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5.0 from 3 votes

Arepa de Queso

Arepa de queso is a traditional cheese-stuffed cornbread that’s popular in Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia and Panama (where it is known as tortilla and changa).

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
Servings: 4 arepas
Calories: 573 kcal
Course: Main Course , Breakfast , Appetizer , Lunch
Cuisine: South American , Venezuelan

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pre-cooked white maize flour , (E.G. Pan)
  • 1 cup water , (at 97 F / 36°C)
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter , warmed
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon butter (for cooking)
  • 9 oz costeño cheese , (Colombian) or llanero cheese (Venezuelan)
  • 4 oz mozzarella

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Place the flour and salt into a large bowl, gradually add the water, and mix well by hand.
  2. Add 4 tablespoons melted butter and a quarter of the cheese, and knead for 15 minutes to obtain a slightly sticky dough. Add more flour (if the dough is too wet) or water (if it’s too dry) as necessary until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky.
  3. On a floured work surface, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces.
  4. Flatten one with the palm of your hand to form a patty about ¼ inch (5mm thick).
  5. Heat the rest of the butter in a frying pan or on an electric hotplate.
  6. Brown the 4 patties over medium heat for 5 minutes, turning them regularly.
  7. Once the arepas are fried, golden and cooked in the center, very carefully cut them in half (to make two equal circles) without breaking them, and fill with cheese.
  8. Place the arepas back onto the skillet over a low heat to melt the cheese.
  9. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • It is also possible to cook the arepas dry on a hotplate or grill.
  • Imagination and creativity are essential for the preparation of arepas: cheese, ham, chicken, pork, avocado, scrambled eggs, onion, tomato, mashed dried beans, vegetables, etc. There are many possibilities, as well as using leftovers.
  • The filling will also depend on when they are eaten: in the morning, for breakfast, at noon for lunch, as a snack, or in the evening for dinner.
  • It is also possible to enrich the dough with different ingredients to give it color, flavor and texture. For example: add cheese, eggs, milk, oatmeal, chia seeds or mashed or raw vegetables.
  • To make the dough very crisp, it is advisable to use very cold water when mixing and kneading the flour.
  • Also to obtain a crunchy but very tender dough in the middle, it is advisable to add a few tablespoons of cornstarch to the initial mixture.