Cachapas (Venezuelan Corn Pancakes) Recipe • Curious Cuisiniere (2024)

The sweet-savory flavor is what makes cachapas special. These rustic and thin Venezuelan corn pancakes are filled with cheese.

Cachapas (Venezuelan Corn Pancakes) Recipe • Curious Cuisiniere (1)

Corn in Venezuela

Although cachapas are also a well-known dish in Colombia, their origin comes from the central region of Venezuela.

The indigenous people who populated the north-central Miranda region of Venezuela cultivated corn. This cereal was worshiped by the indigenous people and considered of divine origin.

Corn was so special that their worship even became associated with the Christian religion, where they would sow the corn kernels on the feast day of San Isidro Labrador (Saint Isidore the Farm Laborer) to pay tribute to the farmers.

This custom is still done in some Venezuelan farming towns.

What is cachapa?

Cachapa is a thin pancake made with ground fresh corn, cheese, and panela (or sugar), cooked in a budare (a clay or iron plate).

It is then served with queso de mano (Venezuelan fresh cheese) and butter.

This type of cachapa is also known as cachapa de budare.

Cachapas (Venezuelan Corn Pancakes) Recipe • Curious Cuisiniere (2)

Cachapa de hoja

Cachapa de hoja (leaf cachapa) has the same ingredients as cachapa de budare, but the batter or dough is wrapped in corn leaves and cooked in boiling water. (It looks like tamales)

A Venezuelan street food

Nowadays cachapas are sold ready and refrigerated in supermarkets, but as any Venezuelan would say, there is nothing like eating it from the streets, where people make their own dough.

Those are called homemade!

Cachapas (Venezuelan Corn Pancakes) Recipe • Curious Cuisiniere (3)

Variations in the recipe

The recipe, although simple, has evolved some in the past few years. More people are using canned or frozen corn, as it is easier to obtain throughout the year.

To thicken the batter, corn flour (Maseca) or all-purpose flour is used.

Cheese is often only used for the filling and not in the batter.

What is queso de mano (hand cheese)?

Queso de mano is one of the most popular cheeses in Venezuela. Its origin dates from approximately the sixteenth century.

Its name comes from the process of making this cheese: once the milk has curdled, it is boiled, and it is given a circular shape by hand.

This cheese is creamy, juicy, and smooth, and many Venezuelans replace it with fresh mozzarella when they are making cachapas outside of Venezuela.

Sometimes you can find queso de mano in Latin American stores around the USA.

Cachapas (Venezuelan Corn Pancakes) Recipe • Curious Cuisiniere (4)

Difference between arepas and cachapas in Venezuela

Arepas and cachapas are very popular in Venezuela. They look similar, but the ingredients and how they are served are different.

A Venezuelan arepa is a type of round and flattened bread, which is made with corn flour and its origin dates back to pre-Columbian times. In those times, the indigenous people ground dry corn between two smooth stones to make flour, formed the arepas, and then cooked them in the aripo, a clay plate.

Arepas are filled with different stews and veggies. One of the most popular fillings is made with chicken and avocado.

Cachapas on the other hand, are golden fried corn cakes made from fresh corn. They are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. They come stuffed with queso de mano.

Arepas are sliced to make a little pocket and then filled, while the cachapas are folded in half to put the cheese on them.

Either make a delicious snack or breakfast!

Cachapas (Venezuelan Corn Pancakes) Recipe • Curious Cuisiniere (5)

Yield: 6 pancakes

Cachapas (Venezuelan Corn Pancakes) Recipe • Curious Cuisiniere (6)

The sweet-savory flavor is what makes cachapas special. These rustic and thin Venezuelan corn pancakes are filled with cheese.

Prep Time10 minutes

Cook Time50 minutes

Total Time1 hour

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh corn, cut from the cob*
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 4 Tbsp masa harina
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 8 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced

Instructions

  1. Add fresh corn, egg, milk, corn flour, sugar, and salt in a blender and blend until a thick paste form. Let stand for about 10 minutes for the mixture to thicken. (If your mixture is still too thin, add a little more masa harina or flour to thicken it to a spoon-able consistency.)
  2. Preheat a 5-1/2 inch frying pan, over medium heat.
  3. When the pan is hot, add some butter to grease it.
  4. Pour 1/3 cup of batter into the frying pan, making a circle around the pan.
  5. Cook for 4-5 minutes and flip with a spatula. Cook for 3 more minutes until the cachapa is golden brown.
  6. Place sliced mozzarella on one half of the cachapa and let it melt. Fold the other half over the cheese and spread some butter on top. These are best if served hot, straight from the skillet.

Notes

*If you would like to use frozen corn, be sure to defrost it thoroughly and be sure any moisture has been drained off. For best results, let it set in a sieve while defrosting, to allow the moisture to drain. And then, spread the corn out on a paper towel to dry thoroughly. Without this step, the extra moisture may make your batter too thin.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 222

If you liked this recipe, here are some similar dishes you may enjoy!

  • Golfeados (Venezuelan Cheesy Rolls)
  • Pupusas de Queso (El Salvadoran Cheese Stuffed Tortillas)
  • Imeruli Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread)
  • Bolón de Verde (Ecuadorian Green Plantain Fritters)
  • Venezuelan Arepas
  • Empanadas de Membrillo (Argentinian Quince and Cheese Empanadas)
  • Mealie Bread (South African Sweetcorn Bread)
  • Southern Skillet Cornbread

Cachapas (Venezuelan Corn Pancakes) Recipe • Curious Cuisiniere (16)

Lizet

Lizet is Bolivian and lives in Paraguay. Through friends and travel she has developed her love of food. From Africa to Asia, Europe to the Americas, there is always something new to try when you come to dinner. You can find more of Lizet’s tasty creations on her website ChipaByTheDozen.com. You can also find her on Instagram and Facebook.

Cachapas (Venezuelan Corn Pancakes) Recipe • Curious Cuisiniere (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between arepas and cachapas? ›

Arepas are round, flat cornmeal patties that are often split open and filled with a variety of ingredients like shredded beef, chicken, cheese, or vegetables. They can be grilled, baked, or fried. On the other hand, cachapas are thick, pancake-like creations made from fresh corn dough.

Is cachapa similar to any American food? ›

Cachapa is a Venezuela street dish similar to the pancakes of North America, although instead of flour, it is made from freshly ground corn. Now a famous dish (appetizer, party snack and main meal), the Venezuelan corn pancake has become an adopted delicacy among food lovers across several countries.

Which of the following types of pancake is particularly popular in Venezuela? ›

Cachapa is a traditional dish made from maize flour from Venezuela. Like arepas, they are popular at roadside stands. They can be made like pancakes of fresh corn dough, or wrapped in dry corn leaves and boiled (cachapa de hoja).

What is cachapas made of? ›

Cachapas are made from fresh or frozen corn kernels that are ground to a purée and cooked much like pancakes. Arepas are made from pre-cooked cornmeal that is reconstituted with water to make a stiff dough.

What are 3 differences between Venezuelan arepas and Colombian arepas? ›

Colombian arepas

The ingredients tend to be a bit more sparse than in Venezuela. The corn cake is thinner and often sweeter. In most cases, the only filling is melted cheese. Colombian arepas are made without the addition of salt and oil, so the texture tends toward the dry side.

What is the English equivalent of arepa? ›

a Columbian or Venezuelan cornmeal cake, sometimes stuffed with savory fillings.

Are cachapas Colombian or Venezuelan? ›

Cachapas are an integral part of Venezuela's culinary history and their origin dates back to pre-Colombian times, when the indigenous population would grind corn with stone pestles and then cook it cachapa-style on clay budares, flat griddle plates that have been found in archaeological digs at many sites in Venezuela.

Are cachapas good for you? ›

Plus, these cachapas are filled with tons of fiber and protein to start the day off juuust right, plus they're gluten-free and can easily be modified using plant-based ingredients, too.

What is another famous dish in Venezuela? ›

Main dishes
NameDescription
CachapaA maize pancake, usually filled with fresh cheese and/or fried pork
Cachitos (de jamón)Similar to French croissant filled with ham
Caraotas negrasBlack beans, usually eaten at lunch time, with rice, plantains and shredded meat, or pabellón
CasabeA flat bread made of bitter cassava
17 more rows

What are three popular foods in Venezuela? ›

Try Local Dishes: Start your Venezuelan food journey by trying some of the iconic local dishes. Empanadas, arepas, and cachapas are popular choices. Don't miss out on arepas stuffed with ingredients like shredded beef (reina pepiada), black beans and cheese (domino), or ham and cheese (pelúa).

What country has the best pancakes? ›

World's most delicious pancakes
  • Socca, France and Italy: Made with chickpea flour, socca, also known as farinata, is a a street food favorite in cities like Nice. ...
  • Blinis, Russia: These traditional Russian pancakes usually made from wheat or buckwheat flour are perfect for breakfast.

What are pancakes called in Mexico? ›

The small pancakes in Mexico are called "hotcakes" or "panqueques" in Spanish. They are similar to the American pancakes, but they are smaller and thinner, and sometimes they are filled with sweet or savory ingredients such as fruits, chocolate, cheese, or meat.

What country are cachapas from? ›

Cachapas are an integral part of Venezuela's culinary history and their origin dates back to pre- Colombian times, when the indigenous population would grind corn with stone pestles and then cook it cachapa-style on clay budares, flat griddle plates that have been found in archaeological digs at many sites in Venezuela ...

What does cachapas taste like? ›

If you add the cheese right when they come off the griddle, the heat of the fresh cachapas will melt the cheese filling, creating a quesadilla like experience. The outside of the cachapas are a little sweet and caramelized and the inside has a mellow sweet corn flavor with a little texture.

What is Chorreada in Venezuela? ›

Cachapas, also known as chorreadas, ready to eat. Cachapa is traditional food from Venezuela, Costa Rica and Colombia, corn pancake filled with hand cheese.

What is the difference between arepas and gorditas? ›

According to. But a traditional form of arepas (known as arepas peladas) utilize a nixtamal-based white corn masa. Gorditas, hailing from Mexico and Central America, are always made with nixtamalized masa. Usually larger in diameter than arepas, but not necessarily thicker, gorditas can be made with any color masa.

What is special about Venezuelan arepas? ›

Venezuelan Arepas are flat, round, savory corn flour patties made with only five ingredients for crispy on the outside and tender on the inside delights. This Latin-American staple can be enjoyed plain, on the side, or stuffed with meat, cheese, or almost anything you like!

What are arepas called in El Salvador? ›

A pupusa is a thick griddle cake or flatbread from El Salvador and Honduras made with cornmeal or rice flour, similar to the Colombian and Venezuelan arepa. In El Salvador, it has been declared the national dish and has a specific day to celebrate it.

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