My crab rangoon recipe is a must make. This recipe comes together with easy to find ingredients and is such a delightful appetizer!
One of my all time favorite appetizers is crab rangoons. I want to get them every time we go to a Chinese restaurant because they are so irresistible.
But did you know that you can make them easily at home? Just a few ingredients, a little assembly, and they get fried up. You won’t regret these delicious bites of happiness.
Crab Rangoon Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients needed for this homemade crab rangoon recipe. For the full list of ingredients and their measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Cream cheese: This is the creamy, tangy base of the filling that gives crab rangoons their signature rich and smooth texture. It balances the savory flavors of the crab and seasonings while helping hold everything together.
- Crab meat: This will beat perfectly into the cream cheese. Read more on your options for crab below.
- Green onions: Add a mild onion flavor with just the right amount of freshness and crunch.
- Garlic cloves: Enhances the overall flavor and pairs perfectly with the crab and cream cheese.
- Worcestershire sauce: Adds a hint of tangy, savory flavor.
- Soy sauce: A splash of soy sauce brings in saltiness and umami, balancing the creamy filling with a touch of Asian-inspired flavor.
- Wonton wrappers: Create the crispy, golden shell that makes crab rangoons so addictively crunchy. They hold the filling together and crisp up beautifully when fried.
- Vegetable oil: Needed for frying the crab rangoons.
How to Make Crab Rangoons
Here is a brief overview of how this crab rangoon recipe comes together. For the full recipe, including all ingredients and their measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Make the filling. Stir together the cream cheese, crab, onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce in a bowl.
- Put the filling in the wonton wrappers. Place about a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture in the middle of a wonton wrapper. Dip your finger into a small bowl of water and trace a line around the edges of the wonton wrapper. Pull each corner of the wrapper towards the center and pinch the edges of the wrapper together to seal it. Put the rangoons between two damp paper towels while you finish preparing the rest.
- Heat the oil. In a large skillet, heat the oil until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You can measure the temperature with an instant read thermometer or you can use a leftover wonton wrapper and cut it into strips, using a single strip to test the oil. The oil should bubble around it immediately and crisp it quickly.
- Cook the rangoons. Place the prepared rangoons in the oil a few at a time and fry them for about one to two minutes or until they begin to turn golden brown. Remove the fried cream cheese wontons from the pan with a slotted spoon and put them on your paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Enjoy!
Crab Meat For Crab Rangoons
When choosing crab meat for this recipe, you have a few options. Real crab meat can be a really expensive ingredient to use in recipes. Using canned crab can help a lot when it comes to a more budget-friendly option. It is easy to get and can be stored in your pantry. When using canned crab, you want to ensure that you not only drain it well, but also thoroughly pick through it for any small shards of shell.
Another option is to use fake crab, also known as imitation crab. Made from white fish, this is a good inexpensive option. It holds up in things like my Crab Pasta Salad, which I love. As always, you should do what works best for you and your family in your kitchen.
Oven Instructions
If you prefer to make this crab rangoon recipe in the oven rather than frying, spray each prepared rangoon with a little cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 to 10 minutes. Please know that they will be a very different consistency than if you fried them.
Tips and Tricks
- Use room-temperature cream cheese. It will blend with the other ingredients better than if it is cold.
- Only fry a few wontons at a time. Frying them in batches will prevent the oil temperature from dropping.
- Do not flip the rangoons over while frying. Part of the reason we use so much oil is so that it covers the rangoons. These can’t be flipped halfway through because the filling will come out into the oil.
- Make some sweet chili sauce for serving. My chili sauce recipe makes the perfect crab rangoon sauce. You can also eat the rangoons as is or with soy sauce.
Chili Sauce
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store any leftover homemade crab rangoons in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Enjoy cold or reheat in the oven or air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until heated through. Always use your best judgment when storing and eating leftovers.
What to Serve With Crab Rangoons
I have so many great dishes that pair with this perfect appetizer. You can replicate your favorite Chinese takeout at home!
If you make this crab rangoon recipe or any of my other recipes, I’d love to hear what you think!
Crab Rangoon
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature (227 grams)
- 6 ounces lump crab meat drained and picked through (170.1 grams)
- 2 green onions sliced thin
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 24 wonton wrappers
- 3 cups neutral oil such as canola oil or vegetable oil (594 grams)
Instructions
- Read all of the instructions before starting. Beat the cream cheese. Then, combine the cream cheese, crab, onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce together in a bowl. Stir so it is well combined.8 ounces cream cheese, 6 ounces lump crab meat, 2 green onions, 2 garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- Put a small bowl of lukewarm water next to your wonton station. Place about 1 teaspoon of the mixture in the middle of a wonton wrapper. Using your finger, dip into the water and trace a line around the edges of the wonton wrapper. Then pull each corner of the wrapper towards the center. Pinch the edges of the wrapper together. The end result should look like a small pyramid with a flat square bottom.24 wonton wrappers
- Line a plate with a damp paper towel. Then get another damp paper towel to place on top. As you make the rangoons, place them on top of the damp towel in a single layer, covering them. This will prevent them from drying out while you are waiting to cook them.
- Heat the oil in a medium-sized heavy-bottomed skillet (see note 1) over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit (read baking instructions within the post). Test the temperature of the oil with an instant read thermometer. Alternatively, use a leftover wonton wrapper cut into strips. Drop in a small strip, it should bubble immediately.3 cups neutral oil
- Working with about 4 rangoons at a time, place them in the oil and fry them for about 1 to 2 minutes or until they begin to turn golden brown. Do not flip them while frying them. Working with just a few at a time will keep the temperature of the oil from dropping. Remove the fried Rangoons from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Notes
- You need to use a small enough skillet that the rangoons will be completely submerged. I like to start heating up the oil when I’m about 3/4 done with preparing the rangoons. Alternatively, you can start heating up the oil when you make the filling and work with a partner – you assemble and they fry.
Cassandra Hapsas says
Lisa Lisa Lisa, you have just made my day. I am looking forward to making the crab Rangoon because my family will be really impressed. I’ve been trying to switch over and make a little bit more of oriental foods for them because they love it so this weekend I’m going to shop and get the ingredients and do the best I can with crab Rangoon. I really love you and appreciate everything you do for us. You are the best, Cassandra H. ps. Thanks for the extra recipes. Yummy🥰
I hope they love them! Thank you so much for your kind words!