Masarepa: is precooked corn flour used to make Colombian arepas, empanadas and tamales. Some of the brands available in the United States are Pan and Goya.
You can find Goya masarepa in the Latin aisle at supermarkets.
Masarepa (Arepa Flour)
My Colombian Recipes » This and That » Masarepa (arepa Flour)
About Erica Dinho
My name is Erica and I was born and raised in Colombia and now live in the northeastern United States with my husband and family. This blog was inspired by my grandmother, Mamita, who was an amazing traditional Colombian cook.
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Stephanie
I have spent about an hour trying to find a store that has masarepa. I have managed to track down Goya's Masarepa in an Asian Market of all places. I live in Phoenix so I phoned all the local Latino Markets and was with out any luck in finding this corn meal. My friend mentioned Lee Lee's Asian Market outside of Phoenix that has a FULL line of Goya products. Go figure. I can't wait to make the arepas for dinner tonight! Just wanted to pass on this bit of information to your subscribers that an Asian Market may just be the answer for hard to find ingredients.
Carmen Ramirez
Another kind of corn meal used for empanads or tamales if called "Maseca". that can be found in any tecaria or the mexican isle in walmart.
Ana
@ Carmen Ramirez: Maseca is definitely not for Colombian empanadas. That type of corn product is made for tamales or tortillas, sopes, tostadas, chalupas, etc. Different texture, different taste, cooks differently.
Victor
The Maseca is for mexican tamales, enchiladas, tacos, and the like, It cannot be compared to the P.A.N brand which is ground finely; the Maseca is coarse. I could not even imagine an area made with the mexican dough.
Kris
I have also found that some Phillipino markets may also have products that are used by Latin countries. Thanks for the post. Good to know!
Scott Griffiths
Filipino
susanC
I ordered PAN on Amazon
Nikki
Venezuelan here - order harina pan on amazon. 🙂 harina pan is the go-to masarepa flour brand for Venezuelans for a reason. I’d be super surprised if you didn’t find it in Phoenix. I found it at a big Mexican grocery store within 10 mins of the camelback area when I was visiting.
Anonymous
You can also find Pam Arepa Arina at Food City.
Renee
I live in Phoenix and have trouble finding Goya products. Where is Lee Lee's Asian Market?? I'd appreciate the address!
Ida
I'm in Tempe, there's a Lee Lee's Asian Market on Dobson & Warner Rd. It's behind a McDonalds.
Gado-Gado Gal
My Colombian partner says that Doñarepa and P.A.N are also good - just different brands of the same thing. I prefer yellow and white corn P.A.N. to all the others because the consistency is creamier, the closest to making it from scratch with maiz trillado. And it seems there are several Asian grocery stores that stock Latino products - either distributors are supplying several ethnic groups, or the shops are diversifying their clientele. Either way, yay!
Anonymous
where can i buy this in london, England!?!?
Anonymous
Since it probably doesn't go bad, maybe you could order it off amazon. I'm serious!
Anonymous
They have it at Buckingham palace
Ruth
Do check on amazon.com you should be able to order it from them.
Anonymous
In Elephant & Castle, there are some latin shops. Also in Lewisham. I am also able to find it in an Indian shop in Kent.
B
Does anyone know where I can buy this in London, England!?!?
~ Suze
Try looking in the baking aisle of your grocer for Masa Harina. It's sold in a typical standard flour bag. This is basically the same as Masarepa.
~ Suze
Masarepa isn't quite a fine as masa harina. It is grainy like a fine sand. Apparently Arepa corn has a larger, starchier kernel. Infamous Chef Rick Bayless recommends using a mix of quick cooking grits and masa harina to get the coarser texture of masarepa.
James C
P.A.N. brand masarepa is finer than the masa harina (Bob's Red Mill) that I've used.
In my experience masa harina makes much denser and heavier areapas than masarepa.
Carolyn Waterfall
Masa Harina is NOT the same as masarepa. Masarepa is pre-cooked corn ground into flour. Masa Harina is ground nixtamalized corn. Nixtamalized means the grain is soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution, usually limewater, washed, and then hulled. They will respond differently in cooking.
Steve
Elephant and castle shopping centre is a large colombian community there
Steve
Elephant and castle has a large colombian population and you can get a lot of things there also there is a leno and carbon around the corner where u can get colombian cooked food
Chris
I doubt you'll be able to find that in London my friend, I lived in Southampton for 6 months, and the lengths I had to go to find something similar to make a colombian dish was extremely tough, I would think an Asda or Tesco would carry some kind of cornmeal which is essentially what you're looking for. I don't think Goya is in England if it is, it goes by another name, but I'm sure you'll be able to find a similar cornmeal that will give the same result. Good luck mate!
Adele
Hey!
I live in India and we don't get masarepa here. We sometimes get imported cornmeal, but it's a bit expensive. We do get corn grits (it's called dalia here) and I can get corn ground at a local mill. Do you know how I can make my own masarepa at home? I've looked online but can't find a recipe.
Thanks!
Lisa
there are some pages that import products from colombia. kinda expensive but u will be amazed
Aimee
hola - can we subsitute masarepa with maizena?
i'm in a little town in the middle of "no where" in france.
🙁
Erica
Aimee- NO!!! Sorry!
Marge
Hello, I live in NYC. We are lucky to have many Mexican and South American groceries.
I wish I could find masarepa with out added iron and GMO free.
Can I make my own masarepa from organic corn meal such as Bob's red mill brand?
Emily
Anybody know if you can use Harina de Maiz instead of Masarepa?
Erica
Emily- You need masarepa!
Anonymous
But the picture above says Harina de Maiz on it??
Erica Dinho
It is harina de maiz (precooked corn meal)
Esther
Maizena is corn starch and Maseca is to make tortillas, so don't use it for arepas.
shelby
i found P.A.N. pre-cooked white corn meal at sweet bay and publix supermarkets (in fla, usa) and on amazon.com. hope this helps...
Linda
I lived in Memphis years ago before there were any hispanic markets or produce. Masarepa did not exist 50 years ago - what do you think Colombians used then... well - they did it from scratch as did it. If you can find hominy - also known as peto - fresh is best, but if not, then canned. Traditionally, the masa was made from passing the hominy through a meat grinder to get the soft mushy dough. But now we have food processors - so use that. I also like to use a little yucarina - (yuca starch) (also known as tapioca) to make the dough fry up nice and crispy.
I have not tried to make hominy from scratch - but in a pinch, all is possible.
Good luck.
Anonymous
I just found this website while i was looking for ideas for a barbeque in England! as a proud colombian i love to make food for my british hubby and his family. But i am strugling to find anything that emotely resembles masa arepa in Manchester!!!! Any ideas of how to get around this problem when there is no mexican/latin shops around??? Can i use polenta? 😀
Erica
To make arepas you have to use fresh corn or precooked corn meal (Masarepa).
maria Laverde
i just want to say hello yto all t he colombians that live far far away! I never tought that there were some colombians in India,jejejje that's funny we are every where ha! this is fantastic! rocio
maria Laverde
sorry i mis spelled some words! I was typing fast! rocio
maria Laverde
I try arepas using P.A.N still taste ok! my son likes the arepas amarillas so I put tri-color(my aunt send this product from colombia) and it turns out ok!
Vicky.
Areparina in London!! close to elephant and castle tube station, there are about 3 colombian shops if you turn left under the railway underpass. You can also buy all sorts of colombian things from chocorramo to bocadillos...
cachacoingles
You can order it on line from at least one of them but I'm plugging the one run by a friend and know she has it as we had the most amazing Colombian breakfast last weekend, just like first day home in Bogota
cachacoingles
acasadejack.com
Marilyn
I couldn't find Masarepa, could I substitute Maseca?
Erica
It is a different product.
Diana Cote
I couldnt find the precooked masarepa, i found goya fine corn meal. could this still work? im in the middle of making dinner (i made the filling) as we speak and i'm so upset because i have nothing to use the filling in. can you help me please Erica?
Erica Dinho
Hi Diana,
What are you trying to make?
Vanessa
In Mexico (maybe in US/Canada as well) you can look/ask for harina de maíz amarillo precocida. I haven't seen the Goya brand at the supermarkets here. Thanks for the recipe, I used to go out for Colombian empanadas all the time in Montreal! It's just not the same in Mexico!
Hernan Sanchez
Hola, primero muchas gracias por esta web site. Es fabulosa.
Tengo dos preguntas.
La primera, el tocino tiene que ser cocinado primero, y que tan grandes son los pedazos?
La segunda es, los tamales son sumergidos en agua o tienen que estar cocinados con el vapor de agua hirviendo?
Otra ves, muchas gracias por tu web site, me encanta mucho
hernan
Erica Dinho
Hola Nernan,
El tocino NO lo tienes que cocinar antes.
Yo cocino mis tamales con un poco de agua con sal en una olla tapada, pero tambien los puedes pones en una olla al vapor.
billy d
Masarepa can be found in Latin food specialty stores and online, and is also know as masa al instante and harina precocida. Common brands are Harina PAN, Areparina, Harina Juana, and Goya (which comes in both white and yellow varieties). Look for the words "harina de maiz refinada precocida," or "refined, precooked corn flour" on the package.
d.junke
I found it at a Target in Lewisville, TX! I was very surprised and pleased!
Maria
Hola,
vivo en Grecia y no voy a buscar masarepa aca. Tenemos harina de maiz, pero no creo que sera precocida. Puedo usarla? O me puede decir usted como la voy cocinar?
Ines
I always come back each week for recipes from Colombia. I love your site.
ruthie
Just wondering if something like 'instant grits" would work for this. It's corn and precooked.
Erica Dinho
I don't know!
Jo Bejarano
I've just discovered your website and want to try some of your recipes! They all sound yummy and I can't wait to try them. I have already started on Pescado Frito, with Patacones and Arroz con Coco Tecote'. Only time I've tried my hand at authentic Latin cuisine was years ago when I made Mexican tamales with my mother-in-law at Christmas time. Otherwise, I cook the Yankee versions of several menu items (tacos, enchiladas, etc.).
May I ask a favor? When you receive comments from native speakers, would you please include the English translation of your response? My Spanish is quite rusty, but I manage to muddle through. It would be really great to know how far off I am.
Thank you for your interesting and tantalizing dishes!
Sandra
Hi,
I am living in Vancouver. One of my Colombian friends gave me an arepa which stuffed with cheese, and it was amazing.
I really want to make that if someone can provide a real Colombian recipe serve for 2 people that will be great! ( I searched online and some use Harina P.A.N. And others use Masarepa and this confused me)
anne kristine fronth Stene
Hi. I live in the very homogeneous country Norway with a population smaller than 5 million people. But even here we get PAN masarepa - in the Asian super markets in even smaller towns. So the Londoners above in this thread should have no trouble finding the ingredients. Just google latin or Asian super markets.
Love your site, by the way.
Dordus Kehathilwe
i like Masarepa for making porridge it taste better than regular cornmeal takes five minutes to make for me i pour i cup of water and let it boil add 1/2 c of Masarepa stir it and you have a meal for one
Nina
Hello,
For my Spanish class we need to make a Hispanic food and research the country that it is from. I was assigned Venezuela, and I chose to make arepas (with a filling). I am having trouble finding masarepa. I am finding cornmeal (hierna de maiz), but not pre-cooked cornmeal. Do you know of any suitable substitute that would work for making arepas? I would order some off of Amazon, but we only have a couple days to complete the project. Thank you so much!!
Erica Dinho
Hominy Corn. Here is the recipe: https://www.mycolombianrecipes.com/arepas-de-maiz-peto-colombian-hominy-corn-arepas/
AG
Hi,
What is the difference between yellow and white precooked cornmeal?
Thanks!
AG
What is the difference between the yellow and white precooked cornmeal (for the boliarepas)?
Thank you!
Erica Dinho
The color.
G
I tasted the two side by side. The white one seemed lighter in flavor, perhaps even sweeter. The yellow ones seemed earthier and a touch more savory. I personally prefer the yellow, but my kids all have different opinions.
Noah
Thank you for sharing all your Colombian recipes and traditions with us. It's wonderful to find a blog about real and traditional Colombian food in English and Spanish.
Filip
Hola! Can I make them using just corn flour somehow??
Valerie
Hello thank you thank you. Do you have the online store link update available? Its currently not working. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes!
CESAR
Is there a difference between the yellow and white masarepa?
Erica Dinho
White corn and yellow corn.