Arepas are Venezuelan sandwiches made of cornmeal that are filled with tasty concoctions. These Vegan Queso and Black Bean Arepas are perfectly cheesy with just the right amount of spice. Plant-based comfort food at its best!
Arepa Ingredients
Homemade arepas are surprisingly easy to make and use minimal ingredients. Actually only 3 ingredients are needed…
- Maize (cornmeal)
- Water
- Salt & Pepper
Simply mix the ingredients and press the dough into small patties. Then, pan fry your arepas until golden brown. In short, they are as easy as one, two, three.
A Tasty Vegan Filling
But the best part about these vegan arepas are the innards! Cheesy, gooey cashew queso and a spicy black bean, onion, and jalapeño mix. Completely satisfying yet surprising healthy!
However, feel free to experiment with other fillings. Try out some of these other combinations!
- Nut Butter and Fruit (mango, banana, or berries)
- Avocado and Plantain
- White Beans and Steamed Spinach
The Possibilities are never-ending! YUMMMMM!
Assembling the Vegan Queso & Black Bean Arepas
Once your filling is ready, simply cut your arepas and fill them like a sandwich. A decadent homemade recipe that actually incredibly easy to make?… Yes!
We recommend only filling the ones you plan to eat. Store the fried arepa patties separately from your filling in the refrigerator. When you are ready for leftovers, heat them either in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop to minimize sogginess.
Arepas are a staple in Venezuela and it’s easy to see why. Once these Vegan and Queso and Black Bean Arepas are on your menu, chances are they will be requested again and again!
Vegan Queso and Black Bean Arepas
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Sauté, Blend, Pan Fry
- Cuisine: Venezuelan
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Restaurant-worthy Venezuelan cornmeal arepas made at home. These easy vegan queso and black bean arepas are spicy, filling, and delicious!
Ingredients
Arepas:
- 2 Cups White Cornmeal
- 2 1/2 Cups Water
- 1 tsp Salt and Pepper (To Taste)
Filling:
- 1 15oz. Can Black Beans (Drained and Rinsed)
- 1 Red Onion (Small Diced)
- 2 Jalapeños (Seeds Removed, Small Diced, + extra for garnish, if desired)
- 2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 Tbsp Taco Seasoning (Try this Easy No Salt Taco Seasoning recipe!)
Vegan Queso Blanco:
- 1 Cup Raw Cashews (Soaked overnight or Boiled for 15 minutes)
- 7 Tbsps Tapioca Starch
- 4 Tbsps Nutritional Yeast
- 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- Salt and Pepper (To Taste)
- 2 Cups Hot Water
Optional Garnish:
- 1 Avocado (Sliced)
- Fresh cilantro (Roughly Chopped)
- Jalapeño (Sliced Thin)
Instructions
- Soak the raw cashews overnight or boil for 15 minutes.
- Combine the ingredients for the arepas in a large bowl. Knead first 1-2 minutes until dough is smooth and set aside for 15 minutes.
- Prepare the ingredients for the filling as directed above.
- Divide the dough into ten even balls. On a clean surface, press and form the dough balls into thick 3 inch diameter patties. Set aside.
- In a deep frying pan with a small amount of oil, sauté the red onion, garlic, and jalapeño over medium heat. Stir frequently and when the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant (approx. 2 minutes) add the black beans and seasoning. Stir to combine and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Set aside.
- Clean the frying pan. Add a small amount of oil and and over medium high heat, add 2 to 3 arepa patties. Allow to brown on both sides. Repeat this process until all arepas are cooked. Set aside.
- Add the ingredients for the queso blanco to a blender and blend on high until the mixture is very smooth (you do not want any visible pieces of nut).
- Once smooth, add the mixture to a sauce pan and over medium low heat, simmer for 3-4 minutes. It is important to stir vigorously and constantly. The mixture will become very thick. Once it is the texture of melted cheese it’s finished.
- Slice the cooked arepas in half. Then, add some of the filling mixture and a dollop of “cheese.” Feel free to add fresh jalapeño, avocado, or cilantro, if desired too. Finally, top with the other half of arepa in order to make a sandwich.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
- Refrigerate leftovers separately for up to 5 days.
Notes
- The equipment listed above contains affiliate links to products that we personally use, love, and recommend!
Keywords: Arepa, Black Bean, Vegan Queso, Spicy
If you enjoy arepas, you may also like some of these tasty vegan recipes…
-
Vegan Jackfruit Skillet Nachos
-
Banana Blossom Burrito Bowl
-
Jerk Jackfruit Tostadas
-
The Best Cashew Nacho Cheese Sauce
Finally, if you have made this arepa recipe, we would love to hear what you think! Please comment down below and be sure to rate the recipe. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thanks so much!
Additionally, you can also take a photo and tag us on instagram. We would love to get your feedback! Happy cooking! 🙂
Hi, the arepas recipe did not work for me. It was so incredibly liquidy that I had to add all purpose flour to get it to be remotely the same consistency as yours. I used yellow corn meal but according to the internet the only difference is yellow vs white corn and a mild difference in taste. Maybe the quantities are off or you used a specific white corn meal? I dont know what I did wrong.
Hi Emily,
Thanks for reaching out. Unfortunately, for arepas the type of cornmeal does in fact matter in regards to the amount of water needed. If you plan to use yellow cornmeal again, we recommend reducing the amount of water by half a cup and slowly added more water if needed. However, if you use white cornmeal as directed, and give the mixture time to sit, the arepas should turn out as pictured. Thanks again and please let us know if you have further questions.
Ok thank you! I will try to find white cornmeal next time. Despite my arepas being as thick as a brick, they were delicious. I will definitely be making them again! Thank you for the recipe
★★★★★
Oh good. So glad they still tasted alright! We love this recipe but it does get easier with practice. Thanks!