I first had arepas con queso in Cartagena, Colombia, and learned this recipe during one of my trips there. These arepas are crisp on the outside while soft, buttery, and oozing with cheese on the inside. A delicious blend of masarepa, mozzarella, and butter, I usually grill this until it’s perfectly golden. It’s perfect as an appetizer or snack, ready in just 30 minutes, and great with a cup of tea.
Ingredients and notes
To make arepas con queso, you’ll need masarepa flour, salt, sugar, unsalted butter, freshly shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, whole milk, lukewarm water, and nonstick cooking spray.
How to make arepas con queso
Step 1:
In a large bowl, combine the masarepa flour, salt, and sugar. Add the room temperature butter and 1 ½ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Mix well to incorporate the ingredients evenly.
Step 2:
Pour ¼ cup of milk and slowly pour in the lukewarm water while continuously mixing the dough. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and manageable, adding more water if necessary to achieve the right consistency. Let the dough rest for about 5 minutes.
Step 3:
Divide the dough into 6 equal-sized portions and roll each portion into a ball. Flatten each ball of dough into a disc shape using the palm of your hand, about ½ inch thick.
Step 4:
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place the arepas on the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, or until they develop a golden brown crust.
Step 5:
Let them cool for a few minutes before serving.
Arepas Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Colombian, Venezuelan
Ingredients
- 2 cups masarepa flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar, plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1½ cup freshly shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 2½ cups lukewarm water
- Nonstick cooking spray, for the skillet
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the masarepa flour, salt, and sugar. Add the room temperature butter and 1 ½ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Mix well to incorporate the ingredients evenly.
- Pour ¼ cup of milk and slowly pour in the lukewarm water while continuously mixing the dough. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and manageable, adding more water if necessary to achieve the right consistency. Let the dough rest for about 5 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal-sized portions and roll each portion into a ball. Flatten each ball into a disc shape, about ½ inch thick.
-
Heat a skillet over medium heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place the arepas on the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, or until they develop a golden brown crust.
-
Let them cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Avoid using butter when cooking the arepas to prevent burning too quickly. Instead, opt for oil. If you desire the buttery taste, cook the arepas with oil and add a layer of salted butter after they’re fully cooked.
- Aim for a dough that’s soft but not sticky. If it’s too dry, add water tablespoon by tablespoon. If it’s too wet, a bit more masarepa can help. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes before shaping.
- For a cheesier arepa con queso, add a tablespoon of cheese at the center of each dough ball before flattening into a patty. Remove any air pockets before cooking!
- Cook the arepas on medium heat to allow the inside to warm and the cheese to melt while developing a golden crust without burning.
