Arepas Recipe

How to Make Arepas (3 Ingredients!)

An easy, step-by-step tutorial on how to make arepas! Just 3 ingredients and simple methods required. The perfect side or base for a sandwich!

Prep: 10min

Total: 30min

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1 (Arepas)

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 (Arepas), calories 233 kcal, Carbohydrate 46.9 g, Protein 4.3 g, Fat 2.3 g, Saturated Fat 0.3 g, Sodium 390 mg, unSaturated Fat 1.91 g

Ingredients:

• 2 cups warm water
• 1 heaped tsp sea salt
• 2 cups areparina*
• 1 Tbsp avocado, coconut, or vegan butter for cooking ((if avoiding oil, just omit and be sure your pan is non-stick))

Instruction:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). Set out a baking sheet and line with parchment paper. And to a large mixing bowl, add water and salt. Stir to combine and dissolve salt.
2. A little at a time, add the areparina and stir with a whisk or your hands (our preferred method). You may work your way all the way up to two cups, although we typically have 1-2 Tbsp leftover. You’re looking for a dough that doesn’t easily stick to your hands, is moldable and moist, and can be rolled into a ball. Once you have that consistency, cover with a towel for 5 minutes. We did mix both white and yellow areparina as inspired by Teote (optional).
3. Uncover, grab a large handful of dough, and roll into a ball (as the recipe is written, our batch made 6 large arepas, but it could also make 8-10 smaller arepas).
4. Carefully press the ball between the palms of your hands to form into a roughly 1/2-inch thick disc (for thinner, crispier arepas, press closer to 1/4 inch). If it cracks a lot on the sides, your dough may need 1-2 (15-30 ml) more water. A little cracking is OK – just use your hands to close the cracks by gently patting along the edges (see photo).
5. Once the arepas are formed, heat a large cast-iron or non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add a little oil and swirl to coat. Then add arepas, giving them a little room in between so they don’t touch. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until deep golden brown (a few blackened spots are OK). You’re looking to form a crust. Then flip and cook for 2-3 minutes more or until the underside is also browned.
6. Transfer to your parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes or until slightly puffed up and a little more golden brown in color. Some people like to slice into them immediately, but I find they can be a little doughy in the middle at that stage, so I prefer to let them cool for 5-10 minutes and serve while they’re warm but not piping hot.
7. To enjoy, slice in half and enjoy as is, spread both sides with vegan butter and a little maple syrup (YUM), or cut the arepa 3/4 of the way around, leaving a seam on the edge so you can “stuff” it like a pita. Fillings could include everything from black beans to rice to guacamole or even our Vegan Barbacoa!
8. Best when fresh. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month (cooked or uncooked). Reheat in a 350-degree F (176 C) oven until warmed through. If reheating frozen uncooked arepas, I’d recommend letting them thaw first and cooking them as instructed.

Classic Arepas

Arepas are a cornmeal cake that’s a quintessential part of Venezuelan cuisine. This is the arepas recipe I grew up eating them daily in Caracas.

Total: 1 hour

Yield: Makes 8

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt
• 2 cups (326 g) precooked white cornmeal arepa flour (such as P.A.N. Masarepa), plus more as needed
• 1 tsp. vegetable oil, divided, plus more as needed
• Salted butter, shredded cheese such as queso blanco, mozzarella, cheddar, or Gouda, and/or sliced avocado (for serving)

Instruction:

1. Whisk 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt and 2 ½ cups warm water in a large bowl until salt dissolves, about 1 minute.
2. Slowly pour in 2 cups (326 g) precooked white cornmeal arepa flour, vigorously mixing by hand as you add the flour. It will start out thin and porridge-like and quickly become a soft, thick dough when all the flour is added. Continue kneading for about 2 minutes, ensuring no lumps remain (some small ones are okay). Dough should be moist and tacky but not sticky. (If it feels too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time, mixing well after each addition. Shape a small ball of dough into a disk—if the edges crack, the dough is too dry. Add water a tablespoon at a time to adjust texture.) Cover bowl tightly with a lid or plastic wrap and set aside for at least 10 minutes and up to 2 hours to fully hydrate.
3. Divide dough into 8 portions (eyeballing is fine). Lightly grease your palms with vegetable oil. Flatten each dough ball into a disk about 4″ across and approximately ⅓” thick. Transfer disks to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Cover tightly with plastic wrap to prevent dough from drying out as you cook arepas.
4. Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 200°. Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet with lid over medium-high. Using a silicone pastry brush or crumpled paper towel, coat pan with ½ tsp. vegetable oil. Place arepas in pan 1–2 at a time (depending on how many fit), cover, and cook until underside is dry with golden brown spots, 7–9 minutes. Uncover, flip using an offset spatula, and continue to cook, uncovered, until second side is dry with pale golden spots, about 4 minutes. Arepa will sound faintly hollow when tapped. Transfer to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet; transfer to oven to keep warm while you cook remaining arepas, lightly oiling skillet with remaining ½ tsp. vegetable oil between batches.
5. To serve: hold a warm arepa between a kitchen towel to protect your hand from escaping steam. Using a sharp paring knife, slit arepa around the edges (like a bagel) to create a pocket. Inside will be slightly doughy (if it bothers you, scrape off some of the dough with the paring knife) and tacky but not raw. Fill split area with butter, cheese, and/or avocado and serve warm.

Arepas Recipe

Arepas – fried cornmeal pockets stuffed with all the fillings you could ever want, like carnitas, spicy chicken, sweet potatoes, black beans, sauces, and more. THESE ARE SO GOOD!

Prep: 15min

Total: 30min

Yield: 8

Nutrition Facts: servingSize None, calories 240 calories, Sugar 0 g, Sodium 1049.4 mg, Fat 14.2 g, Saturated Fat 11.2 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Carbohydrate 25.8 g, Fiber 2.4 g, Protein 2.9 g, Cholesterol 0 mg

Ingredients:

• 2 cups precooked cornmeal*
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/2 cups warm water
• oil for pan frying
• Carnitas (personal fave!) or Chipotle Shredded Chicken
• Magic Green Sauce or other sauce (umm, what other sauce would there be?)
• black beans
• sweet potatoes, sliced into thin pieces and sautéed in olive oil and salt until softened
• red onions (pickled? yum)
• Cotija cheese

Instruction:

1. Mix the precooked cornmeal and the salt. Add the water and whisk remove any lumps, then stir until combined. Let the mixture rest for 5-10 minutes.
2. Using your hands, divide the dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten in gently to create a disk, about 1 inch thick (see pictures).
3. Heat a thin layer of oil (about 1/4 inch deep) in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the arepas and fry for about 6 minutes on both sides. The arepas should get a dry fried exterior without getting overly brown. Set on paper towels to drain and cool.
4. Cut the arepas in half and stuff with your fillings!

How to Make Arepas | Easy and Only Three Ingredients!