How to Make Arepas + Filling Ideas

How to Make Arpas — Delicious 3-ingredient pan-fried cornmeal cakes stuffed with all your favorite fillings like refried beans, avocado, dairy-free cheese and more. A quick, easy, gluten-free, vegetarian appetizer, snack, or main for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

South American cuisine absolutely spoils us with quick, easy and delicious hand-held meal options. in empanadaspupusas, tacos, and arepas (just to name a few), there isn’t a week that goes by without at least one featuring on my weekly menu. However, I currently enjoy making simple stuffed arepas as a satisfying snack or for any meal of the day.

Not only is this arepas recipe quick and easy, but it requires minimal ingredients and is a low-fuss process even kids can get involved with. Just prepare the dough, cook it, slice it open and stuff it. Once cooked, the cornmeal cakes are crispy on the outside and slightly chewy on the bottom, tender on the inside and have a mild corn flavor – ready to be filled with all your favorite fillings.

What is an arepa?

Arepas are a popular South American dish (originating in Colombia and Venezuela) made from an unleavened corn dough, traditionally cooked in a budare pan (although they can also be grilled, baked, or fried) until crispy on the outside and tender in the middle. .

They are then cut open and stuffed (like pita pockets – called arepa rellena/stuffed arepa) or eaten alongside cheese, Refined beansMeat, seafood, eggs, avocado, salad etc.

For this version, I make Venezuelan arepas (instead of arepa colombianas), which are usually a bit thicker and better for stuffing. However, thin them out if preferred. After all, these delicious cornmeal cakes are just what you need 3 ingredients For the dough, 1 bowland about 30 minutes your time

material

All you need for delicious homemade arepas are three simple ingredients, and two of them are salt and water.

Arepa flour

• Masrepa: Masarepa is called for arepa dough, a precooked corn dough (not masa harina, which is instant corn masa dough).
• the water: It is better to use hot water to rehydrate the flour.
• salt: A little to season the arepa dough.

You will need a small amount Neutral cooking oil (like vegetable oil or avocado oil) for pan-frying arepas.

Best Vegan Arepa Fillings

Stuff your arepa however you please. I’ve relied on some of my favorite options for delicious meat-free versions. You can use any combination of the ingredients below to make the best vegan arepas.

Arepa Filling Combinations

• Just dairy-free cheese for arepa con queso
• Scrambled tofu + diced tomato (or salsa) + avocado
• Tofu Scrambled Egg + DF Cheese + Salsa
• Refried beans + DF cheese + (optional) avocado
• Chopped Jackfruit/Mushroom + Avocado (or Guacamole) + Lettuce + Tomato
• Chopped Jackfruit/Mushroom + Pickled Red Onion + Lettuce

You can also rely on other simple ingredients to make simple vegan arepa fillings such as:

• Mushroom + Chimichurri Sauce
• Sweetcorn + DF cheese
• Sauteed Spinach + Mushroom + DF Cheese
• Baked Beans/Black Beans + Sweet Potatoes/banana + (optional) DF cheese and/or pickled red onion
• Refried beans + sweet potato + avocado + pickled red onion
• Roasted/roasted vegetables + Chimichurri + (optional) DF Paneer

Read the recipe card below for this Full ingredient list, Measurements, full recipe method, and nutrition information.

How to Make Arepas

• First, pour hot water with salt into a large pot and gradually sprinkle in the pre-cooked corn flour (masarepa), stirring between each addition.
• When it’s cool enough to handle, use your hands to gently knead it for a minute, then let the dough rest for 10 minutes. When ready, it should be moist but not sticky.

If the dough is too dry (cracks a lot when shaping), add a little more water. If it’s too wet, add more flour (flour brand, climate, and humidity can all affect this).

• Next, divide the arepa dough into 6 portions (about 110-120 grams per arepa) and roll each into a ball before flattening it into a disc about 1/2-3/4-inch thick.

If any small cracks appear, gently pat with wet fingers until smooth (see video for visual guidance).

• Heat a large non-stick pan (or well seasoned cast-iron skillet) over medium heat and add a swirl of oil. Working with 3 arepas at a time, cook them for about 5 minutes per side until they are golden brown on both sides.

• If you want the arepas to be extra crispy, bake them in the oven at 360 °F/ 180 °C (highly recommended) for 10 minutes.
• Finally, let them cool for just a few minutes before cutting each arepa (a serrated knife works best while holding the warm arepa with a kitchen towel) and about ¾ of the way to make a pocket and fill them with all your favorite fillings. Enjoy!

Serving recommendations

You can enjoy these stuffed arepas on their own as a snack or light meal, or alongside:

How to proceed and save

go ahead: You can prepare the arepa dough and most of the various fillings 2-3 days in advance and store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Let the dough come to room temperature before shaping and cooking the arepas.

shop: Allow the (unstuffed) arepas to cool completely before wrapping in plastic wrap/foil, transferring to a ziplock bag or airtight container, and storing in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

freeze: Either spread them across a tray for flash freezing or wrap individually, then pop in a ziplock and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let one/them thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat: You can reheat in the oven (10-15 minutes at 350 °F/175 °C) or in the toaster.

Recipe notes

• Use the right arepa flour: Use pre-cooked cornmeal flour (masarepa), made specifically for arepas, instead of the regular nixtamalized corn masa flour used for tortillas.
• Use hot water: It activates the starches in the dough and hydrates it quickly for a more pliable dough that is easier to handle.
• Leave the dough to rest: The 10 minute resting time is important, so the water can fully absorb and make the arepa easier to shape without cracking.
• Experiment with fillings: There are plenty of different ingredients and flavor combinations you can try, so you won’t get bored. You could even enjoy them slathered with vegan butter.
• Adjust shape: You can use the dough to make snack-sized mini arepas, regular ones, or larger ones than specified. You can make them thinner, like Colombian arepas.

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