{"id":56,"date":"2016-07-22T17:40:00","date_gmt":"2016-07-22T21:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enrilemoine.com\/2016\/07\/22\/cachapas-with-queso-de-mano\/"},"modified":"2025-07-24T17:55:50","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T21:55:50","slug":"cachapas-with-queso-de-mano","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enrilemoine.com\/en\/2016\/07\/22\/cachapas-with-queso-de-mano\/","title":{"rendered":"Venezuelan Cachapas with Queso de Mano Recipe + VIDEO"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Today I’m bringing you the irresistible Venezuelan cachapas recipe. Cachapas with queso de mano. Rustic corn pancakes made with fresh corn kernels, not corn flour, cachapas have become an icon of the Venezuelan food <\/a>we all love. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Venezuelan<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Note: Thanks to the Amazon Associates Program and other affiliate programs, I receive compensation for the products sold through the affiliate links in this post at no cost to the buyer.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cachapas are so wonderful that they are gluten-free, and there is more: if you want, you can make them without adding sugar too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These sweet corn pancakes are becoming increasingly popular in the US, Spain, Latin America, and everywhere there are Venezuelans. The reason? They are delicious and super easy to make.  Besides, cachapas are gluten-free, and there is more: if you want, you can make them without adding sugar too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are Venezuelan cachapas?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cachapas are a sort of sweet corn hot cake. They are to Venezuelans what pancakes are to Americans. But not your regular pancake. I would say a much more rustic pancake, but full of flavor and rich in texture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"corn<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We used to have these sweet corn pancakes for breakfast or brunch. But they are so fulfilling that you may serve them at lunch and dinner, especially if you pair them with carne mechada<\/a><\/em> (Venezuelan shredded beef), pernil de cochino<\/em> (roasted pork leg), or a thick slice of cheese (better if it is queso de mano<\/em>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lately, I’ve seen “pabell\u00f3n cachapas”. Pabell\u00f3n criollo<\/em> is Venezuela’s national dish and it includes carne mechada<\/em>, black beans<\/a>, sweet fried plantains and rice. The “pabell\u00f3n cachapas” I’ve seen had everything but rice. The cherry on the cake is the delicious Venezuelan guasacaca<\/em><\/a>, a flavorful sauce made of avocado.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the origin of the cachapas?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"corn<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The indigenous people that inhabited what now is Venezuela and Colombia regarded corn as a precious gift from a divine origin. The Venezuelan sweet corn pancake is from the same family as our delicious arepa<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They both have pre-Columbian origins. I would say cachapas and arepas are cousins. Our cachapas resemble the Colombian arepa de choclo, <\/em>both made of ground fresh corn kernels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recent cachapa boom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Despite its ancient roots, the popularity of cachapas<\/em> is relatively new. Whether paired with savory ingredients or enjoyed alone, the delicious blend of sweet corn will surely please any palate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least in Miami, where I live, cachapas can be conveniently found pre-made and stored in the refrigerated section of supermarkets. Cachapas are becoming so popular that Harina P.A.N., manufacturer of the arepa flour<\/a>, makes cachapa<\/em> flour too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This flour is made in the US in the same P.A.N. facility in Texas. I must confess that cachapa<\/em> flour has saved my life more than once<\/a>. You can buy it in the US online, in Latin grocery stores, or supermarkets in the international food aisle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But please notice that although they look alike, arepa flour and cachapa<\/em> flour differ. And they both substantially differ from the American cornmeal and the Mexican masa harina.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that said, I must confess: nothing beats the experience of savoring fresh cachapas made from scratch. That’s what we call homemade cachapas! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Queso de Mano?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What can be better than a good cachapa? Well, that same cachapa served with super fresh queso de mano<\/em>. This is one of the wonderful types of Venezuelan cheese. Queso de mano<\/em> translates into “hand cheese” because it’s hand-shaped. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Along with queso guayan\u00e9s and telita<\/em>, queso de mano<\/em> belongs to the Olympus of Venezuelan fresh cheeses. Super gooey, queso de mano<\/em>‘s taste and consistency are similar to fresh mozzarella. It’s a bit saltier and tart, though. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Cachapa<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, queso de mano is also relatively easy to find in the Miami area where I live. It comes in 4-inch disks, which makes it perfect for eating with cachapas! <\/em>I always buy La Pradera <\/a>or Paisa<\/a>.  But you can get this brand<\/a> through Amazon Prime Fresh, depending on your area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you cannot find queso de mano<\/em>, you can substitute it with fresh mozzarella. Venezuelan cachapas<\/em> may also be filled with ham and cheese, or add melted butter or Venezuelan nata fresca<\/em> (you can substitute it with crema salvadore\u00f1a<\/em>) on top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cachapas: A recipe from my Venezuelan childhood<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Venezuelan<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When I was a little girl, eating cachapas was a joy reserved for our getaways to El Junquito. At least three times a year, we went to that little mountain town with my dad<\/a>. El Junquito was located on the outskirts of Caracas, where I was born and raised. As if it were a tacit ritual, we always ate cachapas<\/em> with queso de mano<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I grew up, what was priceless was eating cachapas on my cowboy friends\u2019 haciendas<\/em>. It doesn\u2019t matter if those haciendas<\/em> were in Aragua, Gu\u00e1rico, or Zulia states. When visiting, during the weekends, they honored us, the Caraque\u00f1os<\/em> (people from Caracas, Venezuela\u2019s capital city), with a brunch that invariably consisted of cachapas<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The thick corn pancakes were grilled on a huge iron plate called budare<\/a>,<\/em> heated with firewood. No need to say that aroma was the closest to heaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to make Venezuelan cachapas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Cachapa<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To make the perfect cachapas, you\u2019ll need some tools and ingredients:<\/p>\n\n\n\n