How to Make Arepas: Grill, Bake, or Fry
- La Tienda
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
If there is one thing that unites kitchens across Colombia and Venezuela, it’s the Arepa.
If you want something warm, gluten-free, and versatile. That’s where the arepa comes in. Made from pre-cooked corn flour (like the iconic Harina PAN), arepas are essentially "corn cakes" that you can fill with almost anything.
But how do you get them right? There are three main ways to cook them.
The Foundation: The Dough
Before you decide on the cooking method, you need the perfect dough. The beauty of Harina PAN is its simplicity.
The Ratio: Usually 1 cup of water to 1 cup of flour, with a pinch of salt.
The Secret: This may be a bit of a polemic, but adding flour to the water makes the dough smoother. We know many prefer adding the water to the flour; choose your preferred way! Let it sit for 3 minutes so the corn can fully hydrate. If the dough cracks when you flatten it, it needs a drop more water.
Now you're ready to cook them:
1. The Classic: Grilled (Budare or Pan)
This is the most common way to eat them daily. In Venezuela and Colombia, we use a budare (a flat cast-iron griddle), but a non-stick frying pan works perfectly.
The Result: A thin, crispy crust with a soft, steaming interior.
Best for: Filling with anything you want! Some of the more famous fillings are: Reina Pepiada (chicken and avocado), cheese, or simply butter for breakfast.
2. The Crunchy: Fried
If you want something more indulgent, frying is the way to go.
The Technique: Make the arepas slightly thinner and fry them in hot oil until they float and turn golden.
The Colombian Special (Arepa e’ Huevo): You cannot talk about fried arepas without mentioning the Caribbean coast of Colombia. The Arepa con Huevo is a masterpiece of street food. You fry the arepa halfway, cut a small slit, crack a raw egg inside, seal it with a bit of raw dough, and fry it again until the egg is cooked. It’s crispy, salty, and life-changing.
Pro tip: Add a little sugar to the dough to make it sweet.
3. The Easy Way: Baked
Baking is great if you are making arepas for the whole family and don’t want to stand over the stove.
The Pro Tip: "Seal" them on the pan for 2 minutes per side first, then finish them in the oven at 200°C for about 10-15 minutes. When you tap them, and they sound hollow (like a little drum), they are ready.
Colombia or Venezuela: Who owns the Arepa?
It’s the eternal debate! The truth is that arepa is enjoyed in different ways in both of these countries. Therefore, they share the ownership!
Colombian Arepas tend to be flatter and are often served as a side dish (like a tortilla) topped with cheese or hogao (tomato and onion sauce).
Venezuelan Arepas are usually thicker because they are designed to be sliced open like a pita pocket and stuffed with hearty fillings.
And no matter which style you prefer, the secret is always the quality of the corn flour.
Ready to try it?
You can now find the original Harina PAN (White or Yellow) in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland. It’s naturally gluten-free, vegan-friendly, and stays fresh in your pantry for months.
We've created a combo with the iconic filling diablitos and maltin polar, so you have your breakfast ready to go!
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