Breads & doughs
Colombian arepa de huevo: crispy egg-filled arepas
Crispy yellow corn arepas with a whole egg cooked inside. Follow the Caribbean Colombian double-frying method, with tips for puffing the pocket and sealing the edges.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Cuisine
- Colombian, Caribbean coast
Ingredients
Method
Hydrate the flour
Dissolve 3 g salt in 280 ml warm water. Gradually add 200 g precooked yellow corn flour and mix until no dry flour remains.
Knead and rest
Knead for 2 minutes, then rest for 5 minutes. The dough should be soft and flatten without cracking. If it cracks, add water a teaspoon at a time; if sticky, let it rest a little longer.
Shape four discs
Reserve a teaspoon of dough for sealing. Divide the rest into 4 equal balls and flatten between sheets of food-safe plastic into discs about 12 cm wide and 6–7 mm thick. Smooth any cracks around the edges.
Fry until puffed
Heat the oil to 180 °C in a deep pot, at least 5 cm deep and no more than halfway full. Carefully slide in one disc and fry for 2–3 minutes, turning gently, until puffed and firm but still pale. Transfer to a rack and repeat.
Open a side pocket
Let each arepa cool for 1–2 minutes, until you can hold it safely with a dry cloth. Use a small knife to make a 3 cm slit along the side edge, separating the pocket walls without piercing the opposite face.
Add the egg and seal
Crack one egg into a small spouted jug. Hold the opening upwards and slowly pour the whole raw egg inside the arepa. Gently press the opening closed, using a little reserved dough if needed. Repeat with one egg per arepa.
Fry a second time
Reduce the oil to 170–175 °C. Lower each filled arepa into the oil with its opening upwards at first. Fry for 3–5 minutes, turning carefully, until golden and both white and yolk are fully set. Timing depends on egg size: cut open the first to check and cook the others longer if needed.
Drain and serve hot
Drain on a rack for 1 minute. Serve one arepa per person; cut one in half to show the fully cooked egg and thin, crispy corn shell.
The step photos are illustrative.
Notes
Use precooked corn flour for arepas (masarepa), not cornstarch or polenta. Adjust the water a teaspoon at a time to suit your flour. The litre of oil is the frying bath, not the amount eaten: nutrition assumes 10 g of absorbed oil per arepa. Contains egg. Fry without crowding in a deep pot filled no more than halfway; keep utensils dry. Cook both white and yolk until fully set. Serve freshly made. Refrigerate covered at 4 °C or below within 2 hours and eat within 2 days, reheating thoroughly.
Arepa de huevo in Türkiye
In October 2026, El Universal reported that Colombian chef María Cecilia Restrepo, known as Ajá Chechi, won a competition at GastroAntep in Gaziantep, Türkiye. Her menu included egg arepas made with black corn, kibbeh and babaganoush. This yellow-corn home recipe celebrates the Caribbean Colombian tradition; it is our own formulation, not the chef’s competition recipe.
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Nutrition facts
1 of 4 arepas
- Protein
- 9.6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 38.7 g
- Fat
- 16.4 g
- Saturated fat
- 2.6 g
- Fiber
- 3.3 g
- Sugars
- 1.9 g
- Sodium
- 362 mg
Estimate using a flour label and USDA data. Actual oil absorption, brands and egg size change the values; the litre of frying oil is not counted as eaten.
Reference source: P.A.N. reference label + USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy
For general information only; it does not replace advice from a qualified health or nutrition professional.
About this recipe
Crispy yellow corn arepas with a whole egg cooked inside. Follow the Caribbean Colombian double-frying method, with tips for puffing the pocket and sealing the edges.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my arepa not puff up?
The oil may be too cool, the dough too dry, or cracks may let steam escape. Adjust the hydration, smooth the edges and let the oil return to 180 °C between discs.
Does the egg go in before frying the dough?
Fry the empty disc first to form a pocket. Add the raw egg afterwards and fry again until the egg is fully cooked.
Can I make this in an air fryer?
This recipe needs immersion in oil to inflate the pocket. An air fryer cannot reproduce the first frying stage; it would need a different formulation.
Is this the recipe that won in Türkiye?
This is a traditional home version. El Universal reported on 16 October 2026 that María Cecilia Restrepo, Ajá Chechi, won a GastroAntep 2026 competition with a menu including black-corn egg arepas, kibbeh and babaganoush. This recipe does not reproduce her dish.
