Arguably the most common arepa filling, melty mild cheese is a simple and delicious choice for these lunch and dinner favorites. These vegan arepas with dairy-free cheese and butter are a plant-based version of a Venezuelan staple food.

pulling apart a melty vegan cheese arepa

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This was inspired by my Venezuelan 1-ingredient arepa recipe on this site, and pairs well with this creamy Venezuelan cilantro avocado sauce.

Arepas are eaten almost daily in Venezuela, according to my friends who are from Caracas. This arepa with cheese could be likened to a grilled cheese sandwich, in that it is eaten hot off the griddle and you should only prepare what will be eaten right then. No leftovers allowed.

🧄 Very useful ingredient notes

Ingredients for Vegan Arepa con Queso: PAN masarepa pre-cooked white corn meal, water, salt, chao vegan shredded white cheese and miyoko's vegan oat milk butter

PAN Masarepa - the most important and only ingredient in making arepas (not including water and salt) is the flour or harina pan. It is a special corn meal that has been pre-cooked. Look for PAN which is the preferred arepa flour used by Venezuelans. The white corn version is used for arepas most of the time. Another brand that makes masarepa is GOYA. Do NOT attempt to use corn starch, corn meal for making cornbread, polenta mix, masa harina or other types of flour for making arepas. They will not work. You must use "masarepa" (loosely translated as "corn flour dough for arepas").
Vegan shredded white cheese - For non-vegan versions, a mild white cheese is used for arepas. So, for this vegan version, I've chosen Chao creamy original shredded cheese. Another shredded or sliced mild white cheese would also work.
Vegan butter - Miyoko's oatmilk vegan butter is quite delicious and works great in these arepas. It melts quickly and is easy to spread (which is important when you're holding a hot arepa, trying to fill it!)

PAN masarepa precooked corn meal white or yellow, the preferred flour for making venezuelan arepas

📋 Substitutions and variations

Here are some suitable substitutions for the ingredients in this recipe:

Chao vegan cheese - use another vegan or plant-based shredded or sliced white cheese instead of Chao
Miyoko's oatmilk butter - use another vegan butter, sliced avocado or skip it
WFPBNO - make this whole food plant based no oil by omitting the cheese and butter. Fill the arepas with sliced avocado, guacamole, black beans and baked plantains or another delicious arepa filling that can be made without the use of oil and more processed foods.

Switch things up with these variation ideas!

Breakfast Arepa - add tofu scramble and sliced avocado along with the shredded cheese for a delicious breakfast arepa
Guacamole Arepa - fill arepas with guacamole
Black Bean Arepas - fill with whole or pureed black beans, along with the vegan cheese
Arepa Reina Pepiada - fill with jackfruit avocado "chicken" salad for a vegan arepa reina pepiada

🔪 Instructions

Step-by-step photos of how to make vegan arepas with dairy-free cheese and butter.

See an in-depth tutorial on how to make arepa dough on my website!

Process step 2 add water and salt to corn flour

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, mix PAN masarepa flour and the salt with your fingers. Pour water into mixing bowl with the flour and salt.

Process step 3 mix the flour and water together with your hands

Step 2: Mix the dough together with your hands until it is well mixed and no dry flour is visible. Knead the dough for 3 minutes with your hands to fully incorporate the water and allow the masarepa to absorb the water.

Step 3: Check to see if the dough is good by rolling a handful of dough into a ball and then make an impression with a finger. The dough should be soft, moldable and doesn't crack where you made the impression. If it cracks, then the dough needs a little more water. Knead in a few tablespoons of water at a time until it is soft.

Process step 11 the arepa can be large or small

Step 4: Make your arepa patties by rolling a portion of dough into a ball about the size of a tennis ball in your hands. Then, gently press the ball a few times to flatten it. We want both sides of the arepa to be as flat as they can be so they come in contact with the pan to cook evenly. (Think thin hockey 🏒 pucks)(See notes in recipe card for precise weight measurements per arepa.)

Process step 14 flip and cook on other side

Step 5: Preheat your flat skillet over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Place arepas in the pan, gently pressing them so they make contact with the bottom of the pan, leaving plenty of room to flip them.
Step 6: Cook or grill arepas for about 5 minutes without moving them. Then, with a spatula, carefully lift the first arepa you added to see if its browning. If not, continue cooking and possibly increase the heat slightly. If it is golden brown on the bottom, flip the arepas, gently pressing them into the pan. Cook another 5 minutes on other side.

cutting into a hot arepa with a knife, before filling it. holding the arepa with a clean kitchen towel.

Step 7: To fill the arepas, use a clean kitchen towel or pot holder to hold the hot arepa. Then, with a long, sharp knife, cut the arepa ⅔ of the way through to form an open pocket. Do not cut all the way through.

spreading vegan butter insde a hot arepa with a knife. holding the hot arepa with a clean kitchen towel.

Step 8: Spread vegan butter inside the arepa on both sides.

sprinkling vegan cheese inside a hot arepa. holding the hot arepa with a clean kitchen towel.

Step 9: Sprinkle vegan shredded cheese inside.

closing the arepa to keep it warm and help melt the cheese.

Step 10: Close arepa and keep warm in a 200ºF oven or in a covered warm skillet to help the cheese melt.

a board full of melty vegan cheese arepas

Step 11: Serve immediately!

Expert tips

Once the arepa is cooked, it's important to fill them quickly, so the arepa doesn't cool down. So, holding the arepa with a kitchen towel will help your hands not to burn. 🔥
Don't turn the heat up too much when cooking the arepas. When I've done that, the outside burns before the inside heats up and cooks.
Prepare any sauces (like guasacaca) before hand and have everything ready to go for the rest of the meal, so you can serve the arepas right away when they're ready!
Use a flat skillet or griddle for cooking the arepas. It does not have to be non-stick. A cast iron griddle works well here!

🥡 Make ahead and storage tips

The arepa dough can be made ahead of time and kept covered in plastic cling wrap in the refrigerator (it will keep for 2-3 days).

The arepas themselves should not be cooked ahead of time. They are best prepared fresh.

🗺 Cultural influences

Arepas are to the people of Venezuela what sliced bread is to the people of America (and many other countries). It's a staple food, one you eat almost every day.

I'm grateful to my Venezuelan friends Alfonso, Daniel and Masu for teaching me how to make this delicious dish. See photos of Daniel teaching me on this post.

See About for more information on my cultural influences and how I attribute recipes.

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