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Arepa

Arepa is a round corn-based flatbread made from corn masa and cooked on a griddle, pan, or grill.

Arepa — illustrative ingredient image

About Arepa

Arepa is a round, usually flat corn cake made from cooked maize dough or masa. It is a staple food in parts of northern South America, served alongside savoury dishes, split and filled, or topped like a small griddled bread. Plain arepas can accompany breakfast, soups, meats, beans, or cheese.

A properly cooked arepa has a lightly browned, sometimes crisp exterior and a soft, dense, slightly crumbly interior. Thickness and the type of maize flour affect whether it is pliable, crusty, moist, or more breadlike. Fillings and toppings add their own flavours and textures.

Arepas are shaped by hand into disks and cooked on a griddle, skillet, grill, or sometimes baked after browning. They may be sold fresh, chilled, frozen, or as prepared dough or dry maize flour. Thick cakes are often split once cooked, while thinner ones are served whole.

Ingredient type
compound ingredient

Forms & related ingredients

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Where arepa appears

1 linked foods

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Main dishes

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for arepa

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Arepa

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Arepa nutrition & diet

Arepa nutritional value

Product example: GOYA, WHITE CORN AREPA (Goya Foods, Inc.)

Per 100 g of this specific product as recorded by USDA, per 100 g.

Calories
167kcal
Protein
3.3g
Carbs
32.2g
Fat
1.1g

A product-specific label example, not a generic average. Formulations can change; use the nutrition label on the product being eaten.

Portions & preparation

Portion and preparation matter because arepas vary in thickness, dough hydration, filling, and cooking fat. Match the reference to the corn masa product and edible portion, noting whether it is griddled, baked, fried, plain, or filled rather than treating all arepas alike.

Compare the right form: Match a reference to the specified corn arepa, including masa type, thickness, cooking method, added fat, filling, and edible portion.

Diet considerations

A plain arepa made from corn masa is plant-derived, but recipes may include cheese, meat, eggs, dairy, or cooking fat. Coatings, fillings, and sauces change compatibility. Corn-based dough supplies a portion-dependent carbohydrate pattern that differs when the arepa is thin, thick, fried, or heavily filled.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Depends on the version
  • Vegetarian
    Depends on the version
  • Pescatarian
    Depends on the version
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Typically incompatible
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Depends on the version
Optional or variable recorded ingredients: Cheese. The ingredient profile identifies an animal-derived food or derivative. Recipes and products can differ.
Vegetarian · Depends on the version
Check the version or source of: Cheese. Check the coagulant or rennet source: animal rennet and vegetarian alternatives are both relevant to this category.
Pescatarian · Depends on the version
Check the version or source of: Cheese. Check the coagulant or rennet source: animal rennet and vegetarian alternatives are both relevant to this category.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Typically incompatible
Recorded common ingredients: Corn Masa. This profile falls outside the conventional paleo pattern used here (grains and pseudograins, legumes, dairy or refined sugar). Recipes and products can differ.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: USDA FoodData Central branded product — GOYA, WHITE CORN AREPA ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .