Simple Homemade Arepas Recipe

Arepas might be compared to fat corn tortillas — they're made with similar (though not identical) ingredients, and are often topped or filled with meats and cheeses. They generally come in two varieties, Colombian and Venezuelan. The difference lies not so much in the arepa (although the Colombian kind can be a bit thinner and may include some sweetener), but in how they are used. Arepas in Colombia are usually topped with eggs or cheese, whereas in Venezuela, they're more likely to be split open and stuffed with whatever's on hand.

This simple recipe from recipe developer Michelle McGlinn is just for the arepas themselves, so how you choose to eat them — Colombian, Venezuelan, or even American-style with peanut butter and jelly — is entirely up to you. McGlinn suggests that these arepas, while not difficult to make, "really elevate ... leftovers like pulled pork or simple black beans and cilantro." Her recipe includes an extra step not typically found in arepa recipes and one that she, in fact, discovered by accident: After frying the arepas, she bakes them for a few minutes. As she explains, "I ... found that the texture was even better after I reheated [the arepas], so I wanted to include it as a step." She does, however, note that "baking [the arepas] may not be necessary," but feels it "helps soften the insides that may not have been fully cooked over the stove."

If you're using both types of masarepa, mix them together. Combine the water with the salt and stir until the salt dissolves, then stir in the masarepa about ¼ cup at a time. McGlinn tells us that "The mixture will be very watery until almost all of the cornmeal is added, then will become very thick." Once the dough gets to the point where you can no longer stir with a utensil, you may need to finish mixing it with your hands. If you have some masarepa left over, don't worry, since McGlinn says this is normal and you can just save it for the next time you make arepas.

Once the arepa dough is so thick that you can roll it into balls, stop mixing it and cover it with a towel. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

After the arepas have been fried, your oven should be nice and hot. You can slide those arepas onto a baking sheet, then cook them for 5 minutes. Once again, as McGlinn points out, "This step is optional, but will give the arepas a soft inner texture."

Once the arepas are finished, you can top or fill them, as desired. In McGlinn's case, she opted for "pulled pork with cilantro and onion." She also suggests that chorizo, black beans, and shrimp make great arepa stuffers (or toppers), as well.