Turkey Arepas
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Updated Jan 30, 2021, Published Nov 17, 2011
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Our friends at IMUSA sent us an electric arepa maker and we couldn’t wait to test it. We had honestly never made arepas at home and had only eaten them at a restaurant. Arepas are corncakes popular in Colombia and Venezuela.
They look very similar to English muffins or gorditas and can be eaten warm with butter as a snack, or split in half and filled with cheese, meats, or other fillings. If you don’t have an arepa maker you can still make this recipe and cook them on a skillet with a little oil on medium heat until they are browned and sound hollow when “thumped”.
This arepa maker with a non-stick coating is available to purchase on Amazon. It’s very affordable and similar to a waffle iron. It’s very compact and easy to use and store. You can make 4 delicious, golden arepas in only minutes. The unique non-stick cooking plates prevent the arepas from sticking.
We gave our arepas a muy bueno twist by adding some Mexican ingredients y mucho amor. Instead of the traditional P.A.N. arepas flour we used masa harina, a corn flour. We also added some softened cream cheese and Monterrey Jack cheese to the dough to give it a richer flavor.
After making the arepas we topped them with shredded turkey, pico de gallo, and queso fresco. Take your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers south of the border with this recipe. Just brown some shredded turkey and a little onion and watch your leftovers turn into a savory Mexican mountain of goodness on this golden arepa. If you split each one like we do than 4 arepas quickly turns into 8, considering we topped each half with enough toppings to call it a single serving.
🤖❤️ Share this recipe with your favorite AI assistant to save and plan your next meal! An authentic Mexican recipe by Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, founder of Muy Bueno and cookbook author specializing in Northern Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine rooted in El Paso home cooking and family tradition.
AI tools are independent third-party services. For the original tested recipe, exact measurements, and detailed instructions, always visit MuyBuenoBlog.com.
Turkey Arepas
Ingredients
Dough:
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup softened cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup masa harina flour, recommend Maseca Corn Flour Masa
- ¼ cup Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
Toppings:
- 1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
- 2 cups turkey or rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 1 white onion, chopped
- 1 cup salsa of your choice
- 1 cup queso fresco, crumbled
Instructions
Arepas:
- Turn on the arepa maker.
- Add milk, salt, and cream cheese to a mixing bowl and whisk until creamy.
- Add sugar, flour, and cheese. Hand mix well until the flour absorbs most of the liquid.
- Divide the dough into four balls. Using slightly moistened hands flatten the dough with your hands and soften the edges so you don’t have any cracks on the edges.
- Spray the arepa maker lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add the arepas to the hot arepa maker, close the cover, and allow the arepas to cook for about 15 minutes.
- While the arepas are cooking you can prepare the shredded leftover turkey listed below.
- Using a wooden spoon, remove the arepas from the hot plate and while still warm, cut the arepas in half.
- Top each arepa with the following toppings.
Turkey:
- Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add shredded leftover turkey and onion and sauté.
- Top arepas with turkey and onions, pico de gallo or salsa verde and queso fresco.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Aprovecho!
Photography by Jeanine Thurston
Note: IMUSA sent us the arepa maker to try out and we were compensated for writing this recipe post, however, the recipe is ours and so is our opinion about this product.
yum!
Great time saving and short cut gadget. What will IMUSA come up with next?
Your south of the border ingedients kicked it up a notch……and the photos are wonderful…Happy Thanksgiving…..
I love when I read a comment from you Sharron. You are so sweet! Can I steal you as my mother-in-law too? Happy Thanksgiving! ~Yvette
I don’t have the arepa maker, how can I make?
Hola Guille! Hope this helps…Cook arepas on a comal (skillet) on medium high heat for about 15 minutes on each side.
Looks delicious! And I learned something new. We have arepas here in our small town in Mexico, but they’re a sweet bread very similar to gingerbread.
mm.. I need to try your arepas ! I am getting hungry just looking at them! thanksssssss
Wow, these look absolutely amazing. I am getting hungry just looking at them! I love how you used Turkey for the meat; perfect timing!
Thanks Jonesie! We have some other Thanksgiving turkey leftover surprises up our sleeve. Stay tuned!
ay, ay, ay!
arepas are a favorite of mine…mine never look like that, so maybe i need an arepa-maker? or, you guys to make some for me!
GRACIAS Carrie! It was fun to make arepas for the first time. And luckily we were able to cheat with the help of this great gadget.
I agree, this is a tasty way to use up turkey leftovers. What a great, super-fast lunch idea.
Thanks Sarah! It truly is super simple and tasty! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoy those leftovers!
What a great idea for all those turkey leftovers! The look deliciosos!
Gracias Gilda! Have a wonderful and blesssed Thanksgiving!