Delicious one-ingredient Arepas (AIP/Grain-Free)
The French have baguettes, the Mexicans have tortillas, and the Venezuelans have the AREPA.
In Venezuela, the arepa is the perfect carb, the perfect vehicle for protein, and the most wholesome breakfast. Traditionally, arepas are made with pre-cooked corn flour, similar to Mexican tortillas. These AIP arepas are the perfect AIP substitute to the arepa I know and love, without having any grains whatsoever. The star of the show? Yuca/Cassava. An equally delicious ingredient.
Why AIP or grain-free? folks struggling with any autoimmune disease or with gut troubles can all benefit from removing or minimizing grains from their diet. Learn more about AIP here.
Plan Ahead: I recommend you make the masa/dough ahead of time, or at least get the cassavas boiled the night before to save your precious time/energy.
🌱 AREPAS DE YUCA (Cassava arepas) 🤍
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 15 - 25 minutes
Serving size: 3 arepas
Ingredients:
300 g of cassava root (yuca), peeled and cut in half or 3 parts for easier boiling. If you’ve never dealt with cassava before, make your life easier by getting from the frozen section.
1 tsp. Sea salt
1 tsp. Olive oil (and more for cooking)
Water
Preparation:
Place the yuca/cassava in a small saucepan, fill it with salted water, and bring to a boil.
Get the yuca to the point so you pinch it with a fork and it’s tender, but it still holds its shape. About 20-25 minutes boiling time.
Remove the yuca and let it cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
IMPORTANT: the yuca must be at room temperature or cold to make the dough.
Remove the thread or “vein” in the middle of the cassava for a better texture.
Once the “vein” is removed, there are three different ways to make the masa:
Using a food processor
Grating the yuca with a cheese grater
Using a potato presser.
Pass the cassava through the potato presser, grate it, or process it using the food processor until reaching a clumpy consistency. No worries, you’ll do the rest of the work with your hands.
If using a food processor, make sure not to overdo it because the cassava can go from clumpy to gooey very fast, and that’s not the texture we want.
Add the grated/processed/pressed cassava into a large bowl, then add salt and olive oil. Knead until the dough no longer sticks to your fingers. If you consider the dough to be too dry, add 1 tbsp of water.
Divide the dough into 3 equal parts and make the arepas by making 3 balls and then flattening them against a greased surface, this can be done directly on the skillet or a separate plate.
Cook the arepas on a hot greased skillet on medium heat for 10 minutes on each side, or until they crisp. You want the arepas to be very crispy on the outside.
Once ready, open the arepas halfway through (like a Hot Pocket) and fill them in with your favorite AIP-compliant protein. My favorites are sardine and tuna salad (below), and Reina Pepiada (avocado with shredded chicken–a must that will be included in my upcoming guide!).
Eat immediately.
RECIPE TIPS:
Cassava/Yuca is relatively cheap in the Latin Markets. Find a Latin supermercado near you to buy this veggie rather than spending top dollar at other markets.
You can find already-peeled cassava in the frozen isles of some traditional supermarkets and Latin markets. I recommend you do this if you are new to this vegetable.
Sardine Salad
Sardines are a superfood packed with an incredible amount of nutrients, including important minerals necessary for proper thyroid function. Add this recipe to your weekly rotation and eat it with chips, stuffed in an arepa (my fave!), or as the main protein in your meal.
Prep time: 8 minutes
Cook time: no cooking
Serving size: 2 servings (double this recipe if you’re making more than 2 arepas)
Ingredients:
1 can (4 oz) of Sardines in olive oil, preferably
¼ cup finely (very finely!) chopped celery
¼ cup very finely chopped onions (any type works!)
Approximately 5 sprigs of cilantro, finely chopped. Stems and all.
The juice of either ½ or 1 full lime, depending on your preference for acid.
1-2 tbsp of olive oil or the oil from the can of sardines
Salt to taste.
Preparation:
In a bowl, add the sardines, celery, onions, and cilantro.Break down the sardines and incorporate everything evenly using a fork.
Add the oil, salt, and lime to taste. Mix and taste until achieving the desired taste (acid and salt) and consistency.
Enjoy!
Recipe tips:
If you’re not too fond of the taste of sardines, you can substitute it with canned tuna instead.
