Description
Traditional Venezuelan arepas made with pre-cooked cornmeal, crispy on the outside and soft inside, perfect for filling with a variety of savory or sweet ingredients.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pre-cooked cornmeal
- 2 1/2 cups warm water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix warm water and salt until dissolved.
- Gradually add cornmeal while stirring continuously.
- Knead into a smooth, soft dough that is not sticky.
- Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
- Divide dough into equal portions and roll into balls.
- Flatten each ball into discs about 1 cm thick.
- Heat a skillet with a little oil over medium heat.
- Cook arepas for 5–7 minutes per side until golden and crispy.
- Optionally bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes for a fluffier texture.
- Slice open and fill as desired before serving.
Notes
- Use pre-cooked cornmeal (masa harina or similar), not regular corn flour.
- If dough cracks, add more water; if too wet, add more cornmeal.
- Oil helps create a crisp crust but can be omitted.
- Resting the dough improves texture.
- Arepas should sound hollow when tapped if fully cooked.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan-frying and Baking
- Cuisine: Venezuelan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 arepa
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
