Crab rangoon is a popular appetizer found on many Chinese restaurant menus. Also known as crab puffs or crab cheese wontons, this crispy deep-fried dumpling is stuffed with a creamy filling made with crab meat and cream cheese. Though crab rangoon originated from Chinese American cuisine, it has become a beloved appetizer across America.
Making crab rangoon at home is easy and fun. With just a few simple ingredients and tools, you can create this tasty appetizer from scratch. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make crab rangoon wontons.
Ingredients
To make about 25-30 crab rangoon wontons, you will need:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 5 oz lump crab meat or canned crab meat, drained
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 30 wonton wrappers
- Vegetable or canola oil for frying
- Dipping sauces like duck sauce, sweet and sour sauce, or soy sauce
Prep the Filling
Start by making the creamy crab filling Here are the steps
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In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, crab meat, green onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and ginger. Use a spoon or fork to mix the ingredients together until fully incorporated.
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Make sure the crab meat is picked through for any shells or cartilage. Drain any excess liquid from the crab as well. You want the texture to be thick and creamy.
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Refrigerate the filling for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Pro tip For convenience the crab rangoon filling can be made 1-2 days in advance and stored covered in the fridge until ready to assemble the wontons.
Assemble the Wontons
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Fill a small bowl with water. This will be used to seal the wonton wrappers.
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Take one wonton wrapper and place 1 tablespoon of the crab filling into the center
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Dip your finger in the water and wet the edges of the wrapper.
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Fold the wrapper in half diagonally to create a triangle shape. Press the edges firmly to seal.
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Press any air pockets out around the edges and fold over any excess wrapper at the seams.
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Repeat the process with the remaining wonton wrappers and filling. Place the assembled wontons on a baking sheet or tray lined with parchment paper to keep them from sticking.
Pro tip: Work with just a few wonton wrappers at a time to prevent them from drying out. Keep the unfilled wrappers under a damp paper towel.
Deep Fry the Rangoon
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In a heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 2-3 inches of oil to 375°F. Vegetable, canola or peanut oil works well.
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Once the oil is fully heated, fry the wontons in batches of 5-6 at a time. Let them fry for 1-2 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy.
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Remove them with a slotted spoon or tongs and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
Pro tip: Keep the cooked wontons warm in a 200°F oven while frying the remaining batches.
Bake the Rangoon
For a lighter alternative, crab rangoon can be baked instead of fried. Just follow these steps:
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Pre-heat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Arrange the wontons on the sheet without overcrowding. Lightly spray or brush both sides with oil.
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Bake for 12-14 minutes, flipping half way, until golden brown and crispy.
Make-Ahead Tips
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Assemble the wontons up to 6 hours in advance and keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to fry/bake.
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The crab filling can be made 1-2 days in advance. Just cover and refrigerate until assembly.
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Fully cooked crab rangoon can be frozen for up to 3 months. Re-crisp them in a 400°F oven or air fryer before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Crab rangoon are best served hot and crispy. Here are some serving ideas:
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Serve with duck sauce, sweet and sour sauce, mustard sauce, or soy sauce for dipping.
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Garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, or fresh parsley.
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Offer sweet chili sauce, sriracha, or wasabi mayo as fun dipping options.
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Pair them with a spring salad or seaweed salad as a light appetizer.
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Stuff them into Chinese take-out boxes for a fun presentation.
Crab rangoon is the perfect appetizer for any Asian-inspired dinner party or potluck. Impress your friends and family by making these crispy wontons from scratch. With a few simple steps, you can recreate this restaurant favorite at home. Adjust the fillings and dipping sauces to suit your tastes. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes and FAQ
In this case, mostly creamy stuff and imitation crab meat, which I find gives the texture and taste closest to a classic crab rangoon appetizer. Cream cheese thinned out with mayo and sour cream, imitation crab sticks, and scallions make the base of this incredible dip!
Yes. In short, this version can go both ways! I like it cold or at room temperature with hot wonton chips on the side, but I have also microwaved this for 2 minutes to warm it up, then stirred it really well and served the dip warm. Both versions are great, I cant choose a favorite.
Any dipper you like! I love making this version of easy homemade wonton chips because youre literally just frying premade wonton wrappers. That said, frying is a PITA, and this dip is really good with pita chips, tortilla chips, rice crackers, or Ritz crackers. Choose your own adventure!
Wonton wrappers! One ingredient and some frying oil, done and done. They are best served freshly fried for maximum crispiness, so you can opt to skip the wonton chips in this recipe if that works better for you.
When the dip is done and the wontons are fried (or not, choose your own adventure on that one), drizzle it with the sweet chili sauce and sprinkle with a few leftover scallion slices, optional but very pretty.
- Make it spicy if youd like by drizzling on some sriracha in the same pattern as the chili sauce. YUM.
- Serve this warm or cold. I like this dip cold – make it ahead, grab it out of the fridge, done. However, Ive also microwaved the crab mixture for 1 minute, stirring halfway through, and the warm creamy crab mixture is also DELIGHTFUL, so try both and let me know which one is your favorite!
- Note that this may feel like a lot of chili sauce, and it is, but it gives a perfect balance between the crab mixture and sweet/savory. If youre unsure, start with half the amount of the sweet chili sauce and add more as needed once folks start digging into the dip – I find that usually the parts with the chili sauce get eaten first!
Make Ahead and Leftover Storage
You can make the cream cheese part of the dip up to 3 days in advance and drizzle the chili sauce over top right before serving. I like to fry the wontons freshly before serving.
Leftovers are great in the fridge for 3-5 days – the benefit of using imitation crab! The dip may separate slightly due to the scallions; just stir it really well and drizzle with a little more sweet chili sauce before serving leftovers.
You will LOVE this dip recipe. It is such a fun twist on a really familiar, classic flavor, but so much simpler to serve than a gazillion individual crab rangoon dumplings.
Making Crab Rangoon Wontons At Home | But Better
FAQ
What is crab rangoon filling made of?
Crab Rangoon filling typically consists of a mixture of cream cheese, crab meat (often imitation crab meat), and seasonings like green onions, garlic, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.
What are some common mistakes when making crab rangoon?
If there is too much filling, the rangoon can explode in the fryer, and if there is too little, all you get is a big bite of fried wonton wrapper. It’s much better when every bite can have filling sandwiched between the crispy-and-slightly-chewy wrappers.