Arepa di Pampuna – Curacao Pumpkin Pancakes

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These Caribbean pumpkin pancakes – known as Arepa di Pampuna – are a traditional dish of Curaçao and an absolute favourite of mine!

They’re made with pumpkin puree, fragrant cinnamon, nutmeg, flour and eggs and are the perfect, crispy pancake for autumn. 

Enjoy them for a weekend breakfast, a Thanksgiving brunch or as a satisfying mid-morning snack.

Street Food, Snacks and More in Curaçao

Arepa di pampuna is one of the most beloved local dishes of Curaçao. While the island’s 35 dreamy beaches are definitely among the top things to do in Curaçao, another of its main attractions happens to be its food!

 On a recent foray to the island, I set out to learn more. I put myself in the expert hands of Curaçao guidebook author Sue Campbell and local chef Chadia Hammoud for a week of culinary explorations that included everything tasty from street food to fine-dining. 

What I discovered is that although the islands of the Dutch Caribbean have some traditional dishes such as keshi yena in common, there are important differences in their cuisine due to their historical roots.  

Curaçao’s deep-water harbour and its strategic location made it the ideal hub for trade. For centuries, people from around the world passed though and settled on this Dutch Caribbean island contributing their culinary and cultural legacy. 

Today, over 55 nationalities call Curaçao home. You can see Afro-Caribbean, Venezuelan, Portuguese Jewish, Dutch, Surinamese,  Indonesian, Spanish and other influences in the cuisine.

One of the best places to sample the traditional food of Curaçao is at the Plasa Bieu (Old Market) in Willemstad. Here you can try stobas (stews) and sopas (soups) that make up a typical Curaçaoan meal. They’re often served with funchi (cornmeal polenta).  

Another must-stop for food fans is one of the many roadside food stands where you can sample pastechi, a famous, fast-food snack of fried dough filled with meat, cheese or seafood.

On Sundays, you’ll often see arepa di pampuna (pumpkin pancake) offered for sale as a breakfast snack.

Slightly denser than the pancakes we’re accustomed to in Canada and the United States, they’re fragrant with nutmeg and cinnamon and make a delicious breakfast or mid-morning snack.

Is Pumpkin Good For You? 

It’s very easy to make these special treats at home, especially when cooking pumpkins are available in farmer’s markets in September and October.

Fresh pumpkin is a great source of Vitamin A, and Vitamin C, thiamine and riboflavin. And with no oil in the batter, these arepa di pampuna are good-for-you healthy!  

The traditional spices include nutmeg, vanilla and cinnamon which makes this Caribbean pumpkin pancake recipe perfect for a fall brunch or Thanksgiving breakfast!  

With a chill in the fall air hinting winter is on its way, who wouldn’t love a taste of the sunny Caribbean!

How to Make Caribbean Pumpkin Pancakes – Arepa di Pampuna or Arepa di Papoena 

This recipe for arepa di pampuna recipe comes from Komedor Krioyo, a family-style restaurant in Landhuis Dokterstuin in Curaçao that specializes in regional cuisine.

Although the restaurant is super popular among locals for its Menu of the Day featuring a wide variety of stobas (stews), their pumpkin pancakes are also worth a trip.

But if you can’t get to Curaçao, with just a few pantry ingredients you can whip up these delicious Caribbean-style pumpkin pancakes at home.

Here’s what you need: 

• Flour
• Baking Powder 
• Sugar 
• Salt 
• Cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg
• Vanilla
• Milk
• Pumpkin Puree
• Eggs
• Icing sugar, powdered sugar or confectioners sugar for dusting (optional)
• Raisins (optional)
• Vegetable oil for frying

1. Break the eggs into a bowl and beat until frothy. 

2. Add the pumpkin puree, vanilla and milk. Stir well until smooth.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder with the cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg. 

4. Add the dry ingredients all at once to the liquid pumpkin mixture. Mix lightly. Add raisins if desired. Allow the batter to rest for a few minutes.

5. In a frying pan (or an electric skillet) pour a thin layer of vegetable oil and set to medium heat ( 350 Fahrenheit on an electric skillet).

6. When the oil is hot enough (a drop of water should dance on the surface), slowly pour 1/3 cup of the mixture into the oil.  If your batter is thick, you may need to smooth the top of each pancake to make a round symmetrical shape. 

Tip: Allow each pancake some space. Try not to crowd the pan when cooking. 

7. When one side of each pancake is completely cooked, bubbles should begin to appear on the surface and they should be a golden brown colour on the cooked side. Gently flip each pancake over with a spatula. 

8. When both sides of the pancake are cooked, remove it from the heat and place it on a separate dish and cover lightly. 

9. Repeat the process until done, adding more oil as needed. When adding oil, allow the oil to get hot again. Adjust the heat of the skillet as needed.

10. Sprinkle the cooked pancakes with a light dusting of icing sugar using a sifter or wire strainer.

Tips on Serving Arepa di Pampuna 

In Curaçao, arepa di pampuna are traditionally served plain or with a light dusting of icing sugar. But if you like butter and maple syrup, feel free to do so. 

• If you make the pancakes in advance, just stack them in layers on a piece of foil, wrap tightly and heat in a 350 Fahrenheit  oven until hot.  
• Can you freeze pumpkin pancakes? Absolutely! To freeze, label a resealable plastic, BPA-free bag with the date they were made. Once the pancakes have cooled to room temperature, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, remove from the baking sheet and place them inside the freezer bag and remove the air using a straw. Store in the freezer for up to three months.
• Raisins are often included in the batter but are totally optional. 
• For extra nutmeg flavour, I also love pumpkin pancakes topped with the delicious nutmeg syrup you can buy in Grenada. 
•  If you have extra fresh pumpkin use it up in this easy recipe for chop-up, a popular vegetable side dish in Antigua and Barbuda. 

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5 from 17 votes

Pumpkin Pancakes - Arepa di Pampuna from Curacao

These Caribbean pumpkin pancakes -- known as Arepa di Pampuna -- are a traditional dish of Curaçao. They’re made with pumpkin puree, fragrant cinnamon, nutmeg, flour and eggs and are the perfect, crispy pancake for autumn. 

Enjoy them for a weekend breakfast, a Thanksgiving brunch or as a satisfying mid-morning snack.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: Caribbean, Curaçao, Curacaoan

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 260kcal

Author: Michele Peterson

Cost: $8

Equipment

• ▢
  Skillet
• ▢
  Bowl
• ▢
  Spatula
• ▢
  Whisk or electric beater

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon nutmeg freshly-grated if available
• ▢ 2 teaspoons sugar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoons salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ ½ cup milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ 1 cup pumpkin puree
• ▢ raisins 1/2 cup optional
• ▢ icing sugar powdered sugar or confectioners' sugar for dusting
• ▢ 2 tablespoon vegetable oil for frying

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Break the eggs into a bowl and beat until frothy. 
• Add the pumpkin puree, vanilla and milk. Stir well until smooth.
• In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder with the cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg. 
• Add the dry ingredients all at once to the liquid pumpkin mixture. Mix lightly. Add raisins if desired. Allow the batter to rest for a few minutes.
• In a frying pan (or an electric skillet set at 350 Fahrenheit ) pour a thin layer of vegetable oil and set to medium heat.
• When oil is hot enough (a drop of water should dance on the surface), slowly pour 1/3 cup of the mixture into the oil. 
• If your batter is thick, you may need to smooth the top of each pancake to make a round symmetrical shape. 
• When one side of each pancake is completely cooked, bubbles should begin to appear on the surface and they should be a golden brown colour on the cooked side. Gently flip each pancake over with a spatula. 
• When both sides of the pancake are cooked, remove it from the heat and place it on a separate dish and cover. 
• Repeat the process until done, adding more oil as needed. When adding oil, allow the oil to get hot again. Adjust the heat of the skillet as needed. The pancakes should be a golden brown colour.
• Sprinkle the cooked pancakes with a light dusting of icing sugar using a sifter or wire strainer.

Pumpkin Puree

• For pumpkin puree you can use either home-made pumpkin puree or a can of store-bought pumpkin puree. Just be sure to purchase pure pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling, which has sugar, spices and other ingredients already added.

  To make your own pumpkin puree from scratch, just peel a fresh pumpkin, split and remove all the seeds. Chop the pumpkin into pieces and boil it in water until soft. Drain completely, mash and allow it to cool before using it in this recipe.

Notes

• Serve plain or with a light dusting of icing sugar. 
• If you make them in advance, just stack them in layers on a piece of foil, wrap tightly and heat in a 350 Fahrenheit  oven until hot.  
•  To freeze, label a resealable plastic, BPA-free bag with the date they were made. Once the pancakes have cooled to room temperature, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, remove from the baking sheet and place them inside the freezer bag and remove the air using a straw. Store in the freezer for up to three months.

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed to be accurate. It is created by online calculators and although we attempt to provide accurate nutritional information, the figures are only estimates.

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 195mg | Potassium: 432mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 9701IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 159mg | Iron: 3mg

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Michele Peterson

Dividing her time between Canada, Guatemala and Mexico (or the nearest tropical beach), Michele Peterson is the founder of A Taste for Travel. Her award-winning travel and food writing has appeared in Lonely Planet’s cookbook Mexico: From the Source, National Geographic Traveler, Fodor’s and 100+ other publications.

Read more about Michele Peterson.