Behold basically the only thing I want to eat anymore: arepa sandwiches!

Since we just mastered our arepas, it just wasn’t right not to show you how to make my ultimate arepa sandwich. It includes all of my favorite things, like guacamole, sweet roasted plantains, and smoky black beans. And it comes together in 30 minutes with 10 ingredients! Let’s do this.

What are Arepas?

Arepas are cornmeal cakes that originated hundreds of years ago in a region that now makes up Colombia, Venezuela, and Panama. Traditionally, they were cooked on a pan called a budare. But they can also be grilled, baked, or fried.

Venezuelan arepas tend to be smaller and thicker, while Colombian arepas tend to be sweeter, thinner, and stuffed with cheese. Our version more closely resembles Venezuelan arepas.

How to Make Arepa Sandwiches

Once your arepas are made, start by roasting your plantains until golden brown and caramelized. We recommend using ripe, spotty, yellow plantains for best results. If plantains are a newer ingredient to you, you can learn more about them here.

Then heat your black beans until bubbly and season with cumin and salt.

Next up, guacamole. If you’re feeling lazy. you can also just add slices of avocado and sprinkle on lime and salt. But if you’ve got the time, it’s worth the effort!

Now, we assemble. First comes sliced arepas, then guacamole, then black beans, then plantains, followed by any desired toppings such as cabbage, cilantro, and your favorite sauce (like our Habanero Hot Sauce)!

We hope you LOVE these sandwiches! They’re:

Comforting

Crunchy on the outside

Layered with texture + flavor on the inside

Savory, spicy, sweet

Quick + Easy to make

& Super delicious

These arepa sandwiches would be perfect for feeding a crowd! Or you can keep the ingredients on hand for assembling them throughout the week as you need.

These are delicious on their own, but they might also pair nicely with things like rice, Easy Vegan Coleslaw, Roasted Vegetables, or this Super Cleansing Veggie Slaw! And if you want a little more flavor, you could also throw on some of our Raw Vegan Taco Meat or Vegan Barbacoa!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!