Crab Rangoon (Crispy Recipe)

These Crispy Crab Rangoons are perfect bite size poppers and so delicious! Your whole family will fall in love! Filled with savory creamy fillings and the crispiest edges, how can you resist them! I dare you to try this easy homemade crab rangoon recipe today!

I love ordering crab rangoons from my local Chinese restaurants. They are actually one of my favorite appetizers! Plus we all know that anything star shaped means extra fun! Here is my own version of Crab Rangoon with a little twist! Hope it’s easy to follow and you will enjoy it as much as I did!

what is crab rangoon?

Crab Rangoon is typically filled with cream cheese, crab meat and seasonings all wrapped into a wonton wrapper. It is typically deep fried and served with a sweet dipping sauce. You can find these golden wontons in most American Chinese restaurants as an appetizer. By the way, crab rangoons are not authentic Chinese dish!

what are the ingredients for crab rangoon?

This is my take on Crab Rangoon. Each recipe may differ in ingredients and seasonings.

1. cream cheese. You can use regular or low fat. The regular cream cheese will taste creamier. I suggest leaving the cream cheese in room temperature for about 30min ahead of time. The smooth texture will help during the mixing time and create more of that creamy flavor.
2. Crab meat, Imitation or genuine.
3. sugar or sweetner of choice
4. garlic powder
5. black pepper
6. lemon juice
7. dehydrated onion flakes
8. chopped green onions or optional chopped cilantro.
9. premade wonton wrappers.

Note: If you are using frozen ones, make sure they have been thawed out in the fridge for a few hours. Look for square shape ones that says for wonton. They thickness should feel  thin to touch and the color should be yellowish similar to egg noodles.

which kind of wonton wrapper shold i use for the wontons?

The ones I recommend are the Twin Marquis brand. They are found in the frozen section. They are called Wonton Wrapper (Hong Kong style). These are thin, square shaped with yellowish color. It’s made from wheat flour, water, corn starch and salt typically. They are the right size and great for small wontons.

what should i do with left over wonton wrappers?

You can freeze them again! Place them in a tight zip lock bag and store them flat in the freezer. I recommend using them within 2-3 weeks to avoid freezer burn.

why did i use imitation crab meat over fresh genuine crab meat?

Here are some thoughts why I chose the imitation crab meat in this recipe.

• Easily accessible any time of the year.
• More affordable than the real crab meat.
• Can be stored in the freezer or the fridge.
• Have less prominent fish flavor.
• The texture is somewhat more bouncy and or chewy.
• Seasoned with both savory and sweet flavors.
• Less moisture in the meat which helps in deep drying.

where can i purchase the ingredients for crab rangoon?

how do you make crab rangoons?

1. Gather all the filling ingredients and combine in a bowl.  With a spoon or spatula, fold the cream cheese mixture until smooth. Make sure the cream cheese is soft enough to mix.
2. Have a small bowl of water, wonton wrappers and the cream cheese filling ready. Arrange them on a flat surface. To prevent wonton wrappers from drying out, you can use damp paper towel or plastic wrap to cover. My preferred work surface is either a wooded cutting board or a plastic tray. If you want easy clean up, cover the tray with parchment paper.
3. Wet each wrapper edges with water using index finger. Grab a spoonful of filling and place in the middle of a wonton wrapper.
4. Bring 4 opposite corners towards the center of the wrapper. Pinch with your fingers. Make sure all the edges are tightly sealed to prevent leakage when deep frying. If the wrappers are stubborn and don’t stick well together, use egg wash instead of water.

how do you fry crab rangoons?

Heat oil in a wide pot. You can use a wok like I did. (While the oil is heating up, don’t forget to prep a baking sheet with layers of paper towel or metal cooling rack.) Check to see if the oil is hot. One method is to place a wooden chopstick middle of the pot and let it stand vertically for a few seconds. If there are many bubbles rising up, that means the oil is ready.

Another method is to wait until the oil reaches a temperature between 350-375 degrees F. When oil is ready, carefully drop one rangoon at a time, without over crowding the pot. Deep fry the crab rangoons for about 2 mins or until golden brown. Keep rolling with the wooden chopsticks to get that even color throughout. When wontons are ready, scoop and place them on the prepared tray or cooking rack.

how do you eat crab rangoons?

Crab rangoons are great as appetizers or finger foods. Serve them hot or room temperature. Pair them with dipping sauce. They are great with wonton soup as well!!

can you freeze crab rangoons?

Yes you can easily freeze them! I suggest cooling the deep fried rangoons completely. Next, portion them into a ziplock bag in a single layer. And try to freeze them flat to avoid damaging its shape. Need to reheat? Leave them in the fridge until defrosted. Then air fry until hot and crispy again.

what kind of dipping sauce pairs well?

Here are some of my suggestions:

• sweet chili sauce
• sweet and sour sauce
• duck sauce
• plum sauce
• sweet soy sauce

Note: you can mix some of the sauces mentioned above together to make your own version! To give some heat, you can add some hot sauce into the sweet chili sauce.

suggested pairing recipe ideas:

• Easy Homemade Egg Drop Soup
• SAVORY PORK BELLY WITH SCALLION AND ARUGULA SALAD

did you enjoy this easy crab rangoon recipe?

If you did, please rate and leave a comment below! I would appreciate your feedback! Thanks!