Once tried, never forgotten. Arepas are a rich South American delight where simple ingredients combine to create fluffy corn-based dough discs of joy.
These patties make perfect snacks any time of the day, whether slathered in butter or stuffed with any number of tasty fillings. Black beans, mozzarella, avocado, melted cheese — you name it, the arepa will complement it.
The answer to how to make arepas is refreshingly positive. These staples from Latin America are simple to make with just a few ingredients. You can even cook them in an air fryer.
It’s time to don your chef’s cap and learn how to make arepas. Just be warned: This could be the beginning of a lifelong love affair with this cornmeal-based treat.
What Are Arepas?
Arepas are cornmeal patties popular across Central and South America. They’re usually flat and round and resemble English muffins. Venezuela and Colombia are the heartlands of the arepa.
Street vendors offer this delicious snack with various fillings or toppings, depending on the region, and are a staple at home. Some folks deep-fry them while others serve them pan-fried or even baked. Fillings include meat, butter, or cheese served atop or inside.
Arepas can be eaten any time of the day — as breakfast with scrambled eggs, for lunch as an afternoon snack, or even as an evening bite. They’ve been enjoyed in the Americas for centuries. It’s believed the word arepa originated in the Cumaná language on the Venezuelan coast, where erepa means corn or cornmeal cake.
Why Pre-Cooked Cornmeal Is the Secret to Arepa-Making Success
The principal ingredient in arepas is a specially made white cornmeal flour. We recommend buying pre-cooked cornmeal flour to get the best results. This corn flour is called masarepa. Popular brands include Harina PAN and Goya Masarepa. You can find these online or in Latin American grocery stores. Bonus: arepas are naturally gluten-free.
Take care not to buy masa harina, which is a white corn flour. Masa harina hasn’t been nixtamalized, which means removing the corn husks after being soaked and treated with slaked lime. It has a slightly different flavor and texture, primarily for tortillas, tamales, and enchiladas. As such, masa harina won’t produce great arepas.
The Arepas Recipe: How to Make Arepas
It’s easy to make crispy-on-the-outside and cloud-fluffy-on-the-inside arepas. What’s more, the arepas recipe couldn’t be more straightforward.
Follow this recipe to achieve the perfect melt-in-your-mouth arepas that will wow your friends and family.
Servings: 8 arepas
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
What Are the Ingredients in Arepas?
You need only three ingredients to make arepas, assuming water is not classified as an ingredient. For eight servings (eight arepas), the ingredients are:
- 2 ½ cups (590ml) of warm water
- One teaspoon of salt
- Two cups (475 grams) of pre-cooked cornmeal
- ¼ cup (60ml) of vegetable oil
Pro tip: Use half white corn flour and half yellow corn flour for a golden color and slightly sweeter taste. Yellow corn flour has a stronger corn flavor than its white cousin.
Equipment Needed for Making Arepas
You’ll need the following equipment to make arepas:
- Large mixing bowl
- Optional wooden spoon for mixing, or just use your hands
- Baking sheet
- Large skillet, preferably cast-iron, to grill or fry your arepas
- Wire rack for cooling
- Serrated knife to slice open the arepas
How to Make Arepa Dough and Patties
- First, place the 2 ½ cups of warm water (590ml) into the mixing bowl.
- Pour in the salt and stir the water until the salt dissolves. Then, add a little of the oil to the water and give it a mix.
- Slowly add the two cups (475g) of masarepa, mixing it well with your hands or a wooden spoon after incorporating each handful. You’re aiming to create a soft, pliable dough that isn’t droopy and doesn’t stick to the bowl.
- Add more water or masarepa flour until you achieve a moist dough ball. Knead it gently for a couple of minutes. (Pro tip: Test the dough by pressing a fingertip into it. Your fingertip should leave an indent upon release, but no dough should stick to your finger.)
- Let the dough rest for 10 minutes by covering the bowl with a damp hand towel.
- Check the dough’s consistency: if it’s too dry, add a little more water and knead it. Too wet? Tip in a bit more masarepa until you find the right consistency.
- Split the dough into eight roughly even balls. Shape them into discs about a ½ inch thick (1.2cm).
- Pat the discs, change hands, and repeat until you get the required shape. Then place them on a baking sheet or plate.
Different Cooking Techniques for Arepas
There are several ways to cook your perfectly formed arepa discs: grill, bake, fry, or air fry.
Pro tip: You’ll know your arepa is ready because it’s a little puffy and makes a hollow sound when tapped.
How to Grill Your Arepas
Heat a cast-iron frying pan to medium heat and brush with oil. Cook the arepas for 3-5 minutes on each side. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for a further 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
Remove your cooked arepas and let them cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. You can then slather them with a topping or cut them open and stuff them with your chosen filling. Serve warm.
How to Fry Arepas
Fried arepas need to be thinner than standard arepas. Shape the discs to a ¼ inch thick (0.6m).
Heat an inch of oil (2.5cm) in a suitable pan or large skillet. If you have a thermometer, the ideal temperature is around 370 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius).
Fry the arepas in hot oil for about 10 minutes. They should turn golden, then remove and cool them on a wire rack or plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
After 10 minutes, top or stuff them and serve warm.
How to Bake Arepas
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the oven heats up, heat a cast-iron frying pan or griddle to medium heat and brush with oil. Cook the arepas for 3-5 minutes on each side.
Turn the sealed arepas onto a baking sheet and cook for 18-20 minutes. Again, test if they are ready by tapping them for that hollow sound and check for that golden brown color.
Cool them on a wire rack or a plate with paper towels to absorb the extra oil.
After 10 minutes, top or stuff them, and serve warm.
How to Air Fry Arepas
Yes, you can air fry arepas! Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees Fahrenheit and place the arepas in the basket. Depending on the model and arepa size, they usually cook within 10-12 minutes and need flipping halfway through.
Keep an eye on them for that crispy and golden-brown look, let them cool, and enjoy with your favorite topping or filling.
How Long Can I Store Freshly Made Arepas?
If you’re lucky enough to have arepas left over, or you decide to cook a large batch, you can store excess cooked arepas in an airtight container. They should last 2-3 days at room temperature or up to five days in a refrigerator.
When you want to eat them, reheat them in a toaster oven or an oven.
Can I Freeze Arepas?
You can freeze cooked and cooled arepas for up to a month. Put them in an airtight container with parchment paper in between each one to stop them from sticking together. Thoroughly defrost them before reheating.
It’s not a good idea to freeze or store the raw dough as it may ferment.
What Do You Eat with Arepas?
Let your imagination run wild with your arepas. However, Latin Americans have been experimenting with fillings for years and have some classics that would be churlish to ignore.
Cheeses are popular — a fresh cheese called quesillo on top is a salty treat. Other people stuff cheese into the center and let it melt. Butter sloshed atop is a quick but satisfying variant.
Breakfast could be an arepa stuffed with scrambled eggs or filled with avocado or plantain. Black beans are another staple filling — some even stuff their arepas with carne asada. Colombians fill arepas de huevo with an egg and deep fry it. It’s so popular that there’s even an annual festival dedicated to this eggy delicacy.
The best advice is to try different fillings and find your favorite. You can even change up the dough by adding eggs, grated cheese, mashed boiled plantain, melted butter, or milk. Adding carrot juice or beets can color the arepas. Add seeds for flavor, too.
What’s the Difference Between Colombian and Venezuelan Arepas?
Venezuela and Colombia are the apex arepa connoisseurs with a friendly rivalry on how they should be enjoyed.
The primary difference between Venezuelan and Colombian arepas is the dough. Colombians often add grated cheese to the dough or stuff the arepa dough with queso. They also like to incorporate milk into the dough to give their arepas a fluffy texture.
Venezuelan arepas usually have a filling, from chicken and avocado to everything you’d find in a dish called pabellón. That’s shredded beef, fried plantains, rice, and beans, making the Venezuelan arepa a hefty one at times.
What Arepa Varieties Are There Worldwide?
Puerto Ricans enjoy arepas made with corn flour, coconut milk, sugar and baking powder for a sweeter taste.
You’ll find fried arepas with plantain in Tenerife, part of Spain’s Canary Islands territory.
The national dish of El Salvador is the pupusa, which looks like an arepa but isn’t. The pupusa is made with masa harina and not masarepa. It’s larger, thinner, and stuffed with cheese, pork, fried beans, or chicken.
Are Arepas Like Tortillas?
Arepas are not like tortillas, and yet, in some ways, they are.
Both are disc-shaped with origins in the Americas and can be cooked on griddles.
However, arepas are thicker corn flour buns or cakes that can be stuffed. Tortillas are thinner, usually wrapped around a filling, and are made from flour or corn. If you haven’t made them by hand before, you can learn how to make tortillas.
How Do You Make a Premade Arepa?
Supermarkets and grocery stores often sell premade arepas. Cooking them means following the cooking instructions for freshly made arepas: fry, grill, bake, or air fry. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for exact preparation requirements.
What Are the Health Benefits of Arepas?
Arepas are often touted as an alternative to bread. Here is some basic nutrition information associated with arepas—without the fillings added.
One arepa has low cholesterol levels, just 2% of an adult’s daily recommended amount. Other benefits of eating one arepa include, based on daily requirements:
- 215 calories (kcal)
- 7% of calcium needs (87 mg)
- 2% of potassium required (86.2mg)
- 2% of cholesterol (4.9mg)
- 9% of daily dietary fiber (2.5g)
- 13% of carbohydrates (36g)
- 6% of iron (1mg)
Do eat responsibly, though: one arepa serving carries a fair chunk of daily salt allowances (12%) and saturated fats (14%).
The Best Baking Is at Home: It’s Time to Make Arepas
With just three ingredients, a griddle, and a mixing bowl, even novice chefs can learn how to make arepas at home. This versatile cornbread bun is fantastic served with toppings or fillings and guaranteed to please visitors to your home.
Arepas can be a whole meal or a snack. Served with eggs at breakfast, it sets you up for the day. Or grab one on the way out or to fill a hunger gap any time.
The secret of making arepas is to get the right corn flour, called masarepa, let the dough rest for 10 minutes, and cook them long enough to be golden brown on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
Have fun filling them with anything from cheese to chicken to avocadoes. Once you know how to make arepas, there’s no limit to the combinations. ¡Buen provecho!
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All images licensed from Adobe Stock.