Arepa Nutrition Facts

What are arepas made of?

corn

Traditionally, arepas are made by soaking and pounding dried corn in a pilón—a large mortar and pestle. The moist pounded dough would then be shaped into cakes and cooked. These days, most folks buy pre-cooked, dehydrated masarepa—arepa flour—that only needs to be mixed with water and salt to form a dough.

What do arepas taste like?

A taste between a tortilla and a tamale

But perhaps the best way to think about them is to compare them to the more popular tamale. Both foods are cornmeal based, and whereas tamales are generally steamed, arepas are typically pan-fried — but the overall flavor profile is fairly similar (via Minimalist Baker).

How do you explain what arepas are?

The arepa is a flat, round, unleavened patty of soaked, ground kernels of maize, or—more frequently nowadays—maize meal or maize flour that can be grilled, baked, fried, boiled or steamed. The characteristics vary by color, flavor, size, and the food with which it may be stuffed, depending on the region.

What is arepa called in English?

What is this? An arepa is a flat, round, cornmeal cake. They resemble English muffins or pitas only that they are often stuffed with many different fillings. The name arepa came from the Indigenous form of the name, “erepa,” which means “corn.”

How do you eat an arepa?

How to Eat Arepas. Arepas can be split and buttered, filled, made into sandwiches, served as bread to accompany a meal, or served with a dipping sauce. Some popular combinations for sandwiches or fillings include cheese (arepas rellenas), black beans and crumbled cheese, ham and cheese, and scrambled eggs.

Are arepas gorditas?

Gorditas Are a Mexican Specialty

Gorditas resemble arepas, but like pupusas, they are made with masa harina. These corn cakes are deep fried until they are golden and crispy (but they can also be cooked on a griddle or comal). Gorditas puff up when fried in oil, forming an air pocket somewhat like pita bread.

How are arepas cooked?

While arepas can be baked, fried, or grilled, the most traditional method is to cook them on a large, flat griddle called a budare. A cast iron griddle or cast iron pan will mimic a budare at home. A nonstick pan or electric skillet works as well, but you won’t get the same tasty char on the crust of the arepas.

Are arepas a meal?

Eaten all over Latin America for meals and snacks, arepas come in countless varieties: They can be cut open and smeared with butter, or split and stuffed to the brim like a sandwich, or filled with a gusher of melting cheese, or flecked with grated cheese throughout, or lightly sweetened and speckled with aniseeds.