Arepas

By Rick A. Martínez

Updated Jan. 27, 2025

Arepas
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
1 hour
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
50 minutes
Rating
4(845)
Comments
Read comments

These chicken and avocado-stuffed arepas, which are known as reina pepiada (or curvy queen), were created in honor of Susana Dujim, a Venezuelan beauty queen who was crowned Miss World in 1955. The 1950s also marked the invention of precooked corn flour, now known as masarepa, by a Venezuelan engineer. But arepas were around for hundreds of years throughout Latin America before that, the corn patties sometimes served whole or split, then filled with countless combinations. Preparing them used to be labor-intensive, but masarepa gives arepas a light and creamy texture without a lot of effort. Unlike cornmeal used for cornbread or muffins, which is ground dried uncooked corn, masarepa is ground from cooked corn and conveniently sold as dried corn flour. Masa harina is ground uncooked corn treated with other ingredients and is used to make tortillas and other dishes. Neither cornmeal nor masa harina can be substituted for masarepa, which is available online and in many supermarkets.

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Ingredients

Yield:8 arepas
  • 2cups/300 grams masarepa (such as P.A.N.)
  • 2tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for cooking arepas, if needed
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • 1ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and quartered
  • ¼cup mayonnaise
  • ½medium white onion, chopped
  • 1garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
  • 2medium chicken breasts from a rotisserie or roast chicken, shredded, skin and bones removed (about 2 cups)
  • ½cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

345 calories; 15 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 19 grams protein; 352 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Stir together cornmeal, 2½ cups water, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl until completely combined and no clumps of dry cornmeal remain. Continue stirring for 2 minutes. (Cornmeal will hydrate, making the dough thicker and slightly less sticky.) Cover with a clean, dry kitchen towel and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Divide dough into 8 portions, then roll into balls and place on a sheet pan. Sprinkle a few drops of water on your hands to prevent the dough from sticking; pat and flatten each ball into a disk that is ½-inch thick and 4 to 4½ inches in diameter.

  3. Step 3

    Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large (12-inch) skillet, preferably cast-iron, over medium heat and cook 3 or 4 of the arepas until they are lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining arepas, adding more oil if necessary. (See Tip.)

  4. Step 4

    Insert a paring knife into the edge of the warm arepa and hollow out a pocket, slicing about halfway down and leaving the bottom edge intact similar to a pita. (The inside will be slightly gummy, not gooey, but will firm up as it cools.) Repeat with the remaining arepas.

  5. Step 5

    Place three-quarters of the avocado into a large bowl and smash with the tines of a fork until it is spreadable yet chunky. Add mayonnaise, onion, garlic, lime juice and 1 teaspoon salt, vigorously stirring until completely combined. Stir in chicken and cilantro until combined, adding more lime juice and salt, if desired. Thinly slice remaining avocado.

  6. Step 6

    Stuff the arepas with a heaping ⅓ cup of the filling and a few slices of avocado and serve.

Tip
  • If you'd like, you can transfer the arepas to bake in a 400-degree oven for 10 to 20 minutes. This will make the centers firmer.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
845 user ratings
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Comments

Cristina

I’ve been making arepas for about 40 years! Some tips: You can’t actually “stir” PAN flour/meal. Once the water (should be warm water) hits the dry ingredient it almost immediately begins to clump. Do not try to stir with a spoon as you would a cake batter. Just stick your clean hands into the dough and stir with open fingers to feel for the clumps. Keep massaging the dough until no more clumps. Cover. I brown them in a cast iron pan then put them in oven while I prepare the filling.

Carlos

Tip from a Venezuelan: If you make the arepas like they tell you in the recipe above they will be undercooked. After grilling them in the cast iron, stick them in the oven, over a flat surface (I use a pizza stone). They should be crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, but never gummy. 10 -15 minutes @ 400 F does the trick.

Lori

Three tips: As far as I’ve tried, P.A.N. is the only arepa harina worth buying. I’ve tried Goya and Maseca and both were awful for arepas. Colombian style (the best!): add a half pound of grated mozzarella or similar white cheese to the dough; eat with breakfast (unstuffed). Freeze and then reheat in the toaster oven or microwave until warm and crisp up in a frying pan.

Gail Blizard

.This recipe is on the back of the bag of Masarepa Juana, as Arepas Reina Pepiada.

Hungry in Seattle

Try Masienda masa. It’s a game changer.

Todd C

These are awesome, deserves to be much higher rated

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