The Arepa is one the most popular foods in Colombia and Venezuela. The most common arepa in Colombia is made with corn flour (masarepa), however, we also make them with fresh sweet corn (choclo), hominy corn (maíz peto),cassava (yuca) and plantains. Lately, I’ve been seeing healthy arepa recipes posted online, also being referred to as “arepas fit”. I can’t wait to start trying some of those recipes for myself!
Arepas de Plátano Maduro (Ripe Plantain Arepas)
Ingredients
- 2 ripe plantains washed and cut in pieces leave the skin on
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup of masarepa
- 2 tablespoons of milk
- 5 tablespoons of melted butter
- ½ cup of grated mozzarella cheese or queso blanco
- Salt to taste
- Butter or oil spray to cook the arepas
Instructions
- Cook the plantains in a pot with water for about 30 minutes. Let them cool for about 5 minutes, then peel the cooked ripe plantains.
- Mash the plantains and add the masarepa, milk, melted butter and salt to your taste. Let mixture stand for five minutes.
- Make small balls with the mixture. Shape the dough into thick cakes.
- Add the butter or oil spray to a nonstick pan over medium heat. Place the arepas in the pan, and cook about 3 minutes on each side, until a crust forms or they are golden brown. Serve them warm with butter and cheese or as a side dish.
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Today I am sharing a recipe for Arepas de Plátano Maduro (Ripe Plantain Arepas). These arepas are very simple to make and pretty much irresistible when served warm, brushed with melted butter and topped with fresh cheese.
You can serve these Arepas de Plátano for breakfast or as a side dish along side meat or poultry.
Buen provecho!
Ricki
Great recipe but how do you cook the platanos?
Anonymous
You boil them.
Clara
Hi There!
Sounds like such a tasty treat! Forgive my naiveté but when you say "cook" the plantain for 30 minutes....how to do mean cook exactly. I've only ever "fried" plantains sliced and without the skin so having trouble picturing how these are prepared with the skin on. If you can please provide a bit more detail I'd appreciate it. Are they boiled? fried?
Thanks!!
Clara
Erica Dinho
Boil the plantains with the skin on in water over medium heat for about 30 minutes or until they are ready.
Anonymous
Cut first?
Anonymous
yes
Lydia
People read the recipe . She explains exactly what to do beginning to end and and you still ask how to cook them , if you cut them … etc
josa
boil the plantains in water
Anonymous
You boil them for the 30 minutes
Rebeca
These look delicious! but how do I cook the platanos first? cut and boil them in pieces?
Erica Dinho
Yes.
grace
these look delicious! the texture is perfect and i'm not sure i can think of a better savory snack!
Evelyne@cheapethniceatz
I am totally salivating, especially after having had arepas in Colombia this siring. So ripe plantains make a big difference. must try soon.
Mark
I'm recently married to a Colombian from Bogota and spent my high school years in Cali myself. But...my children haven't. I recently set aside some platanos in my kitchen to ripen. One of my children thought they were rotten and discarded them into the trash. We still have some work to do on culinary cultural awareness in my new blended family...
alvaron
Me quedo con un deber: hacer estas "nuevas" arepas!!! Felicitaciones Erica por traer estas innovaciones a nuestro conocimiento! Saludos
galarena
Hola Erica, usaste masarepa de maiz amarillo o blanco para esta receta? Se pueden hacer al horno?
Gracias
Erica Dinho
Amarillo.
Terri
Can I substitute uncooked ripe bananas for the cooked plátanos? My grocery store doesn’t sell plátanos. Has anyone tried it?
Erica Dinho
No
Nancy
Hi Erica I made these today and OMG they were the bomb! Super easy and delicious. Thank you so much for this recipe. God bless!
Luciamunecalindacarajo
This Arepas are delicious, thank you for your recetas,
Anonymous
Soy puertorriqueña pero me encantan las arepas colombianas. Sin duda voy a tratar estas recetas con platano maduro y platano verde, gracias
Wanda
Ruth
Hi Ericka I am also from Colombia and now married to a wonderful Gringo and a 3 year old. how wonderful to find all these great recipes. I will for sure try all these new recipes from our land.
Ruth
Mary-Ann
Hi Eric . I am in a small country town in Western Australia with few choices regarding flour (or anything else for that matter ).
I googled masarepa as I'd never seen it before. Would arrowroot or tapioca work instead? Thanks
liza
Try using Maseca, it's a corn flour easily found within the states.
liza
Oh yes, and now I see Australia! haha Sorry!
Anna
Mary-Ann:
Here is an amazing and free-tip (worth another blog recipe), courtesy of a family Venezuelan recipe. Use dry polenta if P.A.N. (masarepa) is not available in your local international market. You can even buy organic if it suits you. Plus it's less refined and thus healthier or at the very least easier to digest.
Just cook with water and add pinches of salt and a tablespoon of oil (ratio: 1 cup polenta to 1.5 cups water). Stir until it thickens but isn't too dry. Let cool. Then oil the griddle and cook them on high (between 20-35 minutes depending on thickness and size).
Chama, no te vas a volver a usar masarepa. Tengo años sin comprarlo!
Janice
Hi,
It looks like you add the cheese in the mix based on the pictures, but it doesn't indicate that in the instructions. Do you add the mozzarella in the mix along with the other ingredients?
Anonymous
When do I add the sugar ?
Anonymous
Hello!
These look delicious! Is there any way to make them completely corn free? It upsets my stomach but I love arepas.
Jenn
I’ve used regular, coconut and almond flour.
Donnel
Hello,
Thank you for this recipe. I tried it but substituted with almond milk and used extra virgin olive oil instead of butter. I couldn’t find masarepa and used maseca instead. I don’t really know the difference between the two. It turned out pretty good and tasty. I wish there was a way to post a photo on here.
Eleonora
Deliciosas!!! Gracias!