I have tried it all. This is 100% the best way to cook arepas! They come out consistently delicious.
As you know, arepas are gluten-free and easy to make if you follow this air-fryer how-to. If you don't have an air-fryer, check out this post for alternative ways that do not include frying them.
The gist of this method is that you:
The air-fryer is the secret weapon that I discovered a few years ago. Watch this video for a step by step how-to. Here are some highlights:
0:16 Take a screenshot of all the needed ingredients.
0:36 I show how all the ingredients are mixed.
1:15 Dough deets re: mixing.
1:52 I show how you assemble the dough balls and shape the arepa
2:30 I show the first part of cooking them on the stove
2:38 Making of the filling: reina pepiada. This is a shredded chicken avocado salad. 4:00 Pop the arepas in the air-fryer (set it at 400 and cook for 5 minutes or until they bubble up and are crunchy on the outside).
5:10 Assemble the arepa. What they are: A crispy, corn-based cross between flatbread and cake that's either baked or fried and used as a base for sandwiches.
What's the deal:
Basically Venezuela's culinary cultural attache to the US, arepas have taken our food carts, restaurants, and hearts by storm. They're eaten all day, whether they're stuffed with eggs for our favorite breakfast or piled high with lengua de res (tongue) or other taco-style fillings at night. And with chefs around the US taking an increasing shine to fancying them up, the arepa permutations are endless. They're portable, they're diverse, and they're kind of the best.