Arepas – are flat, round, savory unleavened patties made with only 5 ingredients; crispy on the outside and tender doughy on the inside. A Latin-American staple that can be enjoyed plain, on the side or stuffed with just about anything you like!
You know how I truly love this job ’cause I get to try different food from all over the world. Every time I find a new recipe and put my own little spin to it (well, not all of them), I get so anxious to share it with you all. These patty shaped Arepas here are my latest discovery and they’re pretty spot on addictive. And they pair well with almost anything you like!
What Are Arepas?
Arepas or Arepa (singular form) are shallow-fried corn cakes made from a special kind of pre-cooked corn flour called Masarepa (a.k.a areparina), salt and water. Traditionally though, arepas are made by soaking and pounding dried corn kernels in a pilon or a mortar and pestle before they are shaped into patty cakes.
Good thing Masarepa is pretty popular in the U.S. or I would have to dry and pound some corn kernels myself. 😉 You can check this special flour at the Latin section of your favorite supermarket. You’d usually see brands like Areparina (which I use), Goya and PAN – among others.
Arepas have somewhat a crispy exterior and a soft, slightly creamy inside. And they are incredibly easy to make at home!
What is Masarepa or Arepa Flour?
Masarepa is a special masa flour that is different from masa harina used in making tortillas and tamales. It is a refined, pre-cooked corn flour specifically for making arepas. For arepa flour, it uses large, starchy corn kernels which makes it a starchier variety of flour.
What Do Arepas Taste Like?
Regular arepas uses salt to taste and has a milder corn flour compared to tortillas or tamales. This feat makes them great to soak up all those juices and flavors from any cooked meat, beans and salsa. To add more flavor into these easy Latin corn cakes, you certainly can add a few tablespoons of butter and cheese just like I did. You’ll be surprised how this version here taste like.
Are Arepas Gluten-Free?
In it’s natural form, arepas are indeed gluten-free. However, since I added butter and cheese in this recipe, it couldn’t be gluten-free. I highly suggest that you skip those two or choose brands that are 100% gluten-free.
How Do You Store Arepas?
Arepas reheat extremely well! For cooked arepas, it can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. You may also freeze uncooked and shaped arepas for up to a month. To reheat the cooked ones, simply pop them in the oven until warmed through and enjoy. I recommend that you thaw first the frozen arepas and cook them as directed below.
If you want to make the dough in the advance (although it’s super quick and easy to work on), you may wrap the dough with a plastic cling wrap and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Anything longer than that would make the these savory round corn cakes unappetizing.
How Do You Eat Arepas?
Ooohh. I could actually make a long list for you. First off, arepas are great even when served on its own. That crispy exterior and soft, creamy, doughy inside is just pure heaven! To serve it for breakfast, you can go for butter or jam, eggs or ham and cheese. Simply cut it in half to create two piece, like you would for an English muffin, and slather it with whatever you like.
And it doesn’t just stop there. You can cut the arepas like “pita pockets” and stuff it with anything form black beans, to guacamole to picadillo (see the video, too) and even this tasty shredded chicken recipe or slow cooker carnitas (as seen below). It makes a wonderful party appetizer, lunch and dinner, too.
Enjoy!
Arepas
Ingredients
- 2 cups (228 g) areparina flour
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) salt
- 2 tablespoon (28 g)melted unsalted butter
- 2 cups (474 ml) warm water
- ½ cup (66 g) mozzarella cheese (optional)
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) cooking oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine arepa flour and salt and mix until fully combined. Make a well in the center and add in the melted butter and water. Gradually stir using a wooding spoon until no dry lumps remain. Adjust the consistency by adding more flour or water as needed, the dough is ready when it doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl or your fingers. Let it rest for about 5 minutes to hydrate.
- Grab 3 tablespoons of the dough and form a ball, gently press dough between your palms to flatten forming about ¼ inch thick patty. Pay attention to the edges so as to not leave cracks. If using cheese, make a little well in the center of the dough ball before flattening. Place flattened dough on a greased parchment paper and repeat the process for the remaining dough.
- Heat oil in a large cast-iron or non sticky skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the arepas in batches, flipping once, until golden brown in patches, for about 5-8 minutes on each side. Drain on a paper towel.
- Transfer arepas to a wire rack and let it cool. Split arepas and stuff with desired filling; shredded chicken, shredded pork, guacamole, butter, maple syrup or enjoy as is.
Tips & Notes:
- Arepas can be stored covered in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days or in the freezer in a freeze safe bag for about a month.
Nutrition Information:
How to Make Arepas
In a large bowl, combine arepa flour and salt and mix until fully combined. Make a well in the center and add in the melted butter and water.
Gradually stir using a wooding spoon until no dry lumps remain. Adjust the consistency by adding more flour or water as needed.
The dough is ready when it doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl or your fingers. Let it rest for about 5 minutes to hydrate.
Grab 3 tablespoons of the dough and form a ball, gently press dough between your palms to flatten forming about ¼ inch thick patty. Pay attention to the edges so as to not leave cracks. If using cheese, make a little well in the center of the dough ball before flattening. Place flattened dough on a greased parchment paper and repeat the process for the remaining dough.
Heat oil in a large cast-iron or non sticky skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the arepas in batches, flipping once, until golden brown in patches, for about 5-8 minutes on each side.
Drain on a paper towel. Transfer arepas to a wire rack and let it cool. Split arepas and stuff with desired filling; shredded chicken, shredded pork, guacamole, butter, maple syrup or enjoy as is.
Jezebel Jones says
If you do not know that cheese and butter are naturally gluten free, I do not think you are qualified to be giving ANY advice about allergies until you educate yourself. Either google it or just don’t say anything.
Chrystal says
Neither cheese nor butter contain gluten, a protein found in some grains like barley, rye, oats (which are usually grown in rotation with wheat and therfore may contain wheat unless the fields are used exclusively for gluten free plants), and wheat.
I say all of this to say that your recipe, as it is above, is gluten free, as long as the arepa flour only contains the corn flour and none of the ingredients, or products derived from them like malt (often made from barley).
Malissa says
Love your recipes! What is the recipe for the meat that is served with the arepas in the picture?
ImmaculateBites says
It’s slow cooker carnitas. Check out the recipe here https://www.africanbites.com/spicy-pulled-pork/
Betty says
Do you work the cheese into the dough? Or just cook it on top of the dough?
imma africanbites says
Hello. I add the cheese at the center of each dough ball before I flatten them. Please see step #2. Thank you.
Eileen says
what is Arepa flour?
imma africanbites says
Hi Eileen. It is a refined, pre-cooked corn flour specifically for making arepas. For arepa flour, it uses large, starchy corn kernels which makes it a starchier variety of flour. You can purchase them online in amazon.com or at any Latin specialty stores.
Ivonne says
Harina PAN….Venezuelan food
Katie Kohler says
I was wondering if you knew of a substitute for the flour as I can’t find it anywhere and don’t have time to order it!
ImmaculateBites says
Sorry there isn’t a real substitute for this flour .
Yaeli says
Hi sweety! First, i want to say thtat i love your blog and recipes! I am from israel, the food here is amaizng! Israelis are very open minded and love to try and test new food and recipes. Unfortantly, we dont have a lot from the caribbian-african side here, i hope we will…, any way, what i want to ask is about this special arepas flower, we dont have it here, we have yellow and whait cirn flower, thick and thin…, can i make this beautiful arepas with a diferent flower?? I would love to make it…! Is it possible?? Thabk you, yaeli.
imma africanbites says
Hi, Yaeli. Thank you for dropping by. I haven’t tried this recipe with other types of flour. But as per online digging, the closest substitute you can have for Masarepa flour would be Masa Harina which is a very finely ground white corn flour used in making tortillas. Though there’ll be a noticeable difference in taste and texture. You can purchase masarepa though on amazon.com. You’d usually see brands like Areparina (which I use), Goya and PAN – among others. Hope this helps.
Pam says
My sister-in-law is from Columbia and serves them with a salted yogurt that is sooo good! They kind of remind me of my southern Grandmas fried corn bread which I miss so much. I am definitely going to try making these soon!
imma africanbites says
Got to try these with yogurt. I’ve had these with butter and I love love it. That’s my first thought, too. These resembles the hot cornbread or fried cornbread. Can’t wait for you to try it. Enjoy!
Diana says
Listen here Imma, my mother-in-law gave me a bag of this flour about 3 weeks ago and I have to admit that I didn’t know what to do with it, so it ended up in the cupboard until i can figure out what to use it for.
Now today i got your update, and what you know the same flour present itself… well honey, I made Arepas for lunch with some sweet plantain hash. OMG!! DELICIOUS!!
Thank you so much hun… you are appreciated.