These Arepas Colombianas are made with just three ingredients: white corn meal, known as masarepa, water and salt.

These arepas are so nostalgic for me. Every time I would come down to Miami, my friend Isa would make these for me and I absolutely loved them. Since she is Colombia, her family eats this for breakfast pretty much every weekend.
Arepas are widely enjoyed in Venezuela, Colombia, and Panama and have been enjoyed in these countries for hundreds of years. The difference between the Colombian and Venezuelan arepas is that the Venezuelan style arepas are smaller and thicker while the Colombian arepas are typically sweeter, thinner and stuffed with cheese.
For this dish, I am filling the arepas with either Carnitas, scrambled eggs, queso fresco or reina pepiada. The reina pepiada is my favorite filling. This is a mixture of 1 cup of shredded chicken and a whole mashed avocado mixed together. Feel free to get as creative as you want for the filling.
How to made Arepas Colombianas
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, add the water and salt, until the salt dissolves.
Slowly add the areparina and mix with a wooden spoon. Eventually, you will mix with your hands as you keep adding areparina. You do not want the dough to stick to your hands. If it is too dry, add more water. If it is too wet, add more flour. Usually it is equal parts water and areparina.
Make a ball of dough with your hands and with your hand start molding the flour to make a saucer shape the size of the palm of your hand, about ¼ inch thick. If it cracks on the sides, you may need to add more water.
Heat a skillet on medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
Add the seared arepas onto the baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes until they puff up and more golden.
Slice the arepas and fill them with your favorite filling. This could be scrambled eggs or carnitas.
(optional) My favorite filling is the reina pepiada. This is a mixture of 1 cup of shredded chicken and a whole mashed avocado mixed together.
Other dishes to try
PrintArepas Colombianas
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
These Arepas Colombianas are made with just three ingredients: white corn meal, known as masarepa, water and salt.
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups white corn meal (I use P.A.N brand)
- Vegetable oil, for cooking
- Filling: Carnitas, scrambled eggs, queso fresco or reina pepiada (recipe below)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add the water and salt, until the salt dissolves.
- Slowly add the areparina and mix with a wooden spoon. Eventually, you will mix with your hands as you keep adding areparina. You do not want the dough to stick to your hands. If it is too dry, add more water. If it is too wet, add more flour. Usually it is equal parts water and areparina.
- Make a ball of dough with your hands and with your hand start molding the flour to make a saucer shape the size of the palm of your hand, about ¼ inch thick. If it cracks on the sides, you may need to add more water.
- Heat a skillet on medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
- Add the seared arepas onto the baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes until they puff up and more golden.
- Slice the arepas and fill them with your favorite filling. This could be scrambled eggs or carnitas.
- (optional) My favorite filling is the reina pepiada. This is a mixture of 1 cup of shredded chicken and a whole mashed avocado mixed together.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: Colombian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 122.2
- Sugar: 0.0 g
- Sodium: 779.1 mg
- Fat: 0.0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25.6 g
- Fiber: 0.0 g
- Protein: 2.2 g
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