Arepas - A History

Arepas are a staple and a well-loved food across Latin America in particular Colombia and Venezuela where they are eaten daily; akin to Italy and their love for pasta, cheese in France or beer in England. You can find Arepas in restaurants, cafes and at Street Food Stalls. Arepas are eaten at any time of the day and vary in size and thickness depending on the region.

The Arepa is a flat, rounded unleavened patty made of soaked, ground kernels of maize or cooked flour. Arepas can be cooked in various ways; grilled, baked, fried, boiled or steamed with the option of cutting the Arepa in half and filling, alternatively you can top the Arepa with whatever you desire. Arepas can be sweet or savoury so they can be topped with meat and veg to Nutella and Cream. 

Arepas originated in indigenous Latin America and developed into a staple for many tribes across Venezuela and Colombia. Arepas were named after “erepa” which is the primitive word for corn. Up until the 1950’s the Arepa was most commonly enjoyed as bread or as a side dish. However, as their popularity increased people became a lot more creative with their chosen fillings.

The Arepa is thought of as a pre-Columbian dish from the area that now makes up Colombia and Venezuela. Instruments that were used to make the flour for the Arepas and clay slabs in which the Arepas were cooked upon, were often found at archaeological sites in these areas. However it has not been detailed in which country an Arepa was originally first cooked in.

In Colombia, the first record of corn dates to back to 3,000 years ago, as supposed to Venezuela where the estimate is around 2,800 years ago. Therefore the creation of the Arepa most likely happened simultaneously in both countries. Throughout the years, the Arepa has retained its original recipe and form from the pre-Columbian era. Making the Arepa one of the few pre-contact traditions that have remained popular in the years since colonisation.