Making an arepas recipe from scratch is the easiest way to whip up a tasty home made sandwich!
Photo by Frederick Medina on Unsplash
Gluten Free Eats
Hubs and I have very few choices when it comes to eating out gluten free. So when Hubs discovered a little place downtown with gluten free arepas (before Covid), it was fun to get out and not have to cook!
However, the luxury of eating in a restaurant gluten free is always SO expensive. And to tell you the truth, I was not smitten with arepas when we first tried them. I found them to be doughy and bland.
Easy Arepas Recipe
So I thought we would give them a second chance and make them at home. It was a no brainer; with only 3 ingredients, arepas are easy and even faster than fast food! And, as it turns out, tastier!
Have you ever tried arepas? Feel free to chime in and leave a comment!
Since it can take a while to cook a whole batch, I usually cover them with a damp paper towel so they don’t dry out. I prefer my arepas small, while Hubs prefers them larger so I adjust the size accordingly before patting them out and we’re both happy.
All it takes is to find the right corn flour and this P.A.N. White Corn Meal is our favourite. Although corn is naturally gluten free, since it says gluten free right on the package, that usually means Hubs has a bit more peace of mind. There’s always a chance that the product is made in a facility that also processes wheat which can cause concern for cross contamination. However, P.A.N is certified gluten free on their website. Perfect!
How to Cook Arepas
This arepas recipe can cook on a grill during the summer, but we typically make them in a cast iron pan. You can cook arepas without oil, but I typically add a teaspoon in to maintain the seasoning of our cast iron pan.
As mentioned, I used to find them bland. But when done, I like to slather some butter on top and salt them. There’s nothing better than the crispy bits of the exterior texture and an extra hit of salt. And of course, everything is better with a little butter.
This filling makes all the difference too. My favourite way to enjoy arepas is with our pulled pork pressure cooker recipe. The combination of smoky pork with a corn exterior is delicious. But if you ever want to switch up the arepas texture for something crunchier, but still corn, we also serve our pulled pork as chipotle guacamole pulled pork tacos.
Pin Arepas Recipe
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Arepas FAQs
What is P.A.N.?
P.A.N. is a brand of precooked cornmeal made with 100% white corn to make traditional Latin-American dishes. It is also certified gluten free. We use it to make corn-based griddle cakes called Arepas.
How do you eat an Arepa?
Arepas can be split in half and enjoyed as a sandwich or left whole and served warm, like any bread, to use with a dip etc.
Arepas Recipe
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups water
- 2 cups P.A.N white corn meal
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp grapeseed oil
Instructions
- Pour water into a bowl and gradually add the corn meal and salt. Knead until the dough is smooth and let rest in the bowl for 3 minutes.Divide the dough into 10 portions (if desired, you can make these larger). Shape each portion into a ball, then press down to form a patty about 3 1/2" wide.
- Add grapeseed oil into cast iron pan on medium heat. When hot add the patties and cook for 5 minutes a side until brown. Keep warm until all are cooked. Let cool for 10 minutes before splitting. Then open and fill as desired or serve warm to accompany a meal like any bread.
