Homemade crab rangoon is the perfect, fool-proof appetizer and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. They’re crisp and light on the outside, and soft and creamy on the inside. I suggest doubling this recipe because there is no doubt that you will keep reaching for more!
For more delicious crab recipes, try Crab Fried Rice, Crab Soup with Shiitake and Napa Cabbage, and this Crab and Shrimp Boil next.
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Whenever I grab takeout or go to a Chinese restaurant, I have to order crab rangoon off the menu. When it’s good, it’s great. But often, restaurants are inconsistent.
Too many times, I’ve been met with a mouthful of cream cheese and barely any crab. But my homemade crab rangoon is always perfectly portioned, well seasoned, and never soggy. My only issue is, they’re always gone too soon!
Why This Recipe Works
- Better Than Takeout – Most restaurants skimp on the crab and have way too much cream cheese. The ratio in this recipe is perfect so you taste real crab meat in each bite.
- Versatile – This recipe is for fried crab rangoon but you can just as easily bake it, for a lighter option.
- Great for Any Occasion – Pull out a tray of these at any party, potluck, or family gathering. They go fast!
What is Crab Rangoon?
Crab rangoon is an appetizer made of wonton wrappers that are filled with cream cheese, chives, Worcester sauce, seasonings, and crab meat. Imitation crab is commonly used, but some variations use canned crab or lump crab.
Crab rangoon is commonly deep fried, but can also be baked and paired with sweet and sour sauce, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, or eaten as-is. For those who are familiar with crab rangoons, you may have seen and ordered them at a local Chinese takeout spot or restaurant.
Tools You’ll Need
Ingredients You Will Need for Crab Rangoon
Crab rangoon is a delightful combination of creamy and savory flavors, with a crispy, golden brown outside and a rich filling of crab meat, cream cheese, and seasonings.
- Dungeness crab – I much prefer using dungeness crab as the flavor and texture pair incredibly well with the cream cheese! Drain it well.
- Full-fat cream cheese – Use room temperature cream cheese so it’s easier to mix the crab rangoon filling.
- Scallions – Finely chopped.
- Garlic cloves – Grate fresh garlic.
- Soy sauce – Add for a savory, salty, umami taste.
- Worcestershire sauce – This adds a bold umami flavor.
- Sugar – This balances the rich, savory elements of this dish.
- Kosher salt – I use Diamond Crystal to enhance the overall taste.
- Large egg – Beaten and placed in a small bowl. Use this to seal the wonton wrappers.
- Wonton wrappers – You can find them in the refrigerated section of the grocery store along with egg roll wrappers.
- Neutral oil – I don’t fry foods very often, but when I do, I opt for using avocado oil. The flavor of the oil doesn’t overpower the food and it has a higher smoke point, so it can cook at higher heat. Avocado oil contains monounsaturated (good fats that can help reduce bad cholesterol levels in your blood) as well as vitamin E (great for your skin, amongst many other things).
Dipping Sauce
What Type of Wrappers to Use
Wonton wrappers are the best wrappers to use for crab rangoon. They’re paper-thin sheets of dough made of flour, salt, egg, and water (some recipes include cornstarch), and can be square or circular in shape. For this recipe, opt for the square-shaped wrappers, because they yield a pyramid shape after folding.
How To Make Crab Rangoon
This easy crab rangoon recipe involves a simple process of mixing crab meat, cream cheese, and seasonings, filling wonton wrappers, and frying to crispy golden brown perfection.
- Add cream cheese, scallions, garlic, kosher salt, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Use a fork to mix the ingredients well. Add crab meat then fold in the mixture until well-mixed.
- Remove wontons from packaging and place under a kitchen towel to keep from drying out.
- Place one wonton wrapper on a clean surface. Place ½ tablespoon of filling on wrapper. Dip one finger in egg and trace the edges of wrapper with egg-dipped finger.
- Bring all corners of the wrapper to the middle and smooth out the edges until you get a four-sided pyramid.
- In a small dutch oven, add enough oil so that you have 2 inches of oil and heat to 350°F. Carefully add wontons, I typically cook 5 at a time.
- Cook the bottoms first, then, as they begin to turn golden brown, flip them so that the tops cook through. Cooking time is about 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer cooked wontons to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve with preferred dipping sauce. Enjoy!
Baked Crab Rangoon
If you want to save some calories, you can bake crab rangoons instead of frying them. Once they’re assembled, add them to a baking sheet and place them in a preheated oven set to 400°F. Then bake them for 12-15 minutes.
How to Serve Crab Rangoon
If you’re looking for a great dipping sauce to pair with crab rangoon, try my Sweet and Sour Sauce. This recipe was passed down from my mom and it’s absolutely delicious! You can save the leftovers and pair them with my Chicken and Shrimp Lumpia–delish!
Tips and Tricks
- Cook in small batches. Start out by frying a few crab rangoon at a time; I typically only cook in batches of three. If cooking too many at once, it gets difficult to control the batch and overcooking inevitably happens.
- Seal the edges well. Be sure to seal the edges well and do not overfill as the filling will leak out during frying. If ½ tablespoon of filling is too much, reduce as you deem appropriate.
- Keep the oil hot. Keep the oil at 375°F throughout cooking. If you have a cooking thermometer handy, use it to monitor your frying oil temperature.
- Crab rangoon is best served immediately but you can store leftovers. Once they’ve cooled down, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. To keep them crisp, reheat in the oven or air fryer until warmed through.
- Save the oil for later use. Although avocado oil is more expensive than other oils used for frying, you can save the oil for future frying, rather than waste it. When saving frying oil for later use, filter it to separate loose fried bits. I use a funnel for an easy, and mess-free return of the oil to its original bottle. If you don’t fry food often, check the frying oil from time to time to make sure it has not gone rancid.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are crab rangoons made of?
Crab rangoons are made with wonton wrappers, lump crab meat, cream cheese, and a variety of seasonings.
What is the difference between crab cheese wonton and crab rangoon?
You can use both terms to describe the same delicious appetizer.
Is crab rangoon traditional Chinese food?
Crab rangoon is not an authentic Chinese food. Although it is definitely influenced by Asian cuisine, the appetizer originated in the United States, during the mid-20th century.
Where can I find crab rangoons near me?
You can order crab rangoon at your local Chinese takeout spot or restaurant. Even better, try this recipe from the comfort of your home!
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Crab Rangoon
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 5 ounces dungeness crab lump meat, drained well
- 7 ounces full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- ⅓ cup scallions, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, Diamond Crystal
- 1 large egg, beaten and placed in a small bowl
- 25 wonton wrappers
- neutral oil, for frying
Dipping Sauce
- Sweet Chili Sauce
- Sweet and Sour Sauce
Instructions
- Add cream cheese, scallions, garlic, kosher salt, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Use a fork to mix the ingredients well. Add crab meat then fold in the mixture until well-mixed.
- Remove wontons from packaging and place under a kitchen towel to keep from drying out.
- Place one wonton wrapper on a clean surface. Place ½ tablespoon of filling on wrapper. Dip one finger in egg and trace the edges of wrapper with egg-dipped finger.
- Bring all corners of the wrapper to the middle and smooth out the edges until you get a four-sided pyramid.
- In a small dutch oven, add enough oil so that you have 2 inches of oil and heat to 350°F. Carefully add wontons, I typically cook 5 at a time.
- Cook the bottoms first, then, as they begin to turn golden brown, flip them so that the tops cook through. Cooking time is about 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer cooked wontons to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve with preferred dipping sauce. Enjoy!
