Try these delicious ripe plantain arepas stuffed with mozzarella cheese, made with four ingredients. And without cornmeal, you will love it!
Today I’m going to share another recipe with sweet plantains, it is easy to make, and you can add whatever you like.
This recipe is another way to use ripe plantains when you have a lot at home, and you don’t want them to go to waste.
Arepas is a typical food in many parts of the world, such as Colombia and Venezuela. You can find different flavored arepas, made with various ingredients, and some do not use corn flour or cornmeal.
My version is one of those corn-free versions. You can enjoy this dish as part of your breakfast, or you can eat it as a side dish at any time of the day.
? Ingredients for the recipe
To prepare this recipe, you will need a ripe plantain, oat flour, mozzarella cheese, and a little oil for cooking them.
The plantain must be ripe the yellow ones with black spots and it has to be firm.
As for utensils and tools, you will need a chopping board, a pot, a frying pan or skillet, a medium bowl, a fork or potato masher, and your hands.
Once you have all the ingredients and utensils on hand, let’s start.
? How to make the plantain arepas? — Step by Step
First, we remove the tips of the plantain and cut it in 4 pieces. We cut lengthwise in each section. The cut makes it easy to remove the peel (photo 1).
In the pot, we put water and the plantain pieces to boil for 10-15 minutes (photo 2). Or until they are soft, you can verify this using a knife. It should quickly enter and exit the plantain.
Once they are soft, we remove them from the pot and let it cool for a few minutes.
Remove the peel and proceed to mash them with a fork or the potato masher. I prefer using a fork because it leaves bits of the plantain. You will get an extra sweet touch to the arepas.
If you prefer, you can mash it more using a potato masher to make the dough smoother or even use your hands to work the dough.
Add the oat flour and mix until incorporated (photo 3).
Divide the mixture into four (photo 4), then proceed to form balls.
? Tip: I recommend leaving the dough to rest in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, so the mixture becomes easier to handle and does not stick as much.
Make a small hole in the middle of the ball and add the cheese. Roll again and then flatten the arepa. Continue this same process with the remaining dough.
In a frying pan or skillet, over medium heat, add a little spray oil or butter if you like.
? Tip: I recommend using Ghee or clarified butter that will give it a delicious flavor in addition to withstanding high temperatures.
Brown on both sides for 5 minutes per side (photos 5 and 6). If you prefer, you can leave it a little longer if you like it a little more golden.
Serve and eat with your favorite main dish, either for breakfast or at any time.
Plantain Arepas Storage and Serving Suggestions
Storage: You can keep it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Advance Preparation: You can make the dough the day before and store them formed in the fridge without problems. You can take them out 15 minutes before cooking, so it comes to room temperature, and then you cook them.
Reheat: You can reheat them in a skillet, use the microwave, and even the air fryer.
Duplicate the recipe: You can double the amount of the ingredients, and it will serve 8 medium arepas or four larger ones. In the end, you decide how big or small you prefer them.
Suggested Servings:
- If you eat them for breakfast, you can serve it with fried egg and avocado, like avocado on toast.
- You can also serve it with some meat with sauce or these delicious stewed sausages recipe.
- You can also add more cheese. If you have fresh or pressed cheese, that’s a good option, too.
Substitutions
- Mozzarella Cheese: You can use any type of cheese you like. I prefer using cheese that melts quickly. You can also use fresh cheese. In this case, I would recommend that you mix the cheese in the mixture and then form the arepas.
- Oat Flour: I prefer oats because it is easy and has a little more fiber. But you can use whatever flour you have on hand. It is also good with pre-cooked cornmeal. This flour will give the dough a crispier texture like traditional corn arepa.
If you try this stuffed plantain arepas recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a comment below and tell us about your experience. We love reading about what you are preparing at home.
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Plantain Arepas
Ingredients
- 1 yellow plantain, medium size
- ¾ cup oat flour
- ¼ cup mozzarella cheese
- ½ teaspoon olive oil, or spray oil or butter
Instructions
- Remove the tips to the plantain and cut it in 4 pieces. Then cut lengthwise each section. The cut makes it easy to remove the peel (photo 1).
- In the pot, add water and the plantain pieces. Boil for 10 – 15 minutes (photo 2), or until they are soft. You can verify it by using a small knife. It should quickly enter and exit the plantain. Remove from the pot and let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Remove the peel and mash with a fork or a potato masher.
- Add the oat flour and mix until incorporated (photo 3).
- Divide the mixture into four parts (photo 4) and then form into balls. Make a small hole in the middle and stuff with the mozzarella cheese. Form a ball again and then flatten into the arepa shape. Continue this same process with the remaining dough.
- In a frying pan or skillet, over medium heat, add the olive oil or butter if you prefer. Brown each side of the arepa for 5 minutes (photos 5 and 6). You can also use some spray oil.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Mozzarella Cheese: You can use any type of cheese you like. I prefer using cheese that melts quickly. You can also use fresh cheese. In this case, I would recommend that you mix the cheese in the mixture and then form the arepas.
- Oat Flour: I prefer oats because it is easy and has a little more fiber. But you can use whatever flour you have on hand. It is also good with pre-cooked cornmeal. This flour will give the dough a crispier texture like traditional corn arepa.
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