Arepas from Venezuela.
Hello and welcome to a new year of international cooking collabs. Each month, our group of worldwide YouTube chefs makes a dish from a single country. This month, we are in Venezuela. #VenezuelaCuisine
This year, I am doing something a little different. Each month, I am teaming up with one of Milwaukee’s best chefs to recreate a recipe from the designated country. With me is 4-time James Beard award nominee, Chef Greg Leon from Amilinda restaurant in Milwaukee.
Greg’s roots are in Venezuela, and he has graciously agreed to be part of this video series. Let’s chat a little about your Venezuelan connection, Amilinda Restaurant, and what we are making today in our International Collab.
You can also listen to the audio version of this episode here –
A Venezuelan arepa feels simple on the surface. It carries a whole world of culture, memory, and pride inside it.
What a Venezuelan Arepa Is
A Venezuelan arepa is a round, thick corn cake made from precooked corn flour, water, and salt. It’s griddled, baked, or fried. This cooking forms a crisp exterior with a soft, steamy interior. Then, it is split open and stuffed with whatever your heart (or pantry) offers.
🌽 Core Ingredients
- Precooked white corn flour (Harina P.A.N.)
- Warm water
- Salt
- Oil or butter for cooking
🔥 How to Make a Classic Arepa
- Mix the dough: Combine warm water, salt, and corn flour until smooth and pliable.
- Rest the dough: Let it hydrate for 5 minutes.
- Shape the arepas: Form thick discs about ¾–1 inch tall.
- Cook on a griddle: Sear both sides until golden.
- Finish in the oven: Bake until they sound hollow when tapped.
- Split and fill: Slice open and stuff with your chosen fillings.
🥘 Popular Venezuelan Fillings
- Reina Pepiada: Shredded chicken, avocado, mayo, lime.
- Domino: Black beans + salty white cheese.
- Pelúa: Shredded beef + cheese.
- Perico: Scrambled eggs with tomato and onion.
- Queso de mano: Fresh, stretchy cheese.
🥘 Shredded Beef Filling (Carne Mechada–Style)
A shredded beef filling with onions, peppers, and tomatoes is deeply rooted in Venezuelan cuisine. The filling is called Carne Mechada, the heart of a proper Pabellón Criollo. It’s saucy, aromatic, and perfect for stuffing into a hot, steamy arepa.
Ingredients
- Cumin is essential — it gives that unmistakable Venezuelan warmth.
- A splash of Worcestershire is traditional and adds depth.
- A little annatto or paprika boosts color and aroma.
- Finish with a touch of acidity — lime or vinegar brightens everything.
Ingredients for Arepas
- Flank steak or brisket
- Onions (thinly sliced)
- Bell peppers (red or green, sliced)
- Garlic (minced)
- Tomatoes (diced or crushed)
- Beef broth
- Worcestershire sauce
- cumin + oregano + paprika
- salt + black pepper
- Oil for sautéing
Method
- Cook the beef: Simmer the meat in salted water or broth until tender enough to shred.
- Shred it finely: Use two forks once it cools slightly.
- Sauté the aromatics: Onions, peppers, and garlic until soft.
- Add tomatoes + spices: Let them cook down into a sauce
- Fold in the beef: Add broth as needed to keep it juicy.
- Simmer until glossy: The flavors should meld into a rich, reddish stew.
Instructions For making Arepas
- Poach the Beef: Place the whole flank steak in a large pot. Add the quartered onion, garlic cloves, bay leaves, salt, and peppercorns. Cover with water/broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the beef is tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- Shred the Beef: Remove the beef from the pot and let it cool slightly.
- Prepare the Sauce (Sofrito): In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Sauté the finely chopped onion, red bell pepper, and garlic until softened and fragrant.
- Combine and Simmer: Add the shredded beef to the skillet and mix well.
- Stir in the tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, oregano, paprika, and salt/pepper to taste. Pour in about 1-2 cups of the reserved beef broth and mix.
- Reduce the Sauce: Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook it uncovered for about 20-30 minutes. Continue until most of the liquid has reduced and the flavors have melded.
- The final mixture should be moist enough to be flavorful but not so liquid that it makes the arepas soggy.
- Serve: Slice the arepas horizontally to create a pocket, then stuff generously with warm carne mechada.
- Common additions include black beans, plantains, and shredded white cheese.
🍽 How It Plays Inside an Arepa
- Juicy enough to soak the interior but not so wet it spills everywhere.
- Pairs beautifully with salty white cheese (queso blanco or fresco).
- Great with avocado slices for creaminess.
- Perfect for meal prep — reheats like a dream.
🌍Cultural Notes You’ll Love
- Arepas are eaten at any time of day—breakfast, dinner, or late-night snack.
- They’re naturally gluten-free thanks to the corn base.
- Each region has its own style—thicker in some areas, thinner in others.
- They’re a symbol of identity and resilience for Venezuelans everywhere.
Venezuelan Arepas
Materials
For Carne Mechada Beef Filling
- 1.5 lbs Flank Steak
- 2 Red Bell Peppers Diced
- 1 Lg Yellow Onion Diced
- 4 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 tbso Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tso Cumin, Oregano and Paprika 1 tsp each
- 2 tsp. Achiote Paste
- 3 Lg Roma Tomatoes Diced
- ½ Bunch Cilantro Minced
- Salt & Pepper
For Arepa Dough
- 2 cups PAN Flour
- 1 tso Kosher Salt
- 2.5 cups Warm Water
Instructions
To make the Carne Mechada
- Boil Flank Steak in water until cooked, let stand in the water until cool.
- Save cooking liquid beef broth
- Once cool, shred the beef.
- In a large sauté pan cook Peppers, Onion, Garlic and Tomatoes until soft.
- Add the Achiote paste and the Cumin, Oregano, Paprika and Worcestershire sauce and continue to cook for about 5 min.
- Add the Beef and stir to combine.
- Cover with the reserved cooking liquid and simmer until almost all the liquid is absorbed.
- Stir in the cilantro
- Add Salt & Pepper to taste.
To make the Arepa dough
- In a large bowl combine the Water and Salt.
- Slowly add the PAN Flour and mix until smooth.
- Let rest for about 5 minutes.
- Form into 4 to 6 oz round patties
- Cook on a hot skillet that’s been lightly greased for approximately 5 min.
- The Arepa is ready to flip over when it no longer sticks to the pan.
- Flip over and cook for another 5 min.
- Place in a 400° degree oven and cook for an extra 10 to 15 min.
- To serve, fill each arepa with some of the Carne Mechada filling
Video
Nutrition
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It was fun learning how to make these Arepas from Venezuela from the master
Those are so perfect! I ate so many arepas when we were down there. Delicious!
They look delicious Charlie. 🙂