Arepas With Black Beans and Cheese
Crisp-outside, tender-inside corn arepas made with precooked cornmeal, split and stuffed with black beans, avocado and salty crumbled cheese.
By Tasty Nest Recipes Editorial TeamPublished
35 min total 8 arepasEasy
Photo: Steven Depolo from Grand Rapids, MI, USA · CC BY 2.0. Illustrative photo; your results may look different.
About this recipe
Arepas are griddled corn cakes eaten every day in Venezuela and Colombia. They are made from masarepa, a precooked cornmeal, mixed with water and salt into a soft dough. That is all it takes.
Cooked until golden and crisp outside and steamy inside, they are split open and stuffed. This vegetarian version is filled with black beans, avocado and crumbled cheese.
Equipment you'll need
- Large cast-iron or nonstick skillet
- Mixing bowl
Tips for success
- Use masarepa (precooked cornmeal), not regular cornmeal or masa harina; they behave very differently.
- If the dough cracks when shaped, knead in a little more warm water.
- Cooking at medium heat ensures the centres cook through before the outside burns.
Substitutions and variations
- Fill with shredded chicken and avocado for reina pepiada.
- Use yellow masarepa for a sweeter, corny flavour.
- Leave out the cheese for a vegan arepa.
Storage and reheating
To store: Refrigerate cooked, unfilled arepas for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
To reheat: Reheat in a 375°F (190°C) oven or a dry skillet for 8 to 10 minutes until crisp and hot.
Recipe
Arepas With Black Beans and Cheese
Crisp-outside, tender-inside corn arepas made with precooked cornmeal, split and stuffed with black beans, avocado and salty crumbled cheese.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Yield
- 8 arepas
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
Tick off ingredients as you gather them.
Arepas
Filling
Instructions
Step 1: Make the dough
Mix the masarepa and salt, then stir in the warm water and oil. Knead for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth and soft, then rest for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Shape
Divide into 8 balls and flatten each between your palms into a disc about 3 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick, smoothing any cracks at the edges with a wet finger.
Step 3: Cook
Heat a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat. Cook the arepas for 8 to 10 minutes per side, until golden with a crisp crust; they should sound hollow when tapped.
Step 4: Warm the beans
Meanwhile, warm the black beans with the cumin and a splash of water in a small pan, lightly mashing some of them.
Step 5: Split and stuff
Split each arepa open with a knife, leaving a hinge. Fill with beans, avocado and cheese and serve with hot sauce.
Cuisine: Venezuelan · Course: Lunch
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 310
- Protein
- 11 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 43 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
- Sugars
- 1 g
Approximate values estimated from typical nutrition data for the listed ingredients, excluding optional toppings and serving suggestions. Actual values vary with brands, portion sizes and substitutions. Not verified by a dietitian or laboratory analysis.
tastynestrecipes.com/recipes/arepas
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