How to Make Arepas (3 Ingredients!)

I was looking for a quick recipe to feed a bunch of people with what meager ingredients I had on hand because I couldn’t get to the store. So I went looking for ideas and these sounded like a good start. I knew I had some masarepa, but turned out there was barely a cup, not near enough for a crowd. So… I created some hybrid Frankenstein monster that turned out to be a big hit!
Into a mixing bowl I dumped a can of corn, (liquid and all) 1/2 can of beans I had in the fridge, also with the liquid (aquafaba), threw in some diced onion and bell pepper, cilantro, and a bit of taco seasoning and nutritional yeast (vegan cheesy flavor). I try to maximize nutrients and fiber when I cook, so instead of using processed white flour to extend the single cup of masarepa, I mixed in around 1/2 cup of whole quick oats, and 1/2 cup chickpea flour, and let it soak up the liquid and soften for a few minutes. Finally, I mixed in the Masarepa until I had a good consistency, then made it into little patties. I pan fried them to get a crust, then baked them in my little convection oven for 12-15 minutes at 350 F. I only had a small amount of salsa left to top the patties with, so I mixed it with some homemade plain oatgurt and a bit of tabasco, and garnished each with a dollop. Good thing I got to taste one before I put the platter on the table because they were gone before I even got to sit down! LOL Thanks for the inspiration!

Colombian here, and grew up eating arepas AND helping my mother make them. The “Colombian” arepas that you are referring to in your Colombian vs Venezuelan comparison are arepas de choclo, which is only one type of Colombian arepa.
My mom used to cook the corn by boiling it on the stove and then grind the cooked corn using a hand-crank grinder to make the dough. Nowadays, I cook my corn in an electric pressure cooker and grind it with an electric stone grinder. She used to shape them by hand. I use a hamburger press. Technology marches on, after all.
I love making a bunch to freeze and reheat as needed. We reheat our arepas on a griddle. I can’t remember exactly time and temp, but I do it on fairly low heat on both sides until heated through.

When using Harina P.A.N. to make the dough, you can keep a small bowl of water next to you while working. When the dough starts cracking while you shape them, dip your fingertips in the water to smooth out the cracks. Also, keep the dough covered while you work. This helps to keep the dough from drying out as you’re forming your arepas.

ROFL!

I looked up this arepas recipe, because I have been absolutely craving them lately, a restaurant I used to work at had the best arepas I’ve ever had.

That restaurant was Teote, the one in SE.

That made me laugh out loud.

Because of that, I’ll definitely be using this recipe tonight.

Have you tried stuffing them BEFORE baking? If so, what ingredients? I guess that cheese and beans would work well, but if I wanted to add ground beef should I cook the beef prior or would it get cooked during the baking process?

I was looking for an authentic recipe for arepas, and this is not it. Gluten free is for people w/ diet restrictions.

My mother grew up in the deep south during the 1940s. They were very poor, and this is very similar to something they often ate. I grew up simply calling it “corn bread”. Both my mother and grandmother made it. I learned later that they were more properly called “corn pones”. My mom said she would often have corn pones in a glass of buttermilk for dinner.

Of course, they used regular corn meal rather than masarepa, but otherwise, the recipe and cooking methods are almost identical.

Hello Minimalist,
Good coverage of Arepa but for the pics.
You burnt the areas!!
My spouse is Venezuelan & she prepared a lot of Arepa over the years. I know of what I speak.
So don’t burn or char part of the exterior arepa. You can brown it unevenly, with some parts more well cooked than the rest, that is fine. But charring it as pictured is a mistake.
My best,
Charlie

Didn’t try the recipe. My wife and mother-in-law are from Venezuela. I was first introduced to the arepa 10 years and 7 months ago. I can tell you this much, just like going from a chain restaurant in one part of town, to the same chain in another part and having a different experience, the same is with arepas. There is great variety in taste. I don’t exactly know why, as the ingredients are the same. But my wife’s aren’t as good as my mother-in-laws. I suspect it has to do with density.

Anyhow, their arepas are typically thinner. They typically used an appliance by Oster (for some reason Oster / Sunbeam won’t sell them here…so dumb) to save time and add convenience. Makes no difference in taste vs. a pan though. You can buy arepa makers here on Amazon, but you can’t get the Oster one. What makes Oster special? It has a timer on it, and it makes the “perfect” size (width and thickness) that my wife likes. The IMUSA was close in size, but no timer, so they often got burned. The one that does have a timer, Brentwood I believe, has nothing but complaints about it not working. Surprisingly I can’t even find an electric cooking timer that you plug in and it automatically shuts off the appliance. You’d think that would be a common thing given all the panini presses and Geroge Foreman grills out there. They should all work like a microwave to be honest. Anyhow, I’m way off path here.

Arepas. As for the arepa flour, there are a few brands out there. Goya’s Masarepa. Harina P.A.N. (also Goya). And Donarepa. There are probably a few more, but these are the only ones I can semi-regularly find. All three have yellow and white versions. There’s a distinct difference between yellow and white, just like there is between brands.

In Venezuela, amarillo (yellow) Harina P.A.N. is the most commonly used. However, here in the US, the yellow Harina P.A.N. tastes drastically different. Apparently because it comes from Colombia and not Venezuela.
Goya Masarepa was much closer to Venezuelan Harina P.A.N. in taste and texture. Then I found “Donarepa” a couple years ago in a “Compare Foods” store in Charlotte. I’ve only found the white, yellow is always sold out. But the white tastes the closest yet to Venezuelan Harina P.A.N. including texture and crispness.

Anyhow, since my wife finally got her green card in December 2012, I have been eating arepas for breakfast nearly every day. We typically split them open enough to butter them and stuff a slice of American or any other sliced deli cheese that melts well. On weekends we often add eggs and sometimes even bacon. We have friends that prefer them for lunches instead, stuffed with deli, or shredded meats. It’s all what you prefer.

My favorite is for breakfast as follows:
Without ever finding the yellow Donarepa, my list is
1. White Donarepa
2. White Masarepa
3. Yellow Masarepa
4. White Harina P.A.N.
5. Yellow Harina P.A.N.

If I ever find the yellow Donarepa, I imagine I’ll still favor the white. White is lighter, sweeter taste. Yellow has more hiints of toritilla taste to me. Grittier. My wife is the opposite. She prefers yellow.

We both prefer white American cheese over yellow American. We also like Mozzarella, Oaxaca, Provalone, Havarti, Muenster. Any easy melting cheese, though Oaxaca doesn’t melt well…but is really tasty nonetheless.

We both prefer thinner, crispier, wider versions. My mother-in-law likes them a bit smaller / thicker. She likes the wet “guts”. She often reminds us that her brother (wife’s uncle) only ate the guts. He considered the crispy shell “dirty”. So weird. lol

Anyhow, arepas are awesome! Try different brands / colors. It makes a difference.

With not being able to buy an Oster Tostiarepa maker here in the US, my wife and mother-in-law “sear” them in a pan a couple minutes and then put them in the toaster oven on broil for around 15 minutes I think. Flipping halfway. I had a grilled one once in Venezuela. It was OK. Fried ones are really good too, but like anything fried…not good for you.

Next you all can forray into the cachapa territory! They’re really good too! I prefer arepas, but it’s nice to shake it up a bit. The hard part is finding (and then paying $$$$ for) the queso de mano.