Last Updated on November 13, 2019 by Chef Mireille
Arepas are corn cakes eaten throughout most South American countries, often eaten instead of rice or potatoes. Sometimes they are also stuffed and make a great appetizer- a popular street food popular in many countries like Venezuela, Columbia and Ecuador. It is made from hominy corn flour that is precooked and treated with lime and charcoal called masa harina. Depending on where you live, you can now find this item at many mainstream supermarkets. If not, look for it in Latin markets or you can also purchase it online in places like amazon. Masa Harina is used to make a variety of South American flatbreads including corn tortillas and as part of the stuffing for tamales.
I decided to make a sweet and savory bite here that makes the perfect first course of a meal. I topped it with queso de freier, a South American frying cheese. You can also substitute halloumi or paneer, however, salt will need to be added to the paneer as the other frying cheeses are already salted in the brine that they come in. The slight sweetness of the arepas is balanced with the salt of the cheese and the acid of the pickled vegetables. You can also make the arepas smaller and make this as a one bite finger food for parties.
The flavor profile in these sweet arepas are quite different from the traditional. For more arepa varieties, check out my Pumpkin Arepas here and my Stuffed Cheese Arepas here. These arepas are being made for this month’s #BreadBakers theme of griddle breads.
Let’s first make the salad that is going to top off our arepa stacks.
Pickled Cabbage Salad
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup grated carrot
- 2 1/2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
- 1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Combine all ingredients and let marinate for at least 1 hour.
Apple Raisin Arepas
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 9 arepas
Ingredients:
- 2 cups masa harina
- 1 grated apple
- 3 tablespoons raisins
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
In a large bowl, combine masa, apple, raisins, salt and sugar. Mix to combine.
Slowly add  enough warm water (a little more than 1 cup) until you have a soft dough.
Take some dough and flatten by pressing your palms together with the dough in between your hands, about 3″ in diameter.
Heat enough oil for shallow frying in a skillet. Fry on low heat until golden brown on both sides.
Drain on paper towels.
Stacked Apple Arepas for #BreadBakers
Ingredients
- Pickled Cabbage Salad Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup grated carrot
- 2 1/2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
- 1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Apple Arepa Ingredients:
- 2 cups masa harina
- 1 grated apple
- 3 tablespoons raisins
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Stacked Arepas Ingredients:
- arepas
- fried queso de freir slices
- pickled cabbage salad
Instructions
- Pickled Cabbage:
- Combine all ingredients and let marinate for at least 1 hour.
- Arepas:
- In a large bowl, combine masa, apple, raisins, salt and sugar. Mix to combine.
- Slowly add enough water (a little more than 1 cup) until you have a soft dough.
- Take some dough and flatten by pressing your palms together with the dough in between your hands, about 3" in diameter.
- Heat enough oil for shallow frying in a skillet. Fry on low heat until golden brown on both sides.
- Drain on paper towels.
- Stacked Arepas:
- To assemble, top each arepa with queso and finally top with the cabbage salad.
Stacked Apple Arepas
Ingredients:
- arepas
- fried queso de freir slices
- pickled cabbage salad
To assemble, top each arepa with  queso and finally top with the cabbage salad.
Sweet, Salty and Sour…a great combination of flavors in one bite…
Do stop by the other #breadbakers for some great griddle breads…
Griddle Breads
- Amaranth (Rajgira) Paratha from Herbivore Cucina
- Cheese and Potato Gözleme from Cook’s Hideout
- Corn Pancakes from Magnolia Days
- Cornmeal Griddle Cakes from Noshing With The Nolands
- English Muffins from La cocina de Aisha
- Fruity Hemp Seed Pancakes from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Griddle Scones from Hostess At Heart
- Homemade Corn Tortillas from Kylee Cooks
- Lachha Paratha – Indian Layered Flatbread from Sara’s Tasty Buds
- Masala Poli – Spicy Potato Masala Stuffed Poli from I Camp in my Kitchen
- Masala Roti from Sneha’s Recipe
- Paneer Kulchas – Griddle Fried Cottage Cheese Flatbread from Sizzling Tastebuds
- Paruppu Poorana Poli from Gayathri’s Cook Spot
- Peanut Butter and Apple Griddle Cakes from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Phool Makhana Parathas (Puffed Lotus Seeds Parathas) from Seduce Your Tastebuds
- Saffron Unleavened Bread from Kidsandchic
- Satpadi – Spiced Griddle Bread from Spiceroots
- Scallion Pancakes from A Shaggy Dough Story
- Sourdough English Muffins from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Spicy Loli – Breakfast Flatbread from Food Lust People Love
- Spinach and Feta Gözleme from Spill the Spices
- Stacked Apple Arepas from The Schizo Chef
- Staffordshire Oatcakes with a Bacon & Cheese Filling from Ruchik Randhap
- Stove-Top Muffins (Diphaphata) from Wholistic Woman
- Swedish Polar Bread from G’Gina’s Kitchenette
- Vitumbua (Coconut Rice Pancake Balls) from Mayuri’s Jikoni
- Welsh Cakes from Passion Kneaded
- Yeast Raised Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pancakes from Pastry Chef Online
#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.
We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.
If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to [email protected].
Stacked Apple Arepas for #BreadBakers
Ingredients
- Pickled Cabbage Salad Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup grated carrot
- 2 1/2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
- 1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Apple Arepa Ingredients:
- 2 cups masa harina
- 1 grated apple
- 3 tablespoons raisins
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Stacked Arepas Ingredients:
- arepas
- fried queso de freir slices
- pickled cabbage salad
Instructions
- Pickled Cabbage:
- Combine all ingredients and let marinate for at least 1 hour.
- Arepas:
- In a large bowl, combine masa, apple, raisins, salt and sugar. Mix to combine.
- Slowly add enough water (a little more than 1 cup) until you have a soft dough.
- Take some dough and flatten by pressing your palms together with the dough in between your hands, about 3" in diameter.
- Heat enough oil for shallow frying in a skillet. Fry on low heat until golden brown on both sides.
- Drain on paper towels.
- Stacked Arepas:
- To assemble, top each arepa with queso and finally top with the cabbage salad.
Kalyani
Looks awesome ! These arepas are so new to me … I might try with locally available corn flour or makai KA atta !
And that pickle is toooo tempting to pass up ! Great choice ,Mir !
Mayuri Patel
Arepas look so good. Its a new preparation for me. Never heard of arepas till I read your post.
Ansh
These look absolutely mouth watering, Mireille. Love the delicious queso de frier too. what a yummy treat.
Tara
These are so different with the gorgeous cabbage on top, I would love to try them!!
Georgina
What a lovely bite of ingredients Mireille. Arepas are new to me and I love the idea of having it as a snack. The addition of the queso de frier makes it all the more enticing.
Julie at Hostess At Heart
What a beautiful dish. I love cabbage and combining with the apple they have to be delicious!
Cindys Recipes and Writings
All these flavors sound so good and together, wow!
Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories
These look delicious Mireille! Fortunately, masa harina is sold in every grocery store here in California so I can’t wait to try these! Love it with the apple!!
Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm
Great recipe Mireille. Thanks for sharing.
Shireen
Mireille I always come to your blog to learn something new! Loved the arepas and the flavours of the pickles that you have combined them with! A real treat for the tastebuds! 🙂
Wendy @ Wholistic Woman
I LOVE the sound of those flavor combinations! Thank you for sharing.
sneha datar
Fabulous arepas.. .. irresistible.
Pavani
What a yummy looking dish this is Mir. I have all the ingredients to make these. Do they fall apart when making the arepas? I’m always scared of working with gluten free flours.
Chef Mireille
no. Just dont knead the dough. You want to handle it as little as possible. Just form patties without kneading. Also keep rest of dough covered with damp cloth so it does not dry out as you work.
Pavani
Thanks for the tips Mir. Will try these out some time soon.
rocio
These looks delicious !!
Jenni
Mireille, this sweet and savory combination is gorgeous! Not to mention the “frying cheese.” I think I *need* frying cheese! Wonderful arepas!