The 15 types of arepas (and their nutritional properties)

The arepa is a typical food of Colombia, Venezuela and Bolivia. According to historians (such as the renowned Miguel Felipe Dorta), the arepa has been described as a heritage food and a symbol of national identity. The conception of this rich dish dates from pre-Columbian times, that is, before the colonization of America by Europeans, since the aborigines of these lands consumed products based on corn since ancient times ancestral.

This dish is at least versatile because, only in Colombia, there are more than 70 regional recipes that use the arepa dough as a base. It is not surprising, therefore, that 73% of the inhabitants of this country choose this food as the first dish of the day.

The arepa is not just a meal, but identity, culture and historical preservation. If you want to know everything about the 15 types of arepas and their nutritional properties, keep reading.

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What is an arepa?

As we cannot start by building a house from the roof, we will start by defining the food itself. According to the Oxford Languages ​​portal, the arepa is “a type of corn bread, circular in shape, that can be cooked roasted or on the grill.

This is filled or accompanied with different ingredients according to the regions, and it is typical of America, especially of Colombia and Venezuela. " Thus, the arepa itself is the dough, and not the elements with which it is filled.

The recipe is very simple: with 200 grams of precooked cornmeal, 300 grams of water and 5 grams of salt, we will have enough material to make a few rounds of this delicious dough. After that, these can be fried or baked, depending on how healthy you want to present the dish.

The secret of arepas, beyond the construction of the dough, is its filling. This is the one that really brings the culinary typology to the dish, because the limit is the imagination. From avocado to banana and beans, going through infinite types of meats, there is almost no salty edible element that does not marry well with the dough of an arepa.

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What are the types of arepas?

If we get technical, we could say that there are almost infinite types of arepas, because the combination of ingredients gives them their own identity and flavor. Even so, we have put together a list with the most culturally relevant variants, since they are the ones consumed in Colombia, Venezuela and Bolivia with the most assiduity. Do not miss it.

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1. The widow

Sometimes in simplicity is art. A widowed arepa is one that it is not filled with anything, that is, it acts like bread when eating. It is a perfect addition to a meal made with meats, as the cornmeal gives a great amount of carbohydrates (80 grams of each 100 total of mass) to the dishes of nature mainly protein.

2. Pepiada queen

La reina pepiada is one of the most popular arepas in the world. Some gentlemen who had an arepera in Caracas in the 1950s decided to honor the first Venezuelan Miss Universe, Susana Duijm, and created this filling in her honor. Since then, the rest is history.

The premise of the queen pepiada is simple: shredded chicken, avocado and mayonnaise. As optional ingredients you can also add garlic, red onion, spicy, coriander or lemon juice. The charm of this simple dish lies in the fact that the chicken, avocado and corn dough produce a mixture of refreshing, smooth and palatable flavors. A true delicacy with very positive nutritional properties, as chicken is rich in protein and low in fat.

3. Syphrine

It is the same variant as the pepiada queen, only grated cheese is added on top. If we become gourmets, we can say that the variety of cheese used is Venezuelan yellow cheese, an analog to American tranchettes.

4. The pelua

We increase in the complexity scale, because here the shredded meat comes into play, a key ingredient for many Central / South American dishes that not everyone knows how to prepare. This shredded meat is usually composed of a pork or beef tenderloin base, garnished with onion, pepper, tomato sauce, red peppers, cumin, cardamom, oil and other spices.

All this filling is accompanied by a generous top of grated yellow cheese, as in the sifrina variant. The shredded meat and grated cheese give this arepa a "hairy" look, hence its name.

5. The Catira

Very similar to the pelu, but the base of shredded meat is chicken, and not pork or cow. It is a slightly healthier option than the previous one, since the chicken breast will always be lower in fat than any section of a mammal. If you want to limit your consumption of red meat, this is a good option.

6. The Llanera

If we were to make an analogue to the European sandwich, it would undoubtedly adopt the body of an arepa llanera. This interesting dish is made up of roast meat to taste (in fine solid pieces, unlike the shredded variant in examples above), avocado, parsley, tomatoes, oil, Guiana cheese (a type of fresh white-cut cheese) and Butter.

This arepa has everything, well combines the freshness of avocado and tomatoes with the characteristic toughness of beef. In addition, the Guayanés cheese is an essential addition, as it gives the arepa that dairy touch that benefits it so much. In personal opinion, one of the most delicious on the list.

7. With parakeet

For those who are vegetarians or who simply do not want to consume meat, the arepa with parakeet is an excellent option. The filling of this variant is composed of onion, tomato, green pepper, olive oil, salt, pepper and a couple of scrambled eggs. A quick and easy to cook arepa, but just as delicious than those previously named.

8. The mattress breaker

In addition to the dressing already mentioned in many of the variants (pepper, onion, vinegar, oil and salt, among others), this arepa is characterized by being filled with multiple products of marine origin. Among them we find prawns, squid, mussels, octopus, oysters and any invertebrate with or without shell that fits inside the corn dough. For something it receives such a characteristic name, right?

9. By horse

In the world of gastronomy, "on horseback" (horseback and à cheval, in the USA). USA and France respectively) means “sealed with fried egg”. Thus, an arepa on horseback will be any to which a fried or grilled egg is added, that simple and delicious.

10. La Rumbera

It follows a premise similar to the pelúa or the catira, but the meat in this case is unique: pulled pork leg. This ingredient is essential to create one of the most delicious arepas that exist, since the meat, of a honeyed nature and with a characteristic flavor, seems to melt in the mouth. Unfortunately, the process of preparing a roast leg is slow and complex.

11. The gringa

As its name suggests, the Gringa arepa pays tribute to American culinary culture. It is simply a matter of placing all the ingredients of a hamburger between two corn dough buns.

12. Lapa

An option much less known than the rest, but no less striking. This type of arepa only contains a filling known as "little devil", which consists of a base of leg and pork loin mixed with salt, sugar and spices. Despite being a very famous ingredient in Venezuelan lands, it should be noted that the devil arose in Boston, United States, thanks to William Underwood in 1868.

13. The Santa Barbara

Curling the curl for the most carnivores we have the Arepa Santa Bárbara. This consists of a beef steak in chunks accompanied by avocado and cheese as a filling between the corn dough.

14. The Potato

Black beans or beans are one of the most famous legumes in all of Latin America, which is why we could not leave them off the list. The arepa patapata is composed of avocado, grated yellow cheese and, as main ingredient, a generous spoonful of black beans.

Beans are a truly striking food nutritionally, as they contain almost zero fat, but they are an important source of sodium, carbohydrates and proteins. As you may have heard on many occasions, few foods are healthier than legumes.

15. Creole Pavilion

The Creole pavilion is one of the most iconic dishes in Venezuela and, as such, it should have been represented in the form of an arepa filling. This is composed of beans, shredded meat, rice and fried slices of ripe banana. As cornmeal is already an important source of carbohydrates, this arepa includes all the listed ingredients except rice.

Resume

We have shown you the 15 most famous types of arepas but, without a doubt, they are not the only ones. Arepas can be filled with regular ham and cheese, chorizo, pork rinds, vegetables, sausages, mortadella, and just about any savory ingredient you can think of. With this wonderful dish, the culinary imagination has no limits.