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This crab rangoon recipe is so much better than anything you can get for take-out. It combines deliciously flavorful crab meat with a cream cheese filling that's stuffed inside crispy wonton wrappers to create an unforgettable meal. Honestly, this rangoon recipe is so, so yummy, plus it's so easy to make too. In fact, just 20 minutes is all you'll need to make it!
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The Best Crab Rangoon
This crab rangoon, also called crab puffs, might just be one of the best homemade Chinese take-out recipes you ever make. The soft filling is made with tender imitation crab meat, creamy cream cheese, and some simple seasonings to make a combination like no other. Then, the creamy crab mixture is enclosed in pre-made wonton wrappers that get quickly fried to golden brown, crispy perfection.
Sounds pretty tasty, right?!
Plus, as I already mentioned, this crab rangoon recipe is so quick and easy to make. Honestly, you can have it ready and on the table in less time than ordering take-out from any Chinese restaurant. And 3 simple steps are all you'll need to follow to make it. Yup, that's all there is to it!
In fact, it's so simple that you'll be able to whip up these Chinese green beans to have on the side to go with 'em and not miss a beat!
Ingredients
Another thing I love about these cream cheese wontons is that they're made with some pretty simple ingredients. Honestly, you probably have most - if not all - of them at home already!
Anyway, here's what you'll need to make this crab rangoon recipe:
- 1 cup imitation crab meat
- ½ cup cream cheese, softened
- 1 green onion, finely sliced
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp. soy sauce (optional)
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- 16 wonton wrappers
- Oil for frying
Not bad, right?!
By the way, if you're picking up some imitation crab from the store, make sure to grab some extra so you can give this Kani salad a try next!
Ingredient Substitutions & Suggestions
Now, I always make this crab rangoon with the ingredients listed above just because I think it tastes best that way. But, with that said, there are some ways you can change up the recipe and make it your own.
Use Real Crab Meat
Now, just so you know, most Chinese restaurants use imitation crab meat, so if you want an authentic crab rangoon experience, this is what I recommend using. With that said though, if you want to get fancy, you can use real crab meat instead of the imitation stuff. Just replace the imitation crab meat with the same amount of real crab meat in your creamy crab filling. The fresh crab meat will give the crab rangoon a great flavor that is better than anything you can get from Chinese takeout.
Skip the Onions
If you aren't a fan of green onions, you can skip them when making the cream cheese mixture. While green onions do add a nice flavor, this crab rangoon recipe will be just as tasty without them!
Add a Sauce
Crab rangoons often come with a sour dipping sauce, like sweet and sour sauce. So, if you'd like to serve them with a sauce, you can pair them with this sweet and sour sauce recipe, this Szechuan sauce, or something else like some sweet chili sauce or duck sauce.
How to Make Crab Rangoon
As I already mentioned a couple of times, this crab rangoon is really easy to put together.
The recipe only has 3 steps to it - mixing the filling, wrapping the filling, and frying the crab rangoons.
So, with that said, let's stop wasting time and get cooking!
Step 1: Make The Filling
First, you'll want to make the crab and cream cheese wonton filling. So, to do that, take out a small bowl and add the imitation crab meat, softened cream cheese, green onion, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce - if you're using it -, and garlic powder to it.
Now you can gently mix these ingredients until they just combine into a creamy crab and cream cheese filling.
Step 2: Fill The Wontons
Next up, it's time to fill the wontons. First, you'll want to lay out all of the wonton wrappers on a flat surface. Then, you can put a small amount of the filling in the center of each one of the wontons.
Now dab your finger with a little water - or use a brush - and run it around the edge of the wrapper, then fold the edges of the wonton and pleat it to make that classic dumpling look. After that, you can repeat the same filling and folding process with the rest of the wrappers and filling.
Step 3: Fry The Rangoon
Ok, now that everything is prepared, it's time to fry the crab rangoons.
First, take out a deep pan or pot, put it over high heat, and add enough frying oil to it to cover the crab rangoons. Once the oil is hot, you can drop a few wontons at a time into the oil and fry 'em for 2-3 minutes or until the deep fried crab rangoons are golden brown and crispy.
By the way, you'll want to make sure that you don't overcrowd the pot, or it will decrease the temperature of the oil and throw off the amount of time you'll need to cook the rangoons for. So, just keep in mind that you might have to cook the crab rangoon in batches.
Anyway, once they're fried to perfection, you can place the deep fried crab wontons on a wire rack or plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil.
Finally, serve the fried crab rangoon with some sweet chili sauce - or any other dipping sauce that you want - and enjoy!
How to Store Crab Rangoon
This recipe for crab rangoon makes about 16 crab meat cream cheese wontons. So they make the perfect appetizer to serve to a crowd or even a big family dinner.
Now, since the recipe makes so many servings, there's a good chance you'll end up with some leftovers. And, if you do end up with some, you can store 'em in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days.
Alternatively, if you want to store the leftovers for even longer, you can freeze the crab rangoon for up to 2 weeks. To freeze it, just transfer your cooked crab rangoon to an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag with the excess air squeezed out.
How to Reheat Crab Rangoon
Once you're ready to enjoy this crab rangoon again, it's definitely best when enjoyed warm. Luckily, they are easy to reheat!
The best way to reheat the crab rangoon is to pop them in your air fryer or oven. This will help keep the crab rangoon crunchy and crispy on the outside while also reheating the filling.
So, if you're reheating them in the oven, you'll want to pop them back in at 350°F for about 10 minutes. Alternatively, to reheat the crab rangoon in the air fryer you'll want to cook it at 350°F for about 5 minutes. You can tell they are ready when the wonton wrapper tips feel crunchy once again, and the filling is warmed through.
Wrapping it Up
Well, that's how to make crab rangoon from scratch!
This crab rangoon recipe is so easy to make, and it's just so much better than any take-out restaurant. I don't know if it's the addictively crunchy golden brown wontons or the deliciously creamy and flavorful filling in the middle, but the combination of the two is just so, so good. Honestly, this homemade crab rangoon is just to die for.
Seriously, my family is obsessed with this recipe. We have been making it non-stop and swear it gets better every single time.
Anyway, I hope you like this crab rangoon as much as I/we do. As always, if you make it, leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts!
More Seafood Recipes
If you loved this crab rangoon recipe and are in the mood to make even more seafood recipes, we have a bunch on the blog that you can try next.
Here are a few of our readers' favorites:
- Crab stuffed mushrooms
- Vietnamese shrimp toast
- Seafood casserole
- Shrimp casserole
- Seafood soup
Oh, and for even more delicious recipes, be sure to follow us on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. We post new recipes every day!
The BEST Easy Crab Rangoon Recipe (Made In Just 20 Minutes)
This crab rangoon recipe is so much better than anything you can get for take-out. It combines deliciously flavorful crab meat with a cream cheese filling that's stuffed inside crispy wonton wrappers to create an addictively delicious dish. It's so, so yummy and so easy to make. In fact, just 20 minutes is all you'll need to make it!
- Author: Brendan Cunningham
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 16 crab rangoons 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
Scale
1 cup imitation crab meat
½ cup cream cheese, softened
1 green onion, finely sliced
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. soy sauce (optional)
½ tsp. garlic powder
16 wonton wrappers
Oil for frying
Instructions
- In a small bowl, gently combine crab meat, cream cheese, green onion, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and garlic powder.
- Layout wonton wrappers. Place a small spoonful of the filling in the center of a wrapper. Dab a little water with your finger and circle around the edge of the skin, and then fold and pleat the dumpling accordingly. Repeat the same for the rest.
- Add enough oil to cover the wontons in a deep pot or pan and heat it over medium-high heat.
- Drop the wontons into the hot oil for 2-3 minutes or until brown and crispy. Drain excess oil on a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack. Serve warm.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 crab rangoon
- Calories: 56
- Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 6
- Protein: 2
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