How to make Venezuelan arepas and their filling: 3 delicious recipes

The arepas They are not very thick, flat tortillas, which are usually used as an accompaniment to all types of food, from meat dishes to soups, including salads or sweet recipes such as jams.

For this reason they are also known by the name of tortilla or changa. It is a very traditional dish in countries such as Colombia, Panama and Venezuela, where they are also known by the names of changa and tortilla.

In fact, as a consequence of the different migratory exchanges that have taken place between Venezuela and the Canary Islands for decades, Venezuelan arepas They have reached us through the Canary archipelago.

What are Venezuelan arepas?

As we indicated before, the arepas consists of a dish made of ground corn dough, although it can also be made with pre-cooked corn flour. Its preparation is actually very simple, and it can be cooked easily in a pan or in the oven (as long as it is hot).

Not in vain, its cooking is common in different ways. For example, they can be roasted, baked, fried and even boiled. There is even a small appliance specially developed for cooking, which was released back in 1989: it is known by the name of Tosty Arepa, and as its name suggests, helps prepare the arepas and reduce the preparation time.

In Venezuela it is common to meet with Areperas, which are specialized restaurants in arepas, where we can enjoy a wide variety of arepas filled with different stews, very popular in the town.

Here we explain the steps and ingredients necessary to make homemade traditional arepas at home, as they are made in Colombia or Venezuela. Delicious!

How to make Venezuelan arepas

Recipe of roasted Venezuelan arepas

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups precooked white cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 and a half cups of water
  • Olive oil

preparation:

  1. In a bowl pour a cup and a half of water. Add salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Now add the flour little by little, diluting it in the water. It is important that you do it with care, to avoid lumps forming.
  2. Knead with the hands adding the flour little by little and water, until you obtain a soft dough (this dough should not stick in the hands).
  3. Now form balls of medium size with the help of the hands, flattening them and giving them a symmetrical round shape with little thickness.
  4. Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
  5. Heat a non-stick pan with a little oil. When hot, place the arepas and let them cook on both sides. The ideal moment to know what they are made of? They should be lifted off the pan alone.
  6. Then put the roasted arepas on a baking tray and let them finish in the oven for a few minutes, until they acquire a golden hue and their shape is bulging.
  7. Lists! Now you can fill them with whatever you like: meat, stews, butter ...

How to make the filling for Venezuelan arepas

Filling meat filling recipe

Ingredients:

  • 500 gr. of calf skirt
  • 2 red peppers (ajís)
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tomato expert
  • Pepper
  • Salt
  • Water

preparation:

  1. Peel the onion and cut it in half. Then cut one of those halves into small squares. Peel the garlic and crush just one of them.
  2. Now put the meat in a large saucepan with enough water. Accompany with the ajís, the onion cut into pieces and the garlic and bring to a boil until the meat is tender. Then, with the help of a fork, mix it very finely. Reserve it.
  3. Cut the rest of the onion, garlic and cooked chilli very finely. Put them in a frying pan and brown them together with the roasted meat.
  4. Now cut the tomato into small pieces and add them to the meat. Finish stewing and reserve.
  5. Add a little salt and pepper to taste. Ready!.

Recipe of tope fillet (fish)

Ingredients:

  • 500 gr. of dogfish
  • 1 onion
  • 2 garlic
  • Sweet pepper
  • Half a glass of wine
  • Olive oil
  • Water
  • Salt
  • Pepper

preparation:

  1. Put plenty of water in a saucepan and sancocha in it the dogfish. When the fish is ready remove the skin and finely shred with the help of a fork. Reservation.
  2. While preparing a stew with garlic, onion and sweet pepper. Sauté in olive oil and add the shaved dogfish.
  3. Mix well and season to taste.
  4. Now is the ideal time to add the wine and let it cook well. When the dogfish is dry, rectify with salt. Ready!.

‘MasterChef’ finalist Alejandra Schrader's Venezuelan Arepas with Shredded Beef (April 2024)