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Overhead shot of arepas with tuna avocado salad filling served in a bowl lined with parchment paper.
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Arepas with Tuna Avocado Salad (Arepas rellenas de atún y aguacate)

Homemade Venezuelan arepas (crispy cornmeal patties) fillled with a creamy avocado tuna fish salad.
Course Appetizer, Lunch, Main dish
Cuisine Latin American, Venezuelan
Keyword Arepas, Avocado, Canned tuna, Comfort food, Street food
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 8 medium arepas

Ingredients

For the arepas:

  • 2 cups of precooked corn flour 290 grams=~10 ounces - PAN brand
  • 2 ¼ - 2 ½ cups warm water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons of oil

For the tuna avocado salad filling:

  • 2 cans of tuna fish about 340-350 grams total for 2 cans
  • 1 tablespoon of finely chopped cilantro
  • 1 small clove of garlic crushed - optional
  • 1 medium white onion ~ 80 grams
  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 2-4 tablespoons mayonnaise adjust to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

To make the arepas:

  • Place 2 ¼ cups of warm water in a mixing bowl. Then add the salt, and a tablespoon of oil, stir. Add the precooked corn flour, stirring constantly with a spoon. Knead until you obtain a dough with a nice smooth consistency, without any lumps. If the dough is dry you can add the extra water, one tablespoon at a time and mix again.The arepa dough should come off the bowl easily.
    Arepa dough in a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon.
  • Let the arepa dough rest for 5 minutes.
    A ball of arepa dough in a glass bowl
  • Divide the dough into 8 to 10 balls of the same size and flatten them between your hands to form the arepas into a flat patty or disk shape.
    Forming the arepas before cooking
  • Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to a frying pan or a griddle pan, make sure the pan is evenly coated with the oil.
  • Turn the stove on to medium-high heat, and add the arepas to the heated pan. Make sure there is enough space in between them (to be able to turn them easily). When the first five minutes have passed, turn them over and cook them covered for another five minutes on the opposite side. Remove the arepas from the pan and let them rest. Repeat if working in batches.
    Cooking arepas on a griddle pan

For the tuna avocado salad filling:

  • Prepare the avocado tuna filling while the arepas are cooking. You can also prepare it ahead of time and have it ready to stuff the arepas.
  • Sprinkle ½ of the lime juice and a sprinkle of salt over the chopped white onions.
    Diced white onion being drizzled with lime juice
  • Save about ¼ of the avocados, to slice and decorate the arepas when serving; you can sprinkle a little bit of lime juice on the slices to keep them from darkening. Mash the rest of the ripe avocados in a large bowl.
  • Add the tuna fish, olive oil, lime marinated onions, mayonnaise, chopped cilantro, crushed garlic (if using), the rest of the lime juice, and salt to the bowl with the mashed avocado.
    Ingredients for tuna avocado salad in a white bowl
  • Mix well. Taste and adjust salt, mayonnaise or lime juice if necessary. Save
    Avocado tuna salad in a bowl next to avocados and a sprig of cilantro
  • Use a sharp knife to carefully open the warm arepas lengthwise and fill each one with the tuna avocado salad. After filling the arepas with the salad, add the extra diced or sliced avocado. Serve immediately.
    Avocado tuna salad stuffed arepas in a bowl