Arepas de Carne Molida

with Avocado & Pickled Jalapeño

30 MIN

2 Servings

From the Test Kitchen

We’re celebrating South American cuisine with this delicious, age-old meal. Arepas, which can be traced back to the indigenous peoples of Venezuela and Colombia, are savory, round flatbreads made with cornmeal. They’re typically topped with meat and varied other ingredients (though they’re tasty on their own, too). We’re stacking ours high with carne molida (Spanish for “ground beef”), creamy avocado, peppery radishes and, for an extra pop of bright flavor, pickled jalapeño and onion.

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Nutrition

PER SERVING
Calories

700 Cals (est.)

fresh

ingredients

8 oz Ground Beef
1 cup Masarepa
3 oz Radishes
1 Avocado
1 Lime
1 Red Onion
1 large bunch Cilantro
2 Tbsps Red Wine Vinegar
2 Tbsps Sugar
1 Jalapeño Pepper
2 tsps Carne Molida Spice Blend (Ancho Chile Powder, Chipotle Powder, Garlic Powder, Ground Cumin, Ground Coriander, Mexican Oregano, Cocoa Powder, Ground Nutmeg & Cornstarch)

time-saving

tips & techniques

step-by-step

instructions

Cook Along

1 Prepare the ingredients:

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the stem ends of the radishes; thinly slice the radishes into rounds. Quarter the lime. Pit, peel and slice the avocado; toss with the juice of 1 lime wedge to prevent browning. Peel, halve and thinly slice the onion. Pick the cilantro leaves off the stems; discard the stems. Thinly slice the jalapeño into rounds. (For a milder dish, remove and discard the seeds and ribs, then thinly slice the jalapeño). Immediately wash your hands and cutting board afterwards.

2 Pickle the jalapeño & onion:

In a small pan, combine the jalapeño, sugar, vinegar and half the onion. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the liquid is slightly reduced in volume. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool.

3 Brown the beef:

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the ground beef. Cook, frequently breaking the meat apart with a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes, or until just cooked through; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the pan.

4 Cook the aromatics & finish the beef:

In the pan used to cook the beef, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the remaining onion and as much of the spice blend as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add the cooked beef and the juice of 1 lime wedge. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until thoroughly combined. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool slightly. Wipe out the pan.

5 Form the arepas:

In a large bowl, combine the masarepa, a big pinch of salt and 1 cup of lukewarm water. Stir until just combined (the dough should be damp and easy to shape). Using wet hands, divide the dough into 4 equal-sized balls. On a clean work surface, carefully flatten into ¼-inch-thick rounds.

6 Cook the arepas & plate your dish:

In the pan used to cook the aromatics and beef, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the arepas and cook 2 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Divide between 2 dishes. Top with the finished beef and avocado. Garnish with the radishes, cilantro and as much of the pickled jalapeño and onion as you’d like. Serve with the remaining lime wedges on the side. Enjoy!