Arepas are comforting corn cakes from Colombia and Venezuela served as a snack, stuffed, or as part of any meal, easy to make with only 3 ingredients! They are very versatile. Learn how to make them.
Easy Arepas Recipe
We're making homemade 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.
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 life, rich or poor, as a traditional, humble comfort food.
Originally, they 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, they 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 crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. And, they 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. The consistency should feel like playdough, not too dry or too loose/wet.
If the dough feels too dry and is cracking, add a tablespoon of water at a time and mix until the dough forms a ball, smooth. It should not stick to your hands.
Form the Arepas. Hand form the dough into 8-10 balls of dough, then flatten into 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? I love pan frying them. How are you going to serve them? I'd love to hear!
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Amounts Vary. This recipe Makes 8-10 corn cakes or more, depending on the size and chosen thickness. Colombian arepas are typically thinner, about 1/4 inch thick, while the Venezuelan versions are thicker with a doughy center, about 3/4 inch thick. Cooking times will depend on the chosen thickness.
- Cheese Arepas. A popular variation is to add shredded cheese to the batter before making them. It adds a wonderful cheesy flavor.
- Baked Arepas. You can also bake them. To do so, lightly fry them a couple minutes per side, then bake them at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, or until they form a crispy outer crust.
- Can I Make Arepas without Masarepa? Yes, you can, though the flavor may be different. Try using the following recipe, given to me by an avid visitor here. Thanks, Jérémie!
Masarepa Substitute
- 1 1/2 cups masa harina
- 1/4 cup coconut flour or almond flour
- 1/4 cup gluten-free flour or arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
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, or topped with fried eggs.
- 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.
Colombian Arepas vs. Venezuelan Arepas
Arepas are popular in both Venezuela and Colombia, and vary primarily in thickness.
Colombian arepas (arepas Colombianas) are generally thinner, made 3-5 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick.
Venezuelan arepas (arepas Venezolanas) are typically made 3-5 inches in diameter and 3/4 inch thick, resulting in a softer interior.
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)
- Chimichurri Steak
- Guasacaca - Venezueal Avocado Salsa
- Skillet Corn Bread
- Jalapeno Corn Bread
- Johnny Cakes (Cornmeal Pancakes)
- Pupusas (Salvadoran Corn Cakes)
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.
Arepas Recipe (How to Make Arepas)
Ingredients
- 2 cups masarepa
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2.5 cups warm water (or more as needed)
- 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. It should have the consistency of playdough and not stick to your hands. If it is too dry, add a tablespoon of water and mix 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. The outer shell will harden and form a crisp crust, with a softer or hollow interior. (NOTE: You can also pan cook them until crispy on the outside, then finish them in your oven or air fryer at 350 degrees F/177C for 8-10 minutes).
- Cool slightly and serve as desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 3/22/24 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 4/19/21.
Lynne says
These turned out great today for a trial run for a neighborhood get-together. First try I only had masa harina and found a substitute mixture (specifically for the masarepa) on line with it, almond flour, gf flour, salt and baking powder. It was way too sticky. So made a grocery run (here in AZ) and found the masarepa. So easy and such lovely dough to work with. Thanks for a great recipe and directions.
Mike H. says
You are very welcome, Lynne. Thanks for the review and enjoy!
Hurlicia Hardeway says
These remind me of pupusas. I'm anxious to try this with my granddaughter. She's 14 and have been cooking with me since she was 4 years old.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Hurlicia. Yes, very much like pupusas! I have a recipe for that on the site, too: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/pupusas/. Enjoy! Happy cooking!
Ramya says
Feel free to delete my previous comment Cant wait to make this soon for me i never had arepas before perfect for my after office snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy, Ramya.
Cindi says
I love Arepas! (And papusas, which I've made) Can you use Masa Harina for the areas? It's what I have in my pantry. I know it's not traditional but was hoping?
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Cindi! Masa is different from masarepa, so it is best to buy some. Enjoy!