Arepas with Beef Chili, Guacamole and Cheese

Arepas are one of my all-time favorite dishes! If you visit this blog often, you may be rolling your eyes already. I admit, I show a lot of love for many Colombian dishes, especially arepas, and while I love a variety of food, there are few I would classify as a favorite. The famous arepa definitely merits a “favorite” status.

If you ask my mom, growing up I could eat arepas for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. She made dozens of arepas on weekends and kept them in plastic bags in the freezer for the week. Sometimes in the middle of the week she needed to make a new batch, because I ate all of them! Years have passed and nothing has changed, I still eat arepas every single day.

I made these arepas with beef chili, guacamole, cheese and a dollop of sour cream the other night, and they were so good! A gloriously messy, hand-held dinner.

Buen provecho!

Ingredients

• 4 to 6 cooked arepas (depending on the side)
• 1 cup of guacamole
• 1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons of sour cream

Beef Chili

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup of ketchup
• 1/4 cup of beef both
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon of chili powder or to your taste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• Salt and pepper to your taste

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until tender, about one minute more.
2. Add the beef and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Add the ketchup,broth, brown sugar, chili, cumin and paprika. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes.Season with salt and pepper.
3. To serve: Top or fill each arepa with guacamole, beef chili, grated cheese and a dollop of
4. sour cream.