Description
Cachapas are traditional Venezuelan corn pancakes made from fresh or frozen corn blended into a thick batter, then cooked on a skillet until golden and slightly crispy on the outside. Typically folded around creamy queso de mano or mozzarella cheese, these sweet and savory pancakes make a delicious snack or breakfast dish that celebrates the natural sweetness of corn.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups corn kernels (freshly cut from cobs or defrosted frozen corn)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 5 tbsp arepa flour (more if needed)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp butter (for cooking, or as needed)
Optional Filling
- 6 oz queso de mano, Oaxaca cheese, or low moisture mozzarella cheese (sliced)
Instructions
- Prepare the Batter: Blend the corn kernels, egg, milk, arepa flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor or blender until the mixture forms a relatively smooth paste with some small lumps but no whole kernels or large pieces. Let the batter rest for about 5 minutes to allow the flour to absorb moisture. Stir gently after resting to check consistency; it should be thick but flow slightly.
- Prepare the Cheese: If using cheese, slice it into thin pieces before cooking so it’s ready to add later.
- Cook the First Pancake: Heat butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until melted and bubbling. Scoop approximately 1/4 to 1/3 cup (60-80 ml) of batter into the skillet and allow it to spread slightly on its own. Cook for about 5 minutes until edges dry and the underside is golden brown. Flip and cook another 2 minutes on the other side.
- Add Cheese and Fold: If adding cheese, place slices on one half of the pancake after flipping back to the first cooked side. Fold the pancake over the cheese. Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes more until the cheese begins to melt, flipping once if needed to warm evenly.
- Cook Remaining Pancakes: Repeat the process by cooking pancakes in batches of 2-3, adding butter as needed. Keep cooked cachapas warm or serve immediately. Serve plain with butter or filled with cheese as preferred.
Notes
- Adjust the batter consistency by adding more arepa flour if too thin, or milk if too thick, especially since corn moisture can vary.
- Using fresh corn gives the best flavor, but frozen corn works well if thawed properly.
- Cachapas can be made smaller or larger depending on preference but about 1/4 to 1/3 cup batter per pancake allows easy folding with cheese inside.
- Nonstick skillet recommended to prevent sticking, but a regular skillet can be used with enough butter.
- Cheese filling is optional but adds creaminess and classic flavor to the cachapas.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Venezuelan
