Arepas Recipe

This arepas recipe is a traditional comfort food from Colombia and Venezuela of simple cornbread cakes that can be served as a snack or as part of any meal. They are very versatile. Learn how to make them.

Let's Make Homemade Arepas

We're making arepas in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen, my friends, and I think you're going to love them. If you've never tried arepas, this is a recipe you'll definitely want to keep in your recipe collection.

As a spicy food lover, this humble food is the perfect serving vessel for all sorts of wonderfully flavored food, from meats, cheeses, dips and more, and they're quite tasty on their own.

Let's discuss.

What are Arepas?

Arepas are flattened corn bread patties first created by the natives of Venezuela and Colombia. This gift from South American cuisine has been enjoyed for generations by everyone in all walks of like, rich or poor, as a traditional, humble comfort food.

Originally, arepas were made by soaking dried corn, which was then cooked and ground into a type of masa, which is different from Mexican masa or corn meal.

Today, arepas are made from pre cooked cornmeal arepa flour, called masa al instante, or masarepa. 

Arepa recipes vary from region to region, with Vezuelan arepas being thicker than the Colombian version. 

These delicious corn cakes are extremely versatile, lending themselves as vessels for all manner of other foods, like meats, beans, cheeses and vegetables, or they can be enjoyed on their own with a bit of cream cheese, butter or cream.

They're naturally gluten free as well, which is a bonus for some. We love them in our home as a simple party appetizer, or for quick and easy dinners. I can heat up leftover pulled pork or pulled chicken from a previous batch and serve them over quickly made arepa corn cakes for a change to our normal meals.

They're fun for parties with an assortment of creamy goat cheeses and ground meats that guests can stack for themselves. We also love them stuffed. There are so many ways to enjoy them.

Let's talk about how to make arepas, shall we?

Arepas Ingredients

• Masarepa. Masrepa is the best flour for making arepas. It is a special corn flour specifically for making arepas, not to be confused with masa harina, which is used for making traditional Mexican corn tortillas. You can find it in Latin American markets, grocery stores, or order some online. Buy masarepa here from Amazon (affiliate link, my friends!)
• Salt
• Warm Water
• Oil or Butter. For cooking the corn cakes. Use any vegetable oil.

How to Make Arepas - the Recipe Method

Make the Batter. Combine the masarepa, water and salt together in a mixing bowl. Mix well and let rest for 5 minutes.

Smooth the Arepa Dough. Mix the dough again until smooth.

Form the Arepas. Hand form the arepa dough into 8-10 small patties, about 4-5 inches across and 1/2 inch thick.

Cook the Arepas. Heat the butter or oil over medium heat in a large grill pan or cast iron skillet. Use just enough to coat the pan. Cook until golden brown on each side, about 5 minutes on each side.

It could take longer. The outer shell will harden and form a crisp crust, with a softer or hollow interior.

Serve. Cool slightly and serve as desired.

Boom! Done! Ready to serve. They look great, don't they? How are you going to serve them? I'd love to hear!

Serving Arepas

These wonderful corn bread cakes are incredibly versatile and can be served as a simple snack, as a supporting player to any meal, or even as the star. They're great for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Here are some serving ideas.

• Snack. Serve with butter or cream to be enjoyed on their own.
• Top Them. Use them as a base and top them with your favorite meats like shredded pork, chicken or cooked chorizo along with shredded or crumbled cheeses, guacamole, chopped tomatoes or other vegetables and more.
• Arepas con Queso. Thicker arepas can be stuffed with cheese, like mozzarella cheese, cream cheese or goat cheese for this famous version.
• Other Stuffings. You can also stuff them with meats or a combination of meats and cheeses. Consider stuffing them with ground or chopped beef, pork, ham, chicken, seafood, black beans or vegetables.
• Breakfast. Replace your morning toast with arepas. They're great as they are with a bit of butter.
• On the Side. Serve them to accompany any grilled meats, with thick soups or stews, or other meals.
• Sweets. Serve with honey or brown sugar as a sweet dessert.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this humble arepas recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you. How are you serving yours?

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

• Pollo Guisado
• Pollo a la Brasa
• Peruvian Pebre
• Peruvian Shrimp Ceviche
• Lomo Saltado (Peruvian Beef Stir Fry with French Fries)
• Papa a la Huancaina (Peruvian Potatoes in Spicy Cheese Sauce)
• Chimchurri Steak
• Pebre
• Guasacaca - Venezueal Avocado Salsa
• Skillet Corn Bread
• Jalapeno Corn Bread
• Johnny Cakes (Cornmeal Pancakes)

Cookbook Recommendation

Do you love South American cooking? Check out the cookbook “The South American Table” by Maria Baez Kijac (affiliate link, my friends). It's just outstanding. Highly recommended! I adapted this recipe from this cookbook.

If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

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Arepas Recipe

This arepas recipe is a traditional comfort food from Colombia and Venezuela of simple cornbread cakes that can be served as a snack or as part of any meal. They are very versatile. Learn how to make them.

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Colombian, Venezuelan

Keyword: corn, masarepa

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Calories: 83kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Servings: 10

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5 from 8 votes

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Ingredients

• 2 cups masarepa
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups warm water
• Oil or butter for cooking as needed

Instructions

• Combine the masarepa, salt and water together in a mixing bowl. Mix well and let rest for 5 minutes.
• Mix the dough again until smooth.
• Hand form the arepas dough into 8-10 small patties, about 4-5 inches across and ½ inch thick.
• Heat a grill pan or cast iron pan to medium heat and lightly oil or butter. Cook the arepas until golden brown on each side, about 10 minutes total. It could take longer. The outer shell will harden and form a crisp crust, with a softer or hollow interior.
• Cool slightly and serve as desired.

Notes

Top or stuff with your favorite meats or cheeses, or simply with butter or cream.

Makes 8-10 arepas or more, depending on the size. Colombian arepas are 3-5 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick. Venezuelan arepas are 3-5 inches in diameter and 3/4 inch thick. Cooking times will depend on the chosen thickness.

A popular variation is to add shredded cheese to the batter before making the arepas. Adds a wonderful cheesy flavor.

Note: Calories estimated without cooking oil or butter, or with any toppings.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 83kcal   Carbohydrates: 17g   Protein: 2g   Fat: 1g   Saturated Fat: 1g   Sodium: 237mg   Potassium: 60mg   Fiber: 1g   Vitamin A: 49IU   Calcium: 33mg   Iron: 2mg

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

NOTE: This recipe was updated on 7/25/22 to include new information. It was originally published on 4/19/21.