This is a step-by-step recipe for making arepas con queso (cheese-filled arepas) inspired by the Disney film Encanto, demonstrating the complete process from dough preparation through cooking and stuffing.
Encanto is a 2021 American animated musical fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard, with original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The film's themes are rooted in Colombian culture, including spotlighting the arepa as an essential part of its cuisine. In the film, Mirabel's mother Julieta was blessed with the power of healing through food, and one such recipe is for her Arepas con Queso.
The recipe in the transcript is for Colombian-style arepas con queso, which differs from the basic Venezuelan method. Arepas are made of masarepa (precooked cornmeal), salt, and warm water. The video's approach of mixing cheese directly into the dough, then stuffing with additional cheese and re-cooking is a specific Colombian variation. The main difference between masarepa and masa harina is that masarepa is made from precooked corn flour, whereas masa harina is made from uncooked corn that's undergone nixtamalization. Unlike masa and masa harina, masarepa has not been treated with calcium hydroxide and has the weakest flavor of the three products.
In the 1950s, precooked arepa flour was invented by Dr. Luis Caballero Mejías, a Venezuelan engineer. The flour is mixed with water and salt, and occasionally oil, butter, eggs or milk, and because the flour is already cooked, the blend forms into patties easily. The most popular brand names are Harina PAN and Harina Juana in Venezuela; Doñarepa in Colombia; and Goya elsewhere. P.A.N. Pre-Cooked White Corn Meal can be found at Kroger and other major grocery chains, and is also available on Amazon and Walmart.
Oaxaca cheese (queso Oaxaca) is a white, semihard, low-fat cheese that originated in Mexico, similar to unaged Monterey Jack but with a texture similar to mozzarella or string cheese. Mozzarella is one of the most popular substitutes for Oaxaca due to its similar consistency and flavor profile, though mozzarella is a bit spongier. The video's use of "wajaka or low moisture mozzarella" is accurate—both are pasta filata cheeses with excellent melting properties.
For cooking technique, the key is to first seal the arepas at a high temperature on an oiled griddle for about 3-5 minutes per side, then keep flipping them to finish off the cooking at a lower heat for 8-10 minutes per side. The video's 5-7 minutes per side at medium-low heat is a simplified single-temperature approach that works but may not achieve the ideal crust-to-interior ratio that the two-stage method provides.
Learn to recreate Julieta's cheese-filled arepas from Disney's Encanto using authentic Colombian techniques with precooked cornmeal, warm water, and melty cheese.