Arepa pelua

A classic Venezuelan dish consisting of cornmeal cakes stuffed with tender shredded beef and topped with grated cheese.

  • Prep20 min
  • Cook135 min
  • Servings6
  • DifficultyMedium
Arepa pelua

Instructions

  1. Cook the meat: Place the flank steak in a pot with broth or water and salt. Cook over low heat for about 2 hours, until tender and easy to shred.

  2. Shred the meat: Once cooked, drain and shred the meat using two forks.

  3. Prepare the vegetables: Sauté chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic in a little oil. Add cumin, oregano, paprika, and salt. Stir in the meat and cook for a few minutes until the flavors are well combined.

  4. Make the dough: In a bowl, mix the cornmeal with warm water and salt until a soft dough forms. Let it rest for 5 minutes.

  5. Form the arepas: Divide the dough into 6 portions, shape into balls, and flatten into thick discs.

  6. Cook: Cook the arepas on a griddle or skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden. You can then bake them for a few minutes if you prefer them crispier.

  7. Fill: Slice the arepas open on one side, fill with the hot shredded beef, and top with grated cheese.

Cook this in the ChefBook app

Hands-free cook mode, nutrition facts, one-tap groceries, meal planning, translation into seven languages, and saving to your own collections — all in the app.

ChefBookFree · iOS & AndroidInstall