Exquisite Vegan Venezuelan Arepas Stuffed with Tropical Fruit Salsa & Creamy Cashew Cheese

Allergens

Nuts (cashews)

Ingredients

• 2 cups masarepa (preferably PAN brand)
• 3 cups warm water
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp salt For the Tropical Fruit Salsa:
• 1 cup diced mango
• 1 cup diced pineapple
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt and pepper to taste For the Cashew Cheese:
• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 garlic clove
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine masarepa, warm water, oil, and salt. Mix until well incorporated and let it rest for 10 minutes.
2. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
3. Form the dough into 6 equal sized arepas and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 25 30 minutes or until golden brown.
4. While the arepas bake, prepare the tropical fruit salsa by mixing all ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. For the cashew cheese, blend soaked cashews, almond milk, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
6. Once the arepas are baked, cut a pocket into each one and stuff them with the tropical fruit salsa and a generous dollop of cashew cheese.

Chef’s Insight

The key to perfect arepas lies in the right consistency of the masarepa dough, which should be soft yet firm enough to hold its shape.

Notes

This recipe is suitable for a gluten-free diet as it does not contain wheat-based ingredients.