Arepas, soft and so tasty, perfect to stuff with your favorite ingredients! It's a simple recipe made with 3 ingredients in just 30 minutes.
This is an amazingly good and simple recipe that you can have any time. To make arepas you only need simple and inexpensive ingredients and you can customize them however you'd like. Besides, they are extremely easy to make and truly delicious!
This recipe only requires 3 simple ingredients: precooked cornmeal, salt, and warm water. Arepas are perfect to fill with any food you can think of because they actually go well with everything, although you can also enjoy them just by themselves.
This meal is typical from Venezuela and Colombia and is very versatile, as there are plenty of different versions of the same recipe. However, I like to prepare it with 1 tablespoon of salt instead of 2 to reduce its amount of sodium, but you can add more or less salt to taste.
Making arepas is so easy. You just need a skillet, a pan, or a griddle and a little bit of oil. If you're oil-free, use a non-stick skillet and omit the oil in the dough. Another option is to bake them, as they turn out great. Enjoy!
How to make arepas - Step by step
- Add the warm water, salt, and oil to a large bowl and stir (photo 1).
- Add the precooked cornmeal, a little at a time, and stir with a spoon or your hands (photo 2).
- Mix for about 2 minutes. You’ll get a moist and moldable dough that doesn’t easily stick to your hands and can be rolled into a ball.
- Let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes (photo 3).
- Wet your hands, divide the dough into 10 pieces (photo 4).
- Roll each piece into a ball and carefully press each ball between the palms of your hands to form a disc of about ½-inch thick, about 1 cm (photo 5).
- Heat some oil in a skillet and add the arepas (photo 6). Cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes each side or until the arepas are golden brown and cooked in the inside (photo 7).
- Transfer the arepas to a cooling rack (photo 8) and let them cool for about 10 minutes.
- Fill the arepas with your favorite ingredients and serve or enjoy them by themselves.
Pro tips
- I used precooked white cornmeal, but pre-cooked yellow cornmeal will also work.
- Feel free to customize your arepas recipe with any kind of oil.
- I always use Himalayan pink salt, although any type of salt will do.
- To make sure your arepas are completely cooked, I suggest you keep them covered in the skillet after you flip them for the second time for at least 5 minutes. After that, you can gently hit them and if they sound hollow, then they are cooked in the inside.
Are arepas vegan?
Yes, arepas are inherently vegan, as they are originally made with 100% plant-based ingredients.
How long will these arepas keep?
Arepas taste better when you serve them immediately after cooking, but if you don't eat them all you can also keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
What to eat with arepas
Colombian arepas and Venezuelan arepas are so versatile you can eat them with all your favorite food! Feel free to stuff them with black beans, red onion, homemade guacamole, vegan sour cream, vegan cheese, and vegetables like avocados, peppers, garlic, cilantro, or tomato.
Can I freeze the arepas dough?
Although they are best when fresh, you can freeze the arepas dough to save some time. To thaw, transfer it into the fridge until soft and then cook it as usual.
If you want to freeze the arepas after cooking them, place them into an airtight container in the freezer. To defrost, reheat them in the oven until warm enough. They will last in the freezer for up to 1 month.
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Arepas
Ingredients
- 2 and ½ cups warm water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil + extra oil for cooking, optional
- 2 cups pre-cooked corn meal, see notes
Instructions
- Add the warm water, salt, and oil to a large mixing bowl and stir. The oil is optional, so feel free to omit it.
- Add the precooked cornmeal, a little at a time, and stir with a spoon or your hands (I prefer to use my hands).
- Mix for about 2 minutes. You'll get a moist and moldable dough that doesn’t easily stick to your hands and can be rolled into a ball. If your dough is too watery, add more flour and if it's too thick, add a little bit of water until you get a perfect consistency. However, if you follow my recipe, you should get a perfect dough.
- Let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Wet your hands to make the arepas, that way the dough won't stick to your hands. Divide the dough into 10 pieces, roll each piece into a ball, and carefully press each ball between the palms of your hands to form a disc of about ½-inch thick (about 1 cm). If the arepa cracks a lot, your dough may need more water (add some a little at a time). A little cracking is normal, so just use your wet hands to close the cracks by gently patting along the surface.
- Add a little bit of oil to a large skillet (use a non-stick skillet if you don't want to use oil), and when it's hot add the arepas. I usually cook them in two batches to give them a little room in between so they don’t touch. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes each side or until the arepas are golden brown and cooked in the inside.
- Transfer the arepas to a cooling rack and let them cool for about 10 minutes.
- If you'd like to fill the arepas, split them in half with a serrated knife and serve them with black beans, red onion, homemade guacamole, vegan sour cream, or vegan cheese, or enjoy them just by themselves. This vegan arepas recipe is my favorite one.
- Although they are best when fresh, you can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Notes
- I used precooked white cornmeal, but pre-cooked yellow cornmeal will also work.
- Feel free to use any kind of oil.
- I always use Himalayan pink salt, although any type of salt will do.
- To make sure your arepas are completely cooked, I suggest you keep them covered in the skillet after you flip them for the second time for at least 5 minutes. After that, you can gently hit them and if they sound hollow, then they are cooked in the inside.
- Nutritional info has been calculated by using 2 teaspoon of extra virgin oil (1 for the arepas + 1 for cooking).
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in May of 2019, but was republished with new photos, step-by-step instructions, and tips in February of 2022.
Andrew Marshall says
Hi, normally I think they are cooked 4 minutes per side in a little oil then baked 15 minutes in the oven. Your recipe is 7 minutes each side but no baking, how long do you bake them if no pan cooking at all and temperature?
Iosune says
Hi Andrew! I've never baked them, so I can't help you, sorry. However, if you follow my recipe, you don't need to bake them 🙂
K says
Hope this helps!
precooked cornmeal vs masa harina --- per https://www.thespruceeats.com/
Quote:
Masarepa is corn dough that is dried and ground into fine cornmeal and can be found in Latin food specialty stores and online. It is softer and more refined and the taste is starchier than masa harina. Look for the words harina de maiz refinada precocida (refined, precooked corn flour) on the package. Masarepa is the flour of choice for making arepas.
Masa harina, on the other hand, is made from corn treated with lye in a process called nixtamalization in order to remove the germ and outer lining before it is ground. Masa harina is used for making tortillas, tamales, pupusas, and gorditas and translates as "dough flour."
Iosune says
Hi K! Thanks a lot for your valuable comment 🙂 Have a great day!
Tammie says
I tried cooking cornmeal then using it in the recipe. Does not work at all.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Tammie! I'm so sorry about that 🙁
Hannah says
Is White Corn Meal better to use? Or Corn flour? We used lastnught Yellow Corn meal not so good, but Corn Flour was pretty tasty.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Hannah! We use white cornmeal 🙂 I think that is the best one!
Erica Garcia says
Harina Pan is the best in my Venezuelan opinion (yellow or white). regular american corn flour does not use the right type of corn (we use hominy in both Venezuela and Colombia).
Jamie says
TheseThese sound very exciting and I'm ready to make them but how do you pre cook the cornmeal? Do you make it like oatmeal?
Iosune Robles says
Hi Jamie! We bought it already made, you have the link to Amazon by clicking on the word pre-cooked cornmeal 🙂
Sassy says
Made these at the weekend, omg they were lush! Hubby says he would happily eat them as snack with a cup of tea on their own. We stuffed it with a pulled king oyster mushroom stems (vegan pulled “pork”) with homemade bbq sauce. Next time I want to try making them with a little finely chopped rosemary or thyme as I love a creamy polenta with the herbs added and think it would go well with these, even if it is not traditional.
Iosune Robles says
Hi! Sounds so good 🙂
Janine Wilbraham says
Could you use plain white flour?
Iosune Robles says
Hi! For this recipe, you need to use pre-cooked cornmeal 🙂