing taro into a sweet paste for bun fillings, a dessert or a homemade taro milk tea.
Purple sweet potato mashes smooth and gives the lilac colour people expect, though it is sweeter and wetter, so cut back the added sugar and cook the paste a little longer to firm it.
You're making steamed taro cake or fried taro dumplings, where the mashed taro has to bind and the nutty flavour is what the dish is about.
These dishes rely on taro's sticky binding and chestnut-like flavour together, and only malanga comes near, with a slightly earthier taste; potato or sweet potato turns them into a different dish.
What Taro does in a recipe
starchy bulk · primary — Its dense, starch-packed flesh turns a braise, curry or soup into a filling dish in the same way potato does.
creamy, sticky texture · primary — Cooked taro goes smooth and slightly sticky, almost waxy-creamy, because of its fine starch and natural mucilage.
thickening · secondary — The outside of each chunk softens and sheds starch and mucilage into the liquid, thickening coconut braises and soups without flour.
flavour · secondary — It adds a mild, nutty, faintly sweet flavour often compared to chestnut, which carries taro desserts and taro milk tea.
binding · secondary — Mashed taro holds together into a mouldable paste for fried taro dumplings, steamed taro cake and fillings.
Very close, dense and creamy with a similar slipperiness.
Looks
Flesh is creamy white to pale yellow or pink rather than taro's grey-lilac with purple flecks.
Best for
curries and braises, boiled Pacific-style starch, soups
Dairy-freeVeganGluten-freeNut-free
Tried this swap? How did it work?
potato
One catch· probably in your pantry
500 g for every 500 g taro
Potato gives the same starchy bulk in curries and braises but lacks taro's sticky hold, so it breaks up sooner.
The catch: Use an all-rounder such as Désirée, cut it into larger chunks than you would taro and add it about 10 minutes later, because it softens faster and falls apart without taro's mucilage.
Covers
starchy bulk, thickening
Misses
creamy, sticky texture, flavour, binding
Taste
Plainer and more earthy, without the chestnut-like note.
Texture
Softer and fluffier rather than dense and slightly sticky.
Looks
Yellow or white flesh with no purple flecks.
Best for
Indian dry curries, coconut braises, soups
Dairy-freeVeganGluten-freeNut-free
Tried this swap? How did it work?
cassava
One catch
500 g for every 500 g taro
Cassava matches taro's density, starchiness and slightly gluey bite, so it covers bulk, texture and binding well.
The catch: Peel it fully, pull out the woody central cord and simmer until completely tender right through, which usually takes longer than taro.
Mild and slightly tangy, with a faint banana note.
Texture
Firmer and drier, closer to a waxy potato.
Looks
Pale cream flesh that can grey slightly once cut.
Best for
boiled Pacific-style starch, coconut cream dishes
Dairy-freeVeganGluten-freeNut-free
Tried this swap? How did it work?
Commonly tried, but skip these
People reach for these, and they let you down.
taro milk tea powder
Skip it
People reach for it because it says taro on the packet, but it is mostly sugar, creamer and flavouring, so in a curry, taro cake or dumpling filling there is nothing to provide the starchy body and the dish ends up sweet and thin.
Tried this swap? How did it work?
When to buy the real thing
You're making fried taro dumplings or steamed taro cake for a yum cha spread or Lunar New Year.
Instead: Buy fresh or frozen peeled taro from an Asian grocer, where it is often labelled yam or sold as small eddoes, because no substitute gives the same lacy fried shell and nutty paste.
You're cooking for a Pacific Islander gathering where taro is the staple people are expecting.
Instead: Buy taro from a Pacific or Asian grocer or a fresh market, or ask the hosts which starch they would like, because cassava or potato will be noticed as a swap.
You're making taro milk tea and want the real taro flavour and slightly thick body.
Instead: Boil and mash fresh or frozen taro, then blend it into the tea, rather than relying on powder or sweet potato.
Rescue a swap gone wrong
The potato in your curry has collapsed and the sauce has turned mushy.
Why: Potato softens faster than taro and has none of its mucilage to hold the chunks together.
Fix: Stir the broken pieces through so they thicken the sauce and serve it as a thick curry; next time cut the potato larger and add it about 10 minutes later.
The cassava is still hard, chalky or fibrous in the centre.
Why: Cassava takes longer to cook than taro, and the woody central cord stays tough if it is not removed.
Fix: Return it to a simmer until a knife slides through the thickest part easily, then pull out any cord you can see; cassava should always be cooked until fully tender.
The sweet potato curry tastes more like a dessert than a savoury dish.
Why: Sweet potato is much sweeter than taro, and that sugar concentrates as the sauce reduces.
Fix: Balance it with a squeeze of lime juice or a little tamarind, extra salt and some chilli, tasting as you go.
The purple sweet potato paste is too soft to hold in a bun or dumpling.
Why: Sweet potato is wetter and less sticky than taro, so the paste does not set firm.
Fix: Cook the paste in a dry non-stick pan, stirring, until it pulls away from the sides, then work in a little glutinous rice flour or cornflour; if the recipe gives this in tablespoons, check whether it means a 20 ml Australian or 15 ml overseas tablespoon.
Key numbers
Water
about 70%Raw taro is drier than potato, which is why it cooks up dense rather than fluffy.
Carbohydrate
about 26%Mostly starch, which gives the body and thickening in braises.
Fibre
about 4%Part of this is the mucilage that gives cooked taro its slippery, sticky feel.
Protein
about 1.5%Low protein means a substitute does not need to match it for structure.
Differences between countries
Applies to Australia
Often labelled yam in Asian grocers (Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States, Canada)
Asian grocers in all five countries often label taro as yam, which is a loose translation of its Chinese name. True yams are a different plant. In the US and Canada, yam on a supermarket sign usually means orange sweet potato, so check the vegetable itself: taro has hairy brown skin with rings and grey-white flesh flecked with purple.
Sold as dasheen and eddoes (United Kingdom, United States, Canada)
Caribbean grocers in the UK, US and Canada usually sell taro as dasheen, meaning the large main corm, or as eddoes, the small side corms. Both come from the same species and can be used wherever a recipe asks for taro.
Applies to Australia
Large Pacific-style taro (New Zealand, Australia)
Pacific Island grocers and fresh markets in New Zealand and Australia sell the large, whole taro corms used as a boiled staple, many of them imported from Pacific Island countries. Asian grocers tend to stock smaller taro and frozen peeled chunks.
Malanga sometimes sold as taro (United States)
In the US, Latin grocers sell malanga, a related plant, and the names taro, malanga and eddo are sometimes mixed up on signs. Malanga can be used in place of taro, but expect paler flesh and a slightly earthier flavour.
Where to buy it
Applies to Australia
Australia · moderate to find
Asian grocers, Pacific grocers and fresh markets
Asian grocers usually have fresh taro and frozen peeled chunks, but most mainstream supermarkets do not stock it.
New Zealand · moderate to find
Pacific and Asian grocers, fruit and vegetable shops
It is easy to find in cities with large Pacific Island communities, such as Auckland, and harder in smaller towns.
United Kingdom · moderate to find
Caribbean, African and Asian grocers
Look for it under the names dasheen or eddoes, as well as taro.
United States · moderate to find
Asian, Latin and Caribbean grocers
Asian grocers often carry frozen peeled taro, which saves you from peeling it yourself.
Canada · moderate to find
Asian and Caribbean grocers
Many larger supermarkets in big cities also stock it in the international produce section.
What is Taro called in other countries?
dasheeneddoeddoearbi
Measurements differ too, not just names: the kitchen conversion chart covers cups, spoons and oven temperatures across these countries.
Questions people ask
Is taro the same as yam?
No, taro and yam are different plants, even though Asian grocers often label taro as yam. True yams have rough, bark-like skin and are generally drier, while taro has ringed, hairy brown skin and grey-white flesh flecked with purple. In the US, yam usually means orange sweet potato, which is different again.
Are dasheen and eddoes the same as taro?
Yes, dasheen and eddoes are both taro. Dasheen is the large main corm and eddoes are the smaller side corms. Eddoes cook a little faster and are handy for curries, while dasheen suits boiling as a plain starch.
Can you eat taro raw?
No, taro must always be cooked. Raw taro contains needle-like calcium oxalate crystals that make the mouth and throat itch and sting, and thorough boiling, steaming or frying breaks them down. Cook it until a knife slides through easily.
Why do my hands itch after peeling taro?
The itching comes from the same calcium oxalate crystals found in the raw flesh and skin. Wear disposable gloves when you peel it, or peel it under running water and dry your hands straight afterwards. Buying frozen peeled taro avoids the problem altogether.
Can I use frozen taro instead of fresh?
Yes, frozen peeled taro works well in curries, braises, soups, taro cake and milk tea. Add it straight from frozen to simmering dishes and allow a few extra minutes of cooking. It can be a little wetter than fresh, so for pastes and dumpling fillings, steam it and let it steam-dry before mashing.
Can I leave taro out of a curry?
You can, but the curry will be thinner and less filling, because taro supplies starchy bulk and thickens the sauce. Malanga is the closest replacement. Potato works if you cut it into larger chunks and add it about 10 minutes later so it does not break up.
Where Taro comes from
Taro is the starchy corm of Colocasia esculenta, a plant from South and South-East Asia that has been cultivated for thousands of years. It spread across the Pacific, where it remains a staple food, and both the corm and the leaves are eaten after cooking.
Taro is usually dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free — check the label, and see the disclaimer.