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Do you Arepa? Easy Arepa Recipe.

This easy Arepa Recipe makes 10-12 delicious and gluten-free arepas.

If you don’t know what an Arepa is, don’t feel bad.  Up until one month ago neither had I. But all that changed when Terry and I had dinner at a new Latin restaurant in town.

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Arepas are very simply flat cornbread, almost like thick tortillas, that hail from South America, specifically Venezuela and Colombia. However, a big difference is that traditional cornmeal is not used for Arepa, instead, masarepa, pre-cooked corn flour, is necessary to make arepa.

I was intrigued so did a little research on this new food. The fact that arepas are gluten-free was a big plus for me as I am always looking for gluten-free bread options.

And it truly could not be easier to whip up a batch of arepas. In addition to your masarepa, all you need is a little water, salt and wee bit of oil for your pan for this arepa recipe.

Easy Arepas Recipe: Arepas cooking on griddle

A griddle, grill pan, grill or panini press would be perfect to cook your arepa.  I think I’m going to try the panini press next time.

You can modify this arepa recipe by putting a bit of cheese in the middle of your arepa by dividing each piece in two, placing the cheese between and then sealing the sides well.  Once grilled, you might need to heat your cheese-stuffed arepa in the oven to make sure the cheese is melted.

Arepa are gluten-free, thick tortilla-like bread from South America. This Arepa recipe is easy to make and is the perfect gluten free substitute for bread.

Arepa Recipe

P.A.N. Masarepa
A South American bread/tortilla. This easy Arepa Recipe makes 10-12 delicious and gluten-free arepas.
4.64 from 11 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 7 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 14 minutes
Course Baking Recipes + Tips
Cuisine Latin
Servings 20 arepas
Calories 88 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups water plus more as needed
  • 2 cups masarepa pre-cooked white corn meal
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions
 

  • Pour water into a large bowl
  • Slowly add the salt and cornmeal
  • Mix well and knead until a smooth dough is formed about 3 minutes.
  • Let dough sit for 5 minutes. If it is too dry to hold together as a ball, add water in 1 tsp ingredients. You want to be as dry as possible but still, hold together.
  • Separate dough into 10 pieces
  • Shape each piece into a ball and then flatten to a 3-4 inch diameter
  • Heat a griddle over medium heat and add oil to the surface
  • Place each arepa onto a griddle and brown on both sides (about 5-7minutes per side). Low and slow heat is necessary to cook the inside while gently browning the exterior.
  • Serve hot and fill with your favorite filling.

Nutrition

Serving: 2gCalories: 88kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 2gFat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 243mgFiber: 2g
Keyword arepas, gluten free
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The cooked arepa are split, almost like an English Muffin or a pita, and filled with whatever deliciousness you want, sweet or savory.

Easy Arepas Recipe: Arepas are a thick tortilla-like bread that hails from South America. They are gluten-free and this arepa recipe is so very easy to make.

We used our Arepas as the bread for our Cubano sandwiches (roast pork, ham, swiss cheese, my dill pickles, and mustard)…it was a nice variation. I did a little swap…I took out the pickles and mustard and substituted  Spiced Cranberry Conserve...oh my…it was outstanding!

 Easy Arepas Recipe: Cubano Sandwich filling made with Arepas

I will definitely be making these again in the near future. They were very easy to make and the opportunities for fillings are endless…and they are gluten-free!

If you want some filling ideas for your Arepas, check out these recipes for Chile-Braised Short Ribs, Smoked Pulled Pork, and Beef Barbacoa.

So, were you familiar with arepas before today? If so, share some of your favorite ways to fill them!

Bookmark this Arepa Recipe page or print it for your future reference.

stack of finished Arepas waiting to be filled or eaten as is
Easy Arepas Recipe: stack of finished Arepas waiting to be filled or eaten as is

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19 Comments

  1. I cannot wait to try these! My grandma used to make a fried cornbread that I absolutely loved. She was southern so her bread was not exactly like this but I think they could be similar. I think I’ll pair it up with some old southern favorites like pinto beans or green beans cooked with salt pork. Yummy!

    1. Hey Pam, they would be terrific with your pinto beans! In fact, they are delicious with just about everything!

      Thanks for living your kind comment my friend.

      Hugs, Lynn

  2. Hi, Lynn
    I’m very glad you dicovered the arepa; hope you and your family enjoy them.
    And you can try a lot more fillings: beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish, avocado, tomato, onion, black beans, white cheese (different kinds), yellow cheese, shrimp, squid, octopus, eggs (fried, scrambled, boiled)…..
    And in Venezuela they get fancy names, according to the filling. Here is a sample: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/450500768961688539/

    1. Hi Anna, I will most definitely try some of your suggestions! Thanks so much for taking the time to share them with my readers and me! I am anxious to try some of the different cheeses first.

      Have a wonderful weekend my friend.

      Hugs, Lynn

  3. Oh my goodness this is fantastic. I normally eat gluten free basically to decrease my carb intake. Anyways there are times when I just miss a good sandwich and this would be perfect. Thanks for sharing!

  4. 5 stars
    I had never heard of these before, but they sound really good. I like to make my own flour tortillas and this process doesn’t seem too different. Thanks!

  5. a few months ago, my friend from Venezuela came to my house and made us arepas. They reallly are delicious and there are so many possibilities! These look delish!

    1. Lucky you! They are so easy to make and you are right…so many possibilities. Anxious to try some different fillings.

      Thanks for taking the time to write in my friend.

  6. 5 stars
    I had never heard of these before, but they sound really good. I like to make my own flour tortillas and this process doesn’t seem too different. Thanks!

  7. 5 stars
    I had never heard of these before, but they sound really good. I like to make my own flour tortillas and this process doesn’t seem too different. Thanks!

  8. I love everything about these, especially right now in light of low supplies! No eggs a huge plus! And besides, who doesn’t love bread, of any kind! Making these for Taco Tuesday!

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