Food Recipes Bread Flatbread Arepas with Black Beans and Cheese 5.0 (1) 1 Review Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, these arepas with salty queso and flavorful black beans are perfect for breakfast or dinner. By Irena Stein Irena Stein Irena Stein is a photographer, restaurateur, and humanitarian whose spirit is deeply rooted in humanizing society. She is the author of Arepa: Classic & Contemporary Recipes for Venezuela's Daily Bread and the owner of Alma Cocina Latina, in Baltimore, Maryland, where she has also started a community meals initiative, Alkimiah, to support families in need in her local community. She came to America from Venezuela on a Fulbright Scholarship to Stanford University where she graduated with a Master’s in Cultural Anthropology. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines and @caracascatering. He developed the recipes for Arepa: Classic & Contemporary Recipes for Venezuela's Daily Bread." tabindex="0" data-inline-tooltip="true"> Eduardo Egui Eduardo Egui Eduardo Egui is a Venezuelan chef based in Barcelona and the chef/partner of La Real Hamburguesería at Time Out Market in Barcelona and @caracascatering. He developed the recipes for Arepa: Classic & Contemporary Recipes for Venezuela's Daily Bread. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on July 18, 2024 Tested by Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman Tested by Tricia Manzanero Stuedeman Tricia is a recipe developer and tester for Dotdash Meredith with a focus on baking and pastry as well as a passion for all things food-related. She has developed over 1,200 recipes, which have appeared both in magazines, online, and in cookbooks alike. She is a former Baking and Pastry Editor with experience in food styling, video production, and crafting culinary curriculum for more than a dozen culinary and lifestyle brands. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Purcell Servings: 6 Yield: 6 arepas There are endless ways you can stuff an arepa, but this bean-and-cheese version is classic, simple, and delicious. Made with precooked white cornmeal, the arepa dough is kneaded for 10 minutes to make sure the arepa doesn’t crack while cooking; the Harina P.A.N. brand creates the texture needed for the arepas to attain a crisp exterior and moist, soft interior. They get a slathering of softened butter inside before the black beans, salsa and salty, shredded queso llanero are added. These are best served hot and fresh. Frequently Asked Questions What is annatto oil? Annatto oil, also known as achiote oil, is the yellow-hued infused oil made from a neutral vegetable oil and annatto seeds. While it’s primarily used for its coloring, annatto oil does have a slightly earthy flavor that’s added to the dish. What is unrefined raw cane sugar? Papelón, panela, and piloncillo are different terms that all refer to the same unrefined cane sugar that has a natural brown hue versus brown sugar, which is white sugar with coloring or molasses added. It’s mostly often seen in Mexico and Latin America, though there’s a similar ingredient known as jaggery in India. This type of sugar is classically purchased in a cone-like shape — you may need to grate the sugar in order to use it. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen If you don’t have ají dulce paste, you can substitute a 50/50 mixture of tomato paste and ají amarillo paste. The cooking time of the dry beans can vary based on the age of the beans, your stovetop, your cooking vessel, and your beans themselves, so let the doneness qualifiers be your guide just as much as the time.Depending on what salsa you use, you may want to drain it using a small fine-mesh sieve to get rid of some of the excess liquid so it layers nicely on your arepa. Make ahead The beans can be a day ahead and refrigerated. Gently reheat with just a bit of water to loosen slightly before using. Ingredients Filling 2 tablespoons annatto oil 2/3 cup chopped white onion 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic 8 ounces dried black beans (about 1 cup), soaked overnight in 6 cups cold water 4 cups water, plus more as needed 1/4 cup vegetable stock or broth 1 1/2 teaspoons unrefined raw cane sugar (such as Papelón, Panela, or Piloncillo) 1 1/2 teaspoons ají dulce paste (sweet red pepper paste; see note) 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro Hot sauce, to taste (optional) Arepas 3 cups water, at room temperature 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for hands and pan 2 teaspoons fine sea salt 1/8 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional) 2 1/2 cups Harina P.A.N. precooked white cornmeal Additional Ingredients Unsalted butter, softened Salsa or pico de gallo, drained if needed 1/4 cup (1 1/4 oz.) freshly shredded queso llanero or queso blanco Directions Prepare the Filling Heat annatto oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low until shimmering. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook, stirring often, until vegetables are softened and onion is translucent, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain beans, discarding soaking water; add beans to onion mixture in pan. Stir in water, stock, sugar, ají dulce paste, and salt; bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium; cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until beans are tender, about 1 hour, 30 minutes to 2 hours, adding additional water as needed to keep beans just submerged. Once beans are tender, continue to cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, over medium until liquid is thickened, 6 to 12 minutes. Stir in cilantro. Add hot sauce to taste (if using). Season with additional salt to taste, if needed. Keep warm. Prepare the Arepas Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place water, oil, salt, and sugar (if using) in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. With mixer on low speed, gradually add cornmeal, beating until combined. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat for 10 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl, if needed. (Dough must be worked for a full 10 minutes to prevent Arepas from cracking when cooked.) Cover dough using a damp kitchen towel, and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Grease hands with vegetable oil; divide dough into 6 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball. Flatten balls into 4-inch discs (about 1/2-inch thick). Transfer dough discs to prepared baking sheet, and cover using a damp kitchen towel. Heat a griddle pan or large cast-iron skillet over medium; add enough oil to evenly coat surface of pan. Working in 2 batches, cook Arepas until lightly golden, 3 to 5 minutes per side, adding additional oil to pan and adjusting heat, as needed, to prevent overbrowning. Return griddled Arepas to prepared baking sheet. Once all Arepas are griddled, place directly on center rack of preheated oven; bake until lightly golden, crisp on the outside, and hollow-sounding when tapped, 20 to 25 minutes, flipping Arepas once halfway through baking time. Remove Arepas from oven; let stand on a cutting board until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Cut each Arepa crosswise three-fourths of the way through using a serrated knife. Scoop out some of the soft insides using a small spoon to make room for the Filling. Butter inside of each Arepa. Fill evenly with Filling, salsa, and cheese. Serve immediately. Rate It Print