Table of contents
Costa Rican Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1.5 cup unbleached flour
- 1 cup milk (I use 2%)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp granulated sugar*
- 1 tsp cooking oil or butter
- Sweetened condensed milk, honey and/or dulce de leche for topping
Instructions:
Mix together flour, milk, vanilla, and egg in a medium sized mixing bowl. (You can run the flour through a food processor to make it extra-fine, but I usually skip this step.) We usually mix with a large fork, or a whisk. Once the mixture is smooth, you will know that it is ready.
*You can add the granulated sugar if you want to achieve a sweet version of the arepa, but with the sweet toppings, we usually omit this ingredient.
Heat a large frying pan or griddle over medium to medium high heat. Spray with cooking spray or pour a bit of cooking oil into the pan to make sure the arepas don’t stick. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the batter in a circle on the frying pan, and cook until a pancake is formed.
When the arepa begins to firm up, flip it over and cook until golden brown. Remove from pan, and top with your desired topping. Enjoy with a hot cup of Costa Rican coffee!
About This Costa Rican Arepas Recipe
I think every expat goes through waves of homesickness- and it can be interesting to see what specific things we find ourselves missing about home. When I lived in San Ramon, Costa Rica, I would often miss Colorado-style Mexican food.
I remember one time finding jalapenos at an American-style grocery store, and making a spicy pork green chili. Not thinking about the fact that Costa Ricans typically do not eat much spicy food, I enthusiastically served it to my then-boyfriend now-husband.
He was so polite as he ate it, complementing me on the flavor as tears ran down his face while he tried to finish eating what I served him. Last Sunday morning, my husband woke up missing home and craving Costa Rican Pancakes, which we call arepas, and he made them for us. I had forgotten how good they are!
First- let me quell what could potentially be a bit of confusion. Arepas is a Latin dish that is very popular in Colombia and Venezuela. In Colombia, the arepas are prepared with cornmeal, are generally savory, and are usually served with meat and cheese on top. (A Colombian arepa is very similar to a Costa Rican chorreada).
For more information on Colombian arepas, please check out this great article from My Colombian Recipes. The Venezuelan arepas are made with a white cornmeal flour called PAN (affiliate), and are usually puffier and filled with amazing meats, vegetables, and cheese- similar to a Mexican torta. Here’s a great recipe from Venezuelan Cooking.
Now for the Costa Rican arepas– we typically eat arepas during coffee hour. Arepas consist of a flat, dense, homemade batter that is dropped onto a hot skillet rubbed with oil, and cooked through.
A Costa Rican arepa is similar to an American-style pancake without the fluffiness. Arepas are traditionally drizzled with a sweet topping, such as honey, sweetened condensed milk, or dulce de leche. We will eat arepas at our house for breakfast, but they are traditionally eaten more during the afternoon coffee hour. Please note that the links included in this post are affiliate links.
Arepas are super easy to make and a definite crowd-pleaser- here is the recipe for arepas Costa Rica-style!
Related Recipes You’ll Love:
Substitutions
In the absence of dulce de leche or honey, maple syrup and Nutella make for wonderful toppings as well!
Variations
For a Colombian- inspired rendition of this dish, add in 1/4 cup of cornmeal to the mix and omit the sugar.
For a slightly puffier arepa, mix in 3/4 of a teaspoon of baking powder. (polvo de hornear)
Serving Suggestions
Arepas are wonderfully versatile, and lend themselves to many different toppings and sides! If you’ve got a sweet tooth, drizzle your arepas with sweetened condensed milk, dulce de leche, or honey. Nutella and strawberries are always a favorite pairing as well, and it never hurts to add a dusting of powdered sugar!
If you’re going for a more savory version of this recipe, prepare the arepas with cornmeal and skip the sugar. These delicious corn pancakes taste great alongside a bowl of traditional gallo pinto, and can be served with sour cream, fresh corn, and cheese on top.
FAQ
- Are Arepas Healthy? – This usually depends on what arepas are topped with. Arepas are naturally low-sodium, and are healthier when served with fruit or honey.
- What does an arepa taste like? – Arepas are great! They taste a bit like a cross between tortillas and pancakes.
- What is the difference between arepas and pupusas? – Pupusas are another Latin American griddle cake and are generally stuffed with a filling before they are cooked.
Printable Recipe
Olla de Carne Recipe
Olla de Carne is one of the most popular Costa Rican dishes I've encountered - and it's so easy to recreate at home with a few simple ingredients, including Costa Rican white rice. You'll love this olla de carne recipe for the whole family- even as a first food for the baby. Please enjoy this rendition of vegetable beef soup Costa Rica-style!
Ingredients
- For the beef stew/broth (slow cooker or pressure cooker)
- 1 tsp olive or vegetable oil
- ½ white onion, chopped
- ¼ red pepper, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 lb beef stew meat and 2 lb beef short ribs (or 4 lbs beef stew meat)
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
- 8 cups of water
- ⅓ bunch cilantro
- 1 Tbsp chicken bouillon
- For the vegetables (large stockpot)
- 1 tsp olive or vegetable oil
- ½ white onion, finely chopped
- ⅓ red pepper, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed
- 12 cups water
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp chicken bouillon
- 3 red potatoes, quartered
- 3 sweet potatoes (or yams), quartered
- 2 chayote squash, quartered
- 4 carrots, cut into thirds
- 1–2 plantains (halfway between green and ripe), sliced
- 1 acorn squash, seeded and quartered
- ¼ bunch cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 yucca, peeled and cut into 3–4 large pieces
- 1 ear sweet corn, cut into thirds
Instructions
- Cooking the meat- Heat oil in a slow cooker or pressure cooker (I use an Instant Pot).
- Sauté the chopped vegetables until tender.
- Add the meat and sear each side, cooking just until brown.
- Sprinkle the meat with salt and pour water on top.
- You should have about 6 inches of water above the meat- this soup needs a good amount of broth.
- Cook in slow cooker on high for 4-6 hours, on low for 6-8 hours.
- If using a pressure cooker (preferred method), cook for 20 minutes after the pressure starts to rise.
- Cooking the vegetables: As with the meat, heat the oil in a large stockpot, and then sauté chopped vegetables until just tender.
- Wash the vegetables, peeling if desired (vegetables are typically not peeled in Costa Rica).
- Quarter the potatoes, yams, chayotes, and sweet corn.
- Peel the yucca and cut into 3-4 large pieces (cortadas en trozos granted). Cut the carrots and sweet corn into thirds.
- Slice the squash in half, remove the seeds, and then quarter each half into four large pieces.
- Place all vegetables into the pot, and sprinkle with salt.
- Cover with water and boil on medium heat (fuego lento) until all vegetables are tender- about 1 hour.
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