Updated April 14, 2020 (Originally published March 29, 2019)
I first learned about arepas back in 2011 when my Colombian colleague was telling me about the amazing arepa she had for breakfast that morning. Arepas are traditional Colombian and Venezuelan gluten-free bread made from precooked cornmeal, and they are SO good.
So why did it take me so long to make arepas? Because of Japanese regulations, I can't get a hold of the primary ingredient: arepa flour, or
After googling where I can purchase P.A.N. in Japan and being disappointed, I had completely forgotten about arepas. That was until I connected with Johana, my mommy friend who runs Loom Studio in Toronto. Her being Colombian, I was instantly reminded of arepas and asked her to teach me how to make them!
I asked my dad to bring a bag of P.A.N. home from his recent trip to the states and now I'm a little addicted. The only thing keeping me from having arepas
Johana told me she likes her arepa dough on the wet side, mixing 1 cup of arepa flour with 1¾ cups of water, but that I should start with the recipe on the package and work from there.
Well, that recipe on the package is so damn good I haven't moved away from it! I'll get to experimenting soon. Maybe.
It really is one of the easiest and tastiest things I've made! It takes only three ingredients, and the process is so simple. Plus, I haven't had bread since going gluten-free so this really hit the spot nicely!
You can grill it or pan fry it, with or without oil, and they have a thin, crispy crust and a moist center.
I cooked the first batch of arepas without any oil or butter on the griddle. The second batch, I cooked with a bit of ghee. Both are tasty, but the butter helped to add color to the arepas.
Johana showed me her arepa with cheese so I had to try, and boy am I glad I did! She incorporated grated cheese into the dough but I enclosed it in the center, hoping for a gooey center. Who doesn't love a gooey center?
Arepas are the easiest bread to make because they don't require any yeast! If you've never tried arepas, you've got to make them! My favorite arepa filling is
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Arepas
Ingredients
- 2 cups P.A.N. arepa flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2½ cups water
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the arepa flour and salt. Add the water and stir until combined. Knead until a smooth dough forms and let it rest for a couple of minutes to let the arepa flour soak the liquid.
- Separate the dough into ten portions and roll them into balls. Flatten each ball into 3.5in/10cm disks. Cook on a griddle or frying pan over medium heat until golden on both sides, about 5-10min per side.
- Take the arepas off the heat and enjoy as is, or slice open and fill with whatever your heart desires!
Nutrition
Petra says
Wow! The arepas looks like an amazing treat! And what a great way to start the day. Reading the recipe it is a little bit of magic that only 3 ingredients can make something so delicious 🙂
Ai says
It really is magic that something so simple could be so good! I would love to have this with some fried eggs and sautéed greens for breakfast!
Rita says
I know a person who has gluten allergy - will pass this on to her.
Ai says
Thank you Rita!
Jhuls | The Not So Creative Cook says
Wow!! I haven't heard of arepas before, but these look really amazing!! Your Dad should have brought you more than one bag. Haha! Hi, Dad!! 😀 Thanks for sharing & happy Fiesta Friday, Ai. Thanks for co-hosting, too. x
Ai says
Haha I'll have to get my brother to bring back a box this summer!!
frugal hausfrau says
I love arepas and what a nice tutorial! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday this week!
Mollie
Ai says
Aren't they delicious? I wish I tried them earlier! Thanks for co-hosting with me Mollie!
Angie | Fiesta Friday says
Yes to arepas! You should try making mozzarepas (mozzarella cheese sandwiched in two pieces of arepas), a NYC street food. So good!
Ai says
Omg mozzarepas sound amazing! Drooool!
Stephanie Sisler says
I’m celiac and definitely need to try these!!
Ai says
Hope you like them!
Colleen says
Where can I buy Pan? I live in the US but in a rural area. The only big store we have here is a Wal-Mart.
Ai says
Hi Colleen! I just looked online and looks like Walmart carries it: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Pan-White-Corn-Meal-Harina-De-Maiz-Blanco-Precocida-1-Kg/36298104
Gill Hines says
amazon grocery has Pan flour
Nancy says
How easy to make. I filled mine with Monterey Jack cheese and they were great. Found damp hands helpful in forming the dough around the cheese.
Ai says
Thank you Nancy! Monterey Jack sounds delicious! Damp hands to prevent the dough sticking to hands is a good tip 🙂
Joy says
Walmart carries this flour. 🙂
Rika says
Hi...I stay in South Africa and I use any kind of maize meal for this & love it every time especially with marmalade.
Ai says
Ooohh marmalade on warm fresh arepas sounds delightful!!
Anna says
Can I cut this recipe in half if i just want a few
Ai says
Absolutely!
Kurt says
Those look amazing! I'm starting to experiment with flatbreads, so I'll add this to my list of things to try.
Ai says
Hope you enjoy!!
Jessica says
These look delicious and so easy! Do you know if they can be cooked and then frozen? Or, are they ok to sit on the counter for a few days? I'm the only gluten free one at home. Thanks!
Ai says
Hi Jessica! You can wrap each cooked arepa and put them in a freezer bag to store them in the freezer! You can reheat them in the oven for about 10 minutes. Or, you can store cooked arepas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Make sure to reheat them on a skillet or in the oven before serving them.
Chrisi says
Can yellow corn meal be substituted for the white corn flour?
Ai says
No, arepa flour is precooked cornmeal so it's different from the regular cornmeal that you'd use for cornbread. Although some brands like PAN sell precooked yellow cornmeal that you could use for arepas.