5.0 from 60 votes
Arepa Recipe from Colombia
Arepas are a delicious, warm Colombian dish that are easy to grab and go and can be customized to your liking. These toasty little pockets of dough make an excellent breakfast, snack, or can be stuffed with cheese and meat for a quick lunch.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
28 mins
Servings: 8
Calories: 238 kcal
Course:
Main Course , Appetizer
Ingredients
- 2 cups white cornmeal or arepa flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups warm water
- 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese 4 oz (or another white cheese. Traditional choices are queso campesino or queso costeño)
- 3 tbsp butter softened, divided
Instructions
- In a large bowl, place 2 cups white cornmeal, 1 tsp salt, 2 cups water, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and 2 tbsp of butter. Use your hands to mix the dough thoroughly. Cover with a towel and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Separate the dough into 8 sections and roll each section into a ball. Press the ball flat in your hand until about ½” thick. Press the edges with your hands so that no cracks form.
- Warm a cast iron skillet or an electric griddle and then grease with 1 tbsp of butter.
- Place four arepas in the pan and cook over low-medium heat for 3-4 minutes until brown. Then flip and heat on the other side for about 3-4 minutes, or until a crust is formed on both sides.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational or personal use only.
- Arepa Flour/Masarepa: Read the Arepa Flour section for more guidance on finding the right product.
- Water: Warm water will make the dough more pliable and less likely to crack
- Shredded Cheese: For an accessible option, you can use mozzarella cheese. Traditional choices are queso campesino or queso costeño.
- Butter: Softened. This is used in the dough as well as for cooking on the griddle.
- If you find that your arepas are cracking when you try to cook them, keep a bowl of water nearby, dip your fingers in it, and use that tiny bit of water to smooth out any cracks in the dough.
- Some chefs like to place the water into the bowl first and then add the flour slowly to prevent any lumps of flour. I’ve also seen chefs add water to the flour so that they are careful not to add too much water. If you run into any issues, try doing it the other way the next time.
- Venezuelan-style arepas are often stuffed with toppings, rather than topped. You can stuff your dough balls with your favorite ingredients or favorite meat before cooking to try this way.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1serving
Calories
238kcal
(12%)
Carbohydrates
31g
(10%)
Protein
8g
(16%)
Fat
9g
(14%)
Saturated Fat
5g
(25%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
3g
Trans Fat
0.2g
Cholesterol
22mg
(7%)
Sodium
417mg
(17%)
Potassium
188mg
(5%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
1g
(2%)
Vitamin A
226IU
(5%)
Calcium
78mg
(8%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 238
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 238kcal | 12% |
| Carbohydrates | 31g | 10% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 22mg | 7% |
| Sodium | 417mg | 17% |
| Potassium | 188mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 226IU | 5% |
| Calcium | 78mg | 8% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.