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Extra-crispy and creamy crab rangoon is the ultimate appetizer for a quick and easy Asian-inspired meal! This authentic crab rangoon recipe contains crab meat and cream cheese, all wrapped in wonton wrappers and deep-fried until golden brown.
I still remember the first time I tried crab rangoon. Do you remember yours? Was it at your favorite Chinese restaurant, a friend’s dinner party, or maybe from the frozen aisle at the grocery store?
No matter where it was, they’re always delicious. But these homemade crab rangoons? They’re on a whole other level! The creamy, sweet-savory filling and the crispy, golden exterior make them an absolute highlight of any meal.
Want more crab appetizers? Serve my Crab Cakes or Crab Dip next time!
What Is Crab Rangoon
Crab rangoon is a popular appetizer found in many Chinese restaurants in the United States, often served with sweet and sour dipping sauce. But many people wonder if it’s actually a Chinese dish.
While it looks similar to Chinese dumplings, it is a classic American creation by Victor Bergeron of Trader Vic’s in the 1940s.
These dainty appetizers are basically fried wontons filled with cream cheese and real crab meat. Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, they have a sweet-savory flavor profile that whets your appetite like crazy!
I first encountered them at a Chinese buffet restaurant in the Midwest. And since then, these fried cream cheese rangoon wontons have become one of my favorite appetizers!
What Is The Difference Between Fried Wontons And Crab Rangoon
Fried wonton is a popular Chinese fried dumpling made with wonton wrappers filled with a savory mixture of meat, usually ground pork, chicken, or shrimp.
Crab rangoon, on the other hand, is the American-Chinese version of fried wontons. Instead of meat, the filling is made with crab meat and cream cheese, so it has that creamy texture we’re all dying to get our hands on!
What Goes Into This Recipe
- Wonton wrappers – use square wonton wrappers and if you can get extra thin ones, even better! Note that these are different from egg roll and spring roll wrappers. You can find them in the refrigerated section of most supermarkets as well as Asian grocery stores.
- Crab meat – you can opt for fresh, frozen, or canned crab meat for the cream cheese filling. But if real crab is not an option, you can use imitation crab meat sticks like I do (and most restaurants too). It’s cheaper too! Just cut and shred it up to resemble crab meat.
- Cream cheese – use softened cream cheese to make mixing with the crab meat easier.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
How To Make This Recipe
I don’t think any crab meat and cream cheese combo could ever go wrong, so anyone can (and should!) make this simple recipe. These little pockets of heaven have a crispy exterior and a warm, creamy filling that’s simply irresistible!
Some recipes have seasonings like garlic, scallions, and Worcestershire sauce, but I like to keep my version simple with just sugar and salt. And I think it’s better than any Chinese takeout I’ve ever had!
Here’s how to make the best crab rangoon recipe in just 20 minutes:
Step 1: Mix all the cream cheese, crab meat, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Stir to blend well. Place about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese filling in the middle of a wonton wrapper.
Step 2: Dab some water on the outer edges of the wonton wrapper and fold the two ends of the wrapper together. Fold the other two ends to make a tiny parcel pictured below. Pinch to seal tight and make sure that there is no leakage.
Step 3: Heat up a pot of oil for deep-frying and fry the rangoons until golden brown. Dish out with a strainer or slotted spoon, draining the excess oil by laying them on a dish lined with paper towels.
Step 4: Let them cool down a bit before serving them with sweet and sour sauce.
Pro tip: Make an authentic crab rangoon dipping sauce, like the one I used in my Sweet and Sour Pork recipe.
Cooking Tips
- I like to use square wonton wrappers to wrap the cream cheese and crab filling, and I always go for the extra thin ones since they fry up the crispiest.
- For this recipe, I used imitation crab meat because it’s more affordable and easier to find in grocery stores. However, if you prefer real crab meat, feel free to use that instead! If you’re using imitation crab, I recommend cutting and shredding it into small pieces for a better texture and easier handling.
- I’ve learned not to overstuff the wonton wrappers. A little filling (about a tablespoon) goes a long way. Overfilling can cause the wrappers to burst open while frying, and that’s definitely something I want to avoid.
- When sealing each wonton wrapper, I make sure to pinch it tightly to prevent the filling from oozing out while deep frying. I pinch it up like a little purse and press out any air pockets. Water usually does the trick to seal the edges, but if I’m having trouble, I’ll use egg wash to make sure they’re secure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, of course! You can use real car meat, either fresh, frozen, or canned. In this recipe, I used imitation crab as most restaurants do. It’s more affordable yet it still gives that delicious seafood flavor in every bite.
Yes! Once they’re all wrapped up, gather them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze until firm then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make sure to thaw them completely before deep-frying.
Yes, you certainly can. Place them in the air fryer and cook at 350°F for 5 to 6 minutes. Don’t forget to spray some oil to crisp up the exterior. But note that the color and texture will not be the same as the deep-fried ones.
Yes, you bake it instead of deep-frying for a healthier alternative. The wrappers won’t be as crispy or golden brown, but they are equally delicious! Preheat the oven to 400°F and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until it looks golden brown.
This recipe has only 26 calories per piece, so you can definitely eat lots of them.
What To Serve With This Recipe
I love dipping them in sweet and sour sauce. For a Chinese-restaurant-style feast at home, I recommend the following recipes:
I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Crab Rangoon
Ingredients
- 1 cube Kraft Philadelphia Regular Cream Cheese, room temperature
- 2 oz. (60g) crab meat , or 2 sticks imitation crab meat, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 20 wonton wrappers
- oil, for deep frying
Instructions
- Mix all the cream cheese, crab meat, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Stir to blend well. Place about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese filling in the middle of a wonton wrapper.
- Dab some water on the outer edges of the wonton wrapper and fold the two ends of the wrapper together. Fold the other two ends to make a tiny parcel pictured below. Pinch to seal tight and make sure that there is no leakage.
- Heat up a pot of oil for deep-frying and fry the rangoons until golden brown. Use a strainer or slotted spoon to dish them out, then drain the excess oil by placing them on a dish lined with paper towels.
- Let them cool down a bit before serving them with sweet and sour sauce.Pro tip: Make an authentic crab rangoon dipping sauce, like the one I used in my Sweet and Sour Pork recipe.
Video
Notes
- I like to use square wonton wrappers to wrap the cream cheese and crab filling, and I always go for the extra thin ones since they fry up the crispiest.
- For this recipe, I used imitation crab meat because it’s more affordable and easier to find in grocery stores. However, if you prefer real crab meat, feel free to use that instead! If you’re using imitation crab, I recommend cutting and shredding it into small pieces for a better texture and easier handling.
- I’ve learned not to overstuff the wonton wrappers. A little filling (about a tablespoon) goes a long way. Overfilling can cause the wrappers to burst open while frying, and that’s definitely something I want to avoid.
- When sealing each wonton wrapper, I make sure to pinch it tightly to prevent the filling from oozing out while deep frying. I pinch it up like a little purse and press out any air pockets. Water usually does the trick to seal the edges, but if I’m having trouble, I’ll use egg wash to make sure they’re secure.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Best recipe ever taste better than the Chinese/American Crab Rangoon they serve at the mall, I out cooked them my first try thanks again and I saved about 30 bucks
I made crab Rangoon by the way
:)
To the person who modified these for a seafood allergy:
Oyster Sauce has OYSTERS.
If your friend is really allergic, you’d know pretty fast.
Or did they not eat the sauce? Risky.
Or do they only gave a crustacean allergy, not mollusks?
OMG Can’t even read the recipe through ALL THOSE ADS!! There are much better recipes for this out there. Powdered Sugar…. come on, Man!
You do realize that lots of savory recipes call for sweetener whether it be honey, sugar etc? It’s not always used to sweeten the food. It can be used to cut down on bitterness or make it less acidic such as when adding a bit of sugar to spaghetti sauce. Crab Rangoon typically has a bit of a sweet taste to it so the use of the confectioners sugar makes sense especially since it’s a very small amount. The ads can be cumbersome, but this is one of the better recipes for Crab Rangoon.
Thank you!
To me, the sugar makes all the difference!
Exactly! They’re actually supposed to have a sweetness to them. It’s always very obvious that a person knows nothing about cooking when they make comments like that. I’m going to make these again soon. They’re so good!
MOST CRAB RANGOON HAS POWDERED SUGAR IN IT
I just made it and it was very good. It needs the sugar believe it or not
They could only have a mollusc allergy, the person who made it also could have forgotten to mention they used vegetarian oyster sauce, which uses oyster mushrooms.
I add in finely chopped green onions and some lemon juice. Yum!
I added green onions also. But that’s the only thing I did different. I am so addicted to these :)
Best
One of my neighbors is allergic to seafood, so I switched these up & created one cream cheese with green onions & the other, an oriental style sausage & cream cheese with carrots, green onions & using oyster sauce along with worsteshire sauce & freshly minced garlic. Your formulation of these Rangoon’s is so spectacular, that it lends itself very well to any type of substitutions. Thank you so much! It will make our Super Bowl Party that much greater than usual!
Hi Tita thanks for trying my crab Rangoon recipe. https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
If using real, raw crab meat, do i need to cook the meat before mixing with the cream cheese, etc? Or will it cook enough in the oil to add it raw?
If they are crab meat, they are already cooked.
What temperature do I bake the crab Rangoon & for how long?
Thank you
Maria
Quick and easy! Thanks for sharing❤️ :)
Thanks Erlyn.
Your 1st encounter in a chinese buffet in midwest. Do I know you?
These would be a great appetizer option! Love them!
Make sure you cook in oil on the “cool side’ as you do not want “nice and brown” dumplings. You’ll have a great crispy dumpling but you’ll lose the delicate flavor of the filling.
This recipe “works” as you are not “loading up” the filling with other stronger flavors (garlic & ginger) that would mask the delicate crab flavor. FYI – the common SNOW CRAB CLUSTER sold in all local grocery stores in So California contains 2 3/4 ounces of crab meat.
This included about a Tbsp of juice from within the crab shells. Added 1/4 tsp Corn Starch to “set” these flavorful crab juices.
Instead of salt, used 1/2 tsp of Pink Baby Brined Shrimp in a jar from the refrigerated section of a Chinese market. In this manner, I get both salt and a little extra flavor “from the sea”,
Thanks for all your wonderful recipes Bee.
Awesome ideas for modifying the recipe. Thank you for sharing. I can’t wait to try this!