Arepas stuffed with meat

Name: Arepas stuffed with meat
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 170 min
Total time: 230 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: White Corn flour precooked 2.7 cups; Water 1 ¾ cup; Corn oil 1 spoonful; Fine salt 1 tsp; Beef brisket 3 lbs; Onions 0.8 lb; Red peppers 2.3 cups; Garlic 1 clove; Water 2.1 cups; Rum 1.4 oz; Extra virgin olive oil 2 spoonfuls; Smoked paprika 1 spoonful; Powdered cumin 1 spoonful; Fine salt 1 spoonful; Black pepper 1 spoonful; Avocado 2; Lime juice 1; Extra virgin olive oil 1 spoonful; Fine salt to taste; Edam cheese to be grated 4.25 oz; Parsley to taste

it es fr de br

544

Calories per serving

Gluten Free

Energy Kcal 544
Carbohydrates g 38.6
of which sugars g 6.6
Protein g 42.3
Fats g 23.2
of which saturated fat g 5.29
Fiber g 4.5
Cholesterol mg 120
Sodium mg 577

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 2 h 50 min
Makes: 8 pieces
Cost: Average
Note + the marinating time for the meat (at least 2 h)

PRESENTATION

Arepas with meat filling? Oh, they're a big favorite in Venezuela and Colombia—like, really everywhere. From breakfast tables to late-night street food spots, you know? These thick cornmeal breads get split open and packed with all kinds of goodies. And look, the version with tender shredded beef? It's a standout. The beef cooks nice and slow with peppers, onions, and a hit of cumin—gives it that warm, juicy flavor that people just can't stop talking about. Seriously, cannot go wrong.

Then there’s that awesome finish—creamy guacamole and grated cheese melt right into the hot arepa, making each bite extra moist and full of flavor. Folks love experimenting, and you’ll find street vendors putting their own spin on the classic stuffed arepas recipe. Some even toss in fried eggs or black beans, which is great, showing how flexible and fun these cornmeal flatbread recipes can be.

And here's the thing, what really grabs people is just how much flavor you get in something so simple. With Colombian arepas with beef, there’s this mix of crispy outside and soft middle that's just right. The fillings? A little bit of everything—tangy from the guac, savory from the slow-cooked meat, and a salty kick from the cheese. It’s hard not to get excited when you see these piled high at a party or family gathering, pretty much because everyone wants to try their own version. In Venezuela, people also stuff arepas with pork or even mix up the fillings with whatever leftovers are around, so every batch feels homemade—really really different.

And look, it doesn’t take much to see why so many folks are into homemade arepas with meat—they’re tasty, easy to tweak, and kinda bring everyone together. Whether you’re after a quick snack or something to feed a crowd, these South American stuffed breads fit just about any vibe. That’s the real charm of arepas with meat filling—they’re always up for whatever you have in mind, and they make regular food feel like a special event. Plus, with the variety of flavors, they offer a little taste of South America right in your kitchen. For sure.

INGREDIENTS

544

Calories per serving

Ingredients for 8 arepas: White Corn flour 2.7 cups (320 g) - precooked; Water 1 ¾ cup (400 g); Corn oil 1 spoonful; Fine salt 1 tsp

For the shredded meat: Beef 3 lbs (1350 g) - brisket; Onions 0.8 lb (350 g); Red peppers 2.3 cups (350 g); Garlic 1 clove; Water 2.1 cups (500 g); Rum 1.4 oz (40 g); Extra virgin olive oil 2 spoonfuls; Smoked paprika 1 spoonful; Powdered cumin 1 spoonful; Fine salt 1 spoonful; Black pepper 1 spoonful

For the guacamole: Avocado 2; Lime juice 1; Extra virgin olive oil 1 spoonful; Fine salt to taste

For filling: Edam cheese 4.25 oz (120 g) - to be grated; Parsley to taste

Preparation

How to prepare Arepas stuffed with meat

To prepare the meat-stuffed arepas, first take care of the marinade: place the brisket in a baking dish and season with salt 1, paprika 2, cumin 3, and pepper.

Massage the meat well on each side and let it marinate at room temperature for at least 2 hours 4. Meanwhile, peel the onions and the pepper and cut them into cubes (5-6).

After the marinating time, heat the oil in a saucepan and brown the meat on all sides over high heat for a total of 10 minutes (7-8). Set the meat aside momentarily and add the onions and peppers to the same saucepan, add the crushed garlic clove 9 and mix well to flavor everything.

After about 5 minutes, deglaze with rum and let it evaporate 10, then return the meat to the saucepan and add the water 11. Cover with the lid 12 and cook over medium heat for about 2 and a half hours.

Towards the end of the meat cooking time, you can prepare the arepas: pour the water into a bowl 13, add the salt 14 and the oil 15 and mix to dissolve the salt.

Gradually add the flour while mixing with your fingertips 16 to combine all the ingredients 17 until you obtain a soft but firm dough that you will let rest in the bowl for about 3 minutes 18.

At this point, divide the dough into 8 portions of about 3.2 oz each 19 and form balls 20, then flatten them with the palm of your hand to a thickness of about 0.6 inches 21.

Place the obtained discs on a cutting board and shape them with your hands to achieve a regular shape 22. Heat a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil in a pan and cook the arepas over medium heat for 4 minutes on one side 23 and 3 minutes on the other 34: they should be golden with darker spots. After cooking them, set them aside momentarily, covering them with a towel.

When the meat is cooked, transfer it to a bowl and shred it with a fork, removing the fat and bones 25, then add the cooking broth with the vegetables 26 and mix everything well 27.

Finally, prepare the guacamole: halve the avocados and scoop the pulp into a bowl, then add the lime juice 28, the oil 29, and the salt, and mash the mixture with a fork until a creamy consistency is obtained 30.

Now you are ready to assemble the sandwiches: cut the arepas in half horizontally 31 and fill with the shredded meat 32, the guacamole 33,

the grated edam cheese 34 and some chopped parsley 35. Your meat-stuffed arepas are ready to be enjoyed 36!

Storage

It is recommended to consume the meat-stuffed arepas as soon as they are ready. Unstuffed arepas can be frozen after cooking.

Advice

If you wish, you can substitute beef with chicken to reduce cooking time and add fresh cherry tomatoes instead of peppers. Alternatively, you can use another cheese of your choice instead of edam. If you like the flavor, try adding fresh cilantro instead of parsley!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.