Name: Cachapas (Venezuelan corn pancakes with cheese)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 cup Pan Sweet Corn Mix; 1 cup water; 1/4 cup milk; 1 ear fresh corn, cut off the cob; 1/4 tsp salt; 1 cup queso Oaxaca, shredded (Can sub mozzarella ); 1/2 cup Cotija cheese, crumbled (Can sub feta); 1 1/2 tbsp butter, divided

Crispy corn pancakes packed with fresh sweet corn, oozing with melted cheese, and finished with fresh toppings and hot sauce. These cachapas are amazing. Bonus: they’re also incredibly easy to make.

Cachapa Discoveries

I discovered cachapas in Vegas of all places. When perusing online restaurant reviews, this little shop off the strip captured my attention. My husband and I ventured there for lunch one day, and I was completely blown away. The food was so incredible that I came back twice during our weekend trip! Forget about the buffets… I want all the cachapas!

Cachapa Recreation

After a failed search for cachapas in my hometown, I knew I had to recreate these at home. I subtly inquired about basic ingredients from multiple employees, and at that point I had confidence I could recreate them. On our drive home from Vegas, we stopped at Cardenas Market – I attempted my first cachapa rendition that very same evening. Never underestimate the power of a determined woman on a mission.

It took a few tries to make these absolutely perfect (but I must admit that I had no problem eating them no matter how they turned out – they are just that good).

Important Ingredients

After several variations of corn mixes, I have determined that the one required ingredient is sweet corn mix. I searched endless amounts of stores trying to find Pan Sweet Corn Mix but it was nearly impossible. There are a lot of mixes that seem similar, but they are just not acceptable substitutes. After weeks of searching, I remembered this incredible tool – the Internet. This corn mix is easily available online, and can be conveniently delivered to your doorstep. Ingredients below:

Pan Sweet Corn Mix – It’s easiest to buy this online here. This is available at large Latino grocery stores (it’s a South American product, so most Mexican grocery stores will not have it. Masa harina is not the same thing!)
Oaxaca cheese – available at most grocery stores. You can substitute mozzarella if necessary.
Cotija cheese – also available at most grocery stores. This cheese provides all the delicious flavor!
Sweet fresh corn kernels – these provide irresistible flavor bursts, partially caramelize when cooking, and really liven up the batter.

After you’ve tracked down the ingredients, cooking cachapas is quite simple! It’s just like making pancakes, but when you flip them they’re topped with cheese. Once the second side has cooked, you fold these babies in half, add as many toppings as you’d like, and DEVOUR!