Colombian Arepas

5 ingredients•Prep: 10 mins•Cook: 20 mins

sabrinajpark

•

June 22, 2026

If I had to pick one food that reminds me of my mom's Colombian side of the family, it would probably be arepas.

I wouldn't say they were a regular part of my childhood, but when my mom did make them... it was for breakfast with butter and cheese, and soft scrambled eggs on top. Even when we were already full... it was always very, VERY hard to stop eating them.

While we usually had them for breakfast, arepas are easy, delicious, and incredibly versatile. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, they're good for any time of the day.

These days, this recipe is the basic version I use and build from depending on what's in the fridge or what we're craving.

I've only been to Colombia once, and it was many years ago now, but I still remember a lot from that trip!

Apart from constantly rushing around trying to visit (and meet) family members and the fact that it seemed to rain the entire trip, there was one food memory that really stuck with me.

It was seeing arepas de chócolo for the first time. I confidently assumed they were chocolate arepas, and was very excited.

Turns out chócolo means "sweet corn" or "ear of corn." Not chocolate - ha!

Thankfully, they were delicious enough to soften the blow. Unlike traditional arepas, arepas de chócolo are made with sweet corn, which gives them a softer texture and slightly sweet flavor. They're often served with melted cheese. Not chocolate... but still worth writing home about! I'll link that recipe here soon.

Buen provecho!

Sabri

Ingredients (5)

P.A.N. White Corn Meal – Pre-cooked Gluten Free and Kosher Flour(3 cups)
Milk(3 cups, warm)
your milk preference
Mozzarella(1 cup, grated)
Butter(6 Tbsp, melted)
Salt

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix together the P.A.N. White Corn Meal, warm milk, mozzarella cheese, butter, and salt until everything is well combined. Let the mixture rest for about ~5 minutes.
Using slightly damp hands, knead the dough for 2 to 3 minutes until it's smooth and easy to work with.
Using about ¼ cup of dough for each arepa, roll the dough into balls.
Place the balls of dough between two pieces of plastic wrap (or parchment paper) and gently flatten into rounds ~½-inch thick.
Melt a little butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the arepas for ~4 minutes per side, until they're golden and a light crust forms on the outside.