Arepas

Arepas

Arepas

Arepas are a very important part of Colombian cuisine, comparable to tortillas in Mexico. They are practically eaten every day in their various forms for breakfast, lunch or dinner, as a snack, an appetizer, a side, or even as a main course. They are simply fried corn cakes that can be stuffed or topped with pretty much anything. There’s really no wrong to making these.
Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time4 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Colombian
Keyword: appetizer, Colombian, Latin American, main course, snack
Author: Alex Gorgos

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups masa flour
  • 1/2 cup corn meal
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • warm water
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

  • Mix all of the dry ingredients together. Add enough warm water to form a dough similar to the consistency of firm mashed potatoes.
    Columbian, main course, appetizer
  • Form a ball of the dough a little larger than a golf ball. Place it on a tortilla press.
    Columbian, main course, appetizer
  • Make sure to have it cover by wax paper or plastic wrap.
    Columbian, main course, appetizer
  • Press it down to 1/4” thick.
    Columbian, main course, appetizer
  • Heat up cooking oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add in an arepa.
    Columbian, main course, appetizer
  • Cook for 2 minutes a side.
    Columbian, main course, appetizer

Arepas de Rellenos Queso

Arepas de rellenos queso is stuffed with mozzarella cheese and is fried for an extra 2 minutes a side, allowing the cheese to melt. Top it off with a little hogao sauce and cilantro. This is similar to a grilled cheese.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Columbian
Keyword: appetizer, Columbian, Latin American, main course, snack
Author: Alex Gorgos

Ingredients

  • 1 arepa corn cake
  • 2 slices mozzerella
  • 2 tbsp hogao sauce
  • cilantro chopped

Instructions

  • Cut your arepa in half; like you would an english muffin.
    Columbian, main course, appetizer
  • Put 2 slices of mozzarella inside.
    Columbian, main course, appetizer
  • Add it back into the pan. Cook for another 2 minutes a side until the cheese is melted.
    Columbian, main course, appetizer
  • Top with hogao sauce and cilantro.
    Columbian, main course, appetizer

Arepa con Camarones y Hogao

This arepa is topped with shrimp cooked in hogao sauce; garnished with diced avocado and pickled red onion.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Columbian
Keyword: appetizer, Columbian, main course, seafood, snack
Author: Alex Gorgos

Ingredients

  • 1 arepa
  • 1/4 cup hogao sauce
  • 4 shrimp cooked
  • avocado diced
  • pickled red onion diced

Instructions

  • Heat up a 1/4 cup of hogao sauce with 4 shrimp for 2 minutes. Op the arepa with the sauce, shrimp, diced avocado, and pickled red onion.
    Columbian, main course, appetizer, seafood

Arepas con Pollo y Aguacate

This type of arepa is topped with a simple chicken salad and slices of avocado. While the arepa is hot, the chicken salad is cold.
Prep Time50 minutes
Cook Time4 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Columbian
Keyword: appetizer, Chicken, Columbian, main course, snack
Author: Alex Gorgos

Ingredients

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup white onion diced
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
  • avocado sliced
  • arepas

Instructions

  • Season chicken with paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.
  • Let cool.
    Columbian, main course, chicken
  • Chop up the chicken. Mix with the mayo, onion, sugar, lime juice, and cilantro.
    Columbian, main course, chicken
  • Top an arepa with the chicken salad. Top with avocado slices and chopped cilantro
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Chicharrón and Bean Arepas

This arepa is topped with refried beans and pork belly. In this recipe, I happened to have leftover white, red, and garbanzo beans. The beans got fried in rendered fat from the pork belly and mashed together with diced Chicharrón.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Columbian
Keyword: appetizer, Columbian, main course, Pork, snack
Author: Alex Gorgos

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp lard
  • 1 cup beans pinto, kidney, Black, white, or garbanzo
  • 1/4 cup Chicharrón finely chopped
  • 2 slices chicharron
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp water
  • white onion thinly sliced
  • cilantro chopped
  • arepas

Instructions

  • Finely dice a 1/4 cup of Chicharrón.
    Columbian, main course, appetizer, pork
  • Heat up lard in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté the Chicharrón for 2 minutes.
    Columbian, main course, appetizer, pork
  • Add in the beans, salt, cumin, and water. Start mashing the beans.
    Columbian, main course, appetizer, pork
  • The beans should be smooth with little chunks of fried Chicharrón. Add more water if too thick.
    Columbian, main course, appetizer, pork
  • Top an arepa with 2 heaping tbsp of the beans. Add 2 slices of pork belly to the beans. Garnish with thinly sliced white onion and cilantro.
    Columbian, main course, appetizer, pork