This is a dish that is very near and dear to my heart and growing up, I’d always help out both my Mom and Tata Abuela in the kitchen with making them. Arepas de maíz are small arepas made out of finely ground cornmeal and are a household staple in most South American and Caribbean homes.

Please note, that this particular cornmeal is crucial to making the arepas and they aren’t able to be made with regular cornmeal or with grits (they won’t cook properly). I prefer the fine yellow cornmeal because that’s what I grew up using, but you can definitely substitute white if you can’t find it. And cornmeal is being used for these arepas, this is definitely a gluten-free dish, which is awesome for those of you who may need it. The arepas are traditionally vegetarian but can be made vegan by using plant-based butter, which is what I used in this batch. They’re very simple to make, require ingredients you probably already have on hand, and are honestly one of my most favorite nostalgic foods that remind me of my childhood. Growing up, we’d have them with eggs and some kind of bacon or sausage.

Also, this same kind of masa used for arepas can be formed into sorullitos con queso, which are little corn fritters stuffed with cheese that look similar to mozzarella sticks (my paternal abuela always made these for us when she visited South Carolina). In Puerto Rico, they’re often sold at street kiosks and served with very hot and strong coffee for breakfast. Let’s get cooking and get this simple breakfast snack on the table!

Arepas de Maíz (Corn Arepas)

Yields: about 12 arepas

Cook time: 20 minutes

3 cups fine yellow cornmeal (sold as harina de maíz by either Goya or P.A.N. brands)

5 cups water, boiling

1 stick unsalted butter (plant-based butter works great here)

1/2 tbsp kosher salt

Canola or vegetable oil, for frying

Nonstick cooking spray or oil, to coat your hands

In a large mixing bowl, add the fine cornmeal and set aside. Bring the water to a boil with the stick of butter and salt. Once the water has come to a boil, remove from heat and carefully pour some of it to the cornmeal, stirring with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon as you pour.

Keep gradually pouring a little bit of water, while stirring from the bottom of the bowl and making sure that all of the cornmeal has gotten wet. You don’t want the cornmeal mixture to be too tacky or too wet here, you’re going to be looking for the consistency of wet sand. Set the cornmeal dough aside.

In a large frying pan or cast iron skillet, add enough canola oil to the bottom of the pan for a shallow fry and heat over medium-high heat. Spray a little nonstick cooking spray on your hands and grab a small handful of the dough and roll into a bowl. The masa is going to be hot from the water, so be careful and work fast! Flatten the masa like you would a hamburger patty and set aside on a plate. It’s okay if they aren’t super even or smooth on the outside. These are supposed to be simple and rustic. Repeat this step with the rest of the masa you’ve prepared.

Next, fry the arepas until both sides are crispy and golden brown, about 7-8 minutes in total time. Once each side is crispy to your liking, remove from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with additional kosher salt.

Serve immediately with your favorite breakfast items or enjoy them solo, dunked into a hot cup of coffee.

¡Buen provecho!