Tahitian taro, also known as giant taro or elephant ear taro, is a large-leafed tropical plant grown primarily for its starchy corm. It’s closely related to common taro but tends to produce larger corms with a slightly different texture and flavour profile — mild, faintly sweet, and somewhat drier than regular taro.
Tahitian taro is an important staple crop across the Pacific Islands and parts of Southeast Asia. In Australia, it’s available in Asian and Pacific Islander grocery stores and is used in similar ways to regular taro: boiled, steamed, roasted, or added to soups and stews. It can also be mashed or used in desserts.
Like all taro varieties, Tahitian taro must be thoroughly cooked before eating, as the raw corm contains calcium oxalate crystals that cause irritation.
How it's made
Nutrition (per 100g)
1 cup slices is about 125 g — roughly 60 kcal of this.
What it costs the planet (per kilo)
≈ Estimated — worked out from a category-typical value further up its supply chain. Where this comes from →
Where it comes from
In the kitchen
braised leafy green
- Fafaru
- Tahitian taro bake
- Poisson cru accompaniment
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Where this data comes from
USDA
SR Legacy
Full credits, licences, and methods: the sources page →
Where to next
Your household's take
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