Venezuelan Arepas

1. 1

   Step 1

   Preheat oven to 410° F.

   25 minutes

   Always preheat your oven fully before baking for even cooking.
2. 2

   Step 2

   Pour the water into a large bowl. Make sure it is room temperature.

   3 minutes
3. 3

   Step 3

   Add the salt. Blend well with a mixer, fork or spatula to make sure it dissolves well.

   3 minutes

   Taste as you go and adjust seasoning gradually — you can always add more but can't take it away.
4. 4

   Step 4

   While you continue to beat the mixture, slowly add the corn meal—a little bit at a time.

   3 minutes

   Use room-temperature ingredients for better volume when whisking.
5. 5

   Step 5

   Once all the flour is added, keep mixing until the corn meal, water and salt are thoroughly blended and dissolved.

   3 minutes

   Taste as you go and adjust seasoning gradually — you can always add more but can't take it away.
6. 6

   Step 6

   Set aside the masa in its bowl. Let it rest for 5 minutes so that the flour is thoroughly hydrated. This type of corn flour does not have any gluten, so it doesn’t need to be kneaded. The masa should be smooth, firm yet malleable.

   10 minutes

   The dough is ready when it springs back slightly when poked.
7. 7

   Step 7

   While waiting for the 5 minutes’ rest, heat your budare (or comal, griddle, cast-iron pan or non-stick pan) over medium heat. Coat with a little bit of the oil.

   10 minutes

   Resting allows juices to redistribute for a more flavorful result.
8. 8

   Step 8

   Fill a small bowl with water to wet your hands to make the arepas.

   3 minutes
9. 9

   Step 9

   Take about 2 Tbsp of the masa in your damp hands. The masa should fit easily in your palm so that it is easy to shape into a small ball.

   5 minutes
10. 10

    Step 10

    Cross your hands, so that one is on top of the other, with the masa ball between them. Rotate your right hand in a circle, so that you are at the same time both pressing the masa into a flat disc and keeping its round shape. arepa making

    10 minutes
11. 11

    Step 11

    The last step in shaping your arepa is to quickly pass and lightly press the masa disc from one hand to the other until it is about ¾ of an inch thick and 4 inches wide. Smooth the edges with your fingertips (quickly dip them into the water bowl first) so that they stay as round as possible and without cracks. arepa making

    10 minutes
12. 12

    Step 12

    Place your arepas in batches on the preheated surface of your budare griddle or nonstick pan. Let each side turn golden, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Check them often so that they don’t burn.

    5 minutes
13. 13

    Step 13

    Once they are nicely browned on both sides, place the arepas on a baking sheet in your preheated oven for 10 minutes. They should be somewhat puffy, so that if you tap an arepa lightly on top, it will sound like you are tapping an empty box.

    25 minutes

    Always preheat your oven fully before baking for even cooking.
14. 14

    Step 14

    Serve arepas hot, whether you stuff with them with your choice of fillings or serve solo to accompany your favorite Venezuelan guiso or stew.

    2 minutes

    Warm your serving plates in the oven briefly for a restaurant-quality touch.

Frequently Asked Questions