Crab Rangoon is a go-to at any Chinese restaurant, and it’s also incredibly easy to make at home! A delicious combination of cream cheese and crab meat inside a crispy wonton shell, it’s one of our favorite appetizers and perfect for dipping in homemade sweet and sour sauce!
If you’ve ever been to a Chinese restaurant, chances are you’ve tried Crab Rangoon (or crab puffs, as they’re sometimes called). It’s one of our family’s go to menu items, and truth be told, we often get a double order.
It’s hard to beat crispy fried wonton shells stuffed with warm, gooey cream cheese filling… and when that filling also involves sweet, tender crab meat? It’s pretty much to die for.
As much as we enjoy ordering them alongside our other favorite takeout items, we also LOVE making them at home. Mainly because when you make them at home, you control the filling. So you not only get more filling than you do at most restaurants, but you also get more of the crab flavor you’re really looking for. Because let’s be honest. Sometimes when you order them at restaurants they taste pretty much like cream cheese rangoon. Also delicious… but show me the crab!!
This recipe uses a full 8 ounce package of crab meat, which means the filling is equal parts cream cheese and crab meat. Definitely my kind of crab rangoon… and best of all… ready in 20 minutes or less! Which is faster than any takeout OR delivery.
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🦀 Ingredients
Cream Cheese Rangoon is easy to make and requires just a short list of ingredients. First, the wonton wrappers! Wontons can be found in the produce section at your local grocery store, right next to the egg roll wrappers and other specialty items. As for the imitation crab meat, any brand will work, but they do all have a bit of a different flavor so you may want to experiment with various kinds.
- 24 wonton wrappers
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 8 ounces imitation crab meat, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1 egg white
📋 Instructions
Although these crab & cream cheese wontons might seem intimidating to make, they’re really quite simple! The egg white works wonders for sealing the wontons, and as long as they’re tightly sealed there’s no need to worry about the cream cheese mixture spilling out while frying.
- In a medium mixing bowl, prepare the filling by combining crab meat, cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, and green onion.
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of each wonton.
- Brush the 4 sides of each wonton with egg white, then fold the corners into the center and press together to seal.
- Fill a skillet 1 1/2 inches deep with oil. Heat to 350° F, then work in batches to fry crab rangoon until golden brown and bubbly (about 2-3 minutes). Use metal tongs to flip as necessary.
- Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
- Serve with sweet and sour sauce.
🌶 Recipe variations
- Add crushed red pepper flakes to the filling for a spicy addition
- Use fresh minced garlic in place of garlic powder
- Substitute canned lump crab meat for the imitation crab
- Use less filling in each to make more wontons
- Use flavored cream cheese, such as Garlic & Herb, Chive & Onion, or Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil
- Serve plain, with sweet & sour sauce, or with any of your favorite dipping sauces
🌡 Make-ahead and freezing tips
This recipe is easy to make ahead, and can be done in a few different ways:
- Prepare the filling and store it separately until you’re ready to fill & fry the wontons.
- Fill the wontons and store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator until you’re ready to fry them. Fry within 2-3 days.
- Fill the wontons and freeze them until you’re ready to fry them. To freeze, lay your uncooked crab rangoons in a single layer on a baking sheet. Freeze for a couple of hours or until individually frozen, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 6 months. Do not thaw before frying.
- Prepare crab rangoon according to recipe instructions. Cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container to freeze them until you’re ready to use them. To re-heat, transfer from the freezer to a flat baking sheet and bake at 400° 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
♨️ How to reheat
Leftover crab rangoon can be reheated in the oven at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until hot.
🥟 Related recipes
If you love Asian flavors as much as we do, here are some more easy at-home recipes for you to try!
- Egg Rolls
- Sweet & Sour Sauce
- Egg Foo Young
- Soy Glazed Shishito Peppers
- Creamy Ginger Soy Dipping Sauce
- Crab Rangoon Wonton Cups
Crab Rangoon
Ingredients
- 24 wonton wrappers
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 8 ounces imitation crab meat finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 green onions sliced
- 1 egg white
- oil for frying
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, prepare the filling by combining crab meat, cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, and green onion.
- Spoon 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of each wonton.
- Brush the 4 sides of each wonton with egg white, then fold the corners into the center and press together to seal.
- Fill a skillet 1 1/2 inches deep with oil. Heat to 350° F, then work in batches to fry crab rangoon until golden brown and bubbly (about 2-3 minutes). Use metal tongs to flip as necessary.
- Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
- Serve with sweet and sour sauce.
Notes
- Add crushed red pepper flakes to the filling for a spicy addition
- Use fresh minced garlic in place of garlic powder
- Substitute canned lump crab meat for the imitation crab
- Use less filling in each to make more wontons
- Use flavored cream cheese, such as Garlic & Herb, Chive & Onion, or Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil
- Serve plain, with sweet & sour sauce, or with any of your favorite dipping sauces
Jen says
Crab Rangoon is my son’s favorite and let me say that this recipe did not disappoint! I substituted real crab meat for the imitation since I had some to use up. This recipe definitely earned a spot in my cookbook of favorite recipes!! Thanks for sharing!
Beth says
Yum! These are my daughter’s favorite! I can’t wait to share this recipe with her! I can’t wait!
Jacque Hastert says
I love it when I find a recipe of a restaurant favorite that I can make simple at home. This is one of our favorites to order at take-out and now I can’t wait to make these in my own kitchen.
Vikki says
These taste so amazing! Just the right texture and everything
Ann says
I wonder how these work in the air fryer. Spray with oil first…thoughts anyone?
Cathy Trochelman says
Yes, spray with nonstick oil, and watch closely so they don’t burn!
Tina Barrett says
Can this be made with lower sodium? Can they be air fried?
Cathy Trochelman says
You can use low sodium soy sauce. Also, yes, you can try to air fry them! I would fry at 350 degrees for 3-4 min, and check, they may need more time but watch closely.
Sara Welch says
These look like little bites of heaven; will be perfect with my chicken stir fry I plan on making for dinner tonight! Delish!
Michelle Lewandowski says
You are my hero! Thank you for this!!!!
Corinne says
I would like the recipe directions included for air fryers. Much healthier. Thsnks
Cathy Trochelman says
Keep everything the same, spray with cooking oil, fry at 350 degrees for 3-4 minutes – watch carefully as cooking times can vary!
CJ says
HELLO CATHY CAN THESE BE BAKED SOMEONE IN FAMILY CAN’T HAVE FRIED – THANKS
Cathy Trochelman says
Yes, absolutely! I would suggest brushing them with oil or spraying them with cooking spray before baking, as this will help them brown in the oven. Then bake them at 350° for 15 minutes or until they’re golden brown and crispy. Hope you enjoy!