This Crab Rangoon recipe is crispy golden fried wonton shells filled with fresh crab and cream cheese. They are the ultimate party appetizer, and they are always a huge hit with family and friends. They are easy to prepare, taste so much better than Chinese takeout, and can be prepped well in advance and frozen, making them the ideal hors d’oeuvre.
Greet your friends and family with something scrumptious that they simply can’t resist. I love to serve them with my beef and broccoli and moo shu pork.
What are Crab Rangoons?
They are golden fried wonton wrappers filled with crab, cream cheese, green onions, Worcestershire sauce, and a few common pantry spices. They are one of my most popular party appetizers and one that very few people can resist.
Have you ever tried Crab Rangoon? They are so amazingly delicious. I would bet to say that most of you have tried them, although you were probably wondering where the crab meat was. As most of the Chinese restaurants either omit the crab or use imitation crab. Fresh crab meat is really the way to go. I use cooked King Crab for these, which I usually purchase from Costco. This time it was a little over 1/2 pound of crab meat after I removed it from the shell; however, you can use anything from 1/4 to a full pound.
How do you make fried Crab Rangoons?
Start by pulsing the cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and green onions in a food processor several times until mixed. Next, stir in the crab meat. Now holding the wrapper in one hand with one of the points towards you, dip your index finger of your free hand in cool water. Now moisten the edge of the half of the wrapper that is furthest from you.
Now place a rounded teaspoonful of the cream cheese mixture in the middle of the wrapper. Fold the wonton over and gently seal one end to the other, creating a triangle. Next, tightly press the wrapper together to close, squeezing out any air bubbles. Then, repeat until the cream cheese mixture is gone. Place them on a parchment paper-covered cutting board covered with moistened paper towels.
In a large heavy stockpot or Dutch Oven, heat oil to 375 degrees. Working in small batches, drop the rangoons into the hot oil and fry for about a minute or until they are golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove them to paper towels and drain. For best results, serve promptly.
The best way to freeze them
Once your crab rangoons are all prepped, place them on a parchment paper-covered baking sheet in a single layer without touching each other and place them in the freezer to flash freeze. Once fully frozen, place them in heavy-duty zipper freezer bags and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to fry, simply remove them from the freezer and let them thaw for a few minutes while you get the oil heated up. Then fry until golden brown. Your friends will be singing your praises, and you will have more time to spend visiting and reminiscing with them.
Recipe notes and tips
- Use a high-temperature thermometer to try to maintain the frying oil at 375 degrees, or use a deep fryer if you have one.
- Cover the extra wontons with a lightly water-moistened paper towel or dish towel while you work.
- You can prepare the filling up to two days in advance.
- If you don’t have a food processor, simply mix up all the ingredients in a bowl.
- I like to use real crab meat, but imitation crab meat would work in a pinch. I use king crab and remove it from the shell, but lump crab meat works well too. You could also skip the crabmeat and make cream cheese wontons.
- If desired, add 1 teaspoon of sugar for a little sweetness. A lot of the Asian restaurants add it.
- Seal the edges of your Crab Rangoon as tightly as you can after lightly moistening the edges with a little water on the tip of your finger.
- Work in small batches and do not crowd the fryer.
- Enjoy dipping with either sweet and sour sauce or sweet chili sauce.
- Remove the fried appetizers to paper towels to drain and serve promptly.
- To bake, lightly spray the rangoons with cooking spray. Then place on a cookie sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 12-14 minutes, turning halfway through.
- To make air fryer crab rangoons, lightly spray or brush the finished stuffed wontons with cooking spray. Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees. Once heated, air fry in a single layer for 7-8 minutes.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, preheat the air fryer to 325 degrees and cook for 2 minutes or until heated through.
Other appetizer recipes you will love!
Crab Rangoon
Ingredients
- 2 8 ounce boxes cream cheese
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 3 green onions chopped
- 1/2 lb fresh white cooked crab meat flaked or diced
- 1 package 12 ounces wonton wraps
- Vegetable oil or canola oil for frying
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse the cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder and green onions several times until mixed. Stir in crab meat.
- Holding the wonton wrapper in one hand with a point towards you, dip your index finger on your free hand in cold water. Moisten the edge of 1/2 of the wrap that is furthest from you. Now, place a rounded teaspoonful of the cream cheese mixture in the middle. Fold over and gently seal one end to the other. Press the wrap together to close tightly, shaping it into a triangle working the air bubbles out. Repeat until the cream cheese mixture is gone, placing them on a cutting board covered with parchment paper and covering them with moistened paper towels.
- Heat about 1 1/2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy stock pot or Dutch oven to 375 degrees. Working in small batches, cook stuffed wontons for about 1 minute or until golden brown, turning halfway through. Drain on paper towels.
Video
Notes
- Use a high-temperature thermometer to try to maintain the frying oil at 375 degrees, or use a deep fryer if you have one.
- Cover the extra wontons with a lightly water-moistened paper towel or dish towel while you work.
- You can prepare the filling up to two days in advance.
- If you don't have a food processor, simply mix up all the ingredients in a bowl.
- I like to use real crab meat, but imitation crab meat would work in a pinch. I use king crab and remove it from the shell, but lump crab meat works well too. You could also skip the crabmeat and make cream cheese wontons.
- If desired, add 1 teaspoon of sugar for a little sweetness. A lot of the Asian restaurants add it.
- Seal the edges of your Crab Rangoon as tightly as you can after lightly moistening the edges with a little water on the tip of your finger.
- Work in small batches and do not crowd the fryer.
- Enjoy dipping with either sweet and sour sauce or sweet chili sauce.
- Remove the fried appetizers to paper towels to drain and serve promptly.
- To bake, lightly spray the rangoons with cooking spray. Then place on a cookie sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 12-14 minutes, turning halfway through.
- To make air fryer crab rangoons, lightly spray or brush the finished stuffed wontons with cooking spray. Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees. Once heated, air fry in a single layer for 7-8 minutes.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, preheat the air fryer to 325 degrees and cook for 2 minutes or until heated through.
Nutrition
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Kelly
This Crab Rangoon recipe was so good. I am going to make them again for my holiday party. Thanks for the great recipe.
Everything Enchanting
Looks so delicious 👌🏻! My mother-in-law makes an awesome crab curry recipe (she knows this one recipe, only) 😍. I’ll show her your crab rangoon recipe, soon!
Oli
Such a great recipe. I never knew they were so easy to make. Thanks for sharing!
Tammy
Ooh these look so good! Such a fun dish to make for game day or the holidays. These would be gone in no time!
Samantha Donnelly
I am the only one in my house who does not eat crab and know these would be loved by my family. Will give them a go over Christmas
Yeah Lifestyle
Theses were full of flavour and super tasty and the recipe was easy to follow. I will certainly be making these again.
Talya Stone
Oh these look so yummy! I love anything with crab. Are they technically dim sum then?
Michelle
I wish you had a picture of the filling! Never had them with REAL crabmeat — sounds delicious! Isn’t there a sauce that’s traditionally served with them as well? A sweet sticky red sauce, if I remember correctly?
Beth Pierce
Yes they really are quite yummy! I use the Sweet Chili Sauce that is in this recipe.
Margie
What dipping sauce did you use?
Beth Pierce
It is a sweet and spicy chili sauce. Here is the recipe for the sweet chili sauce Sweet Chili Sauce.
Melissa Cushing
These little packages of yummyness look so good and I would love to try these home made 😉 Pinning this recipe to try and make myself.
Mary
I would love to make these sometime. I think they would be great even without the crab, as a vegetarian version.
Ellen
This looks super yummy! 😍 I can’t wait to try your recipe!
MELANIE EDJOURIAN
I’ve never tried these before but they sound so good. I do love this sort of thing but haven’t tried any with crab meat.