Crab Rangoon Wontons
Crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside, Crab Rangoon is a takeout classic that is easy and delicious whether baked or fried, with a secret Midwest condiment that serves as the perfect dipping sauce.
Crab Rangoon’s level of fussiness might make me lean towards restaurant orders, but the issue lies in the lack of value as I often find myself not ordering due to the high price and insufficient quantity.
This is why Crab Rangoon is the perfect appetizer to prepare at home, as the effort pays off by allowing you to create a generous batch that can easily satisfy your friends, family, or just yourself, all without breaking the bank.
For a more budget-friendly option, omit the crab and opt for Cream Cheese Wontons instead – they are a delicious alternative worth trying.
In the Midwest, a popular appetizer involves pouring pepper jelly over cream cheese and serving it with crackers, so I was excited to try this combination with Crab Rangoon and found it to be fantastic; Sweet Thai Chili Sauce or other Asian dipping sauces also pair well with it.
Recipe ingredients:
Ingredient notes:
- Cream cheese:I prefer using whipped cream cheese for its light and airy texture that blends easily with other ingredients, but regular cream cheese, softened to room temperature, also works perfectly well.
- Crab meat:When shopping, opt for canned lump white crab meat, remembering to drain it before using; alternatively, you can also replace it with imitation crab or simply omit it.
- Egg:Using an egg wash helps to seal the wonton wrappers together.
- Wonton wrappers: Look for square wonton wrappers made with wheat (not rice) that measure about 3 1/2” square and are often sold in the produce section (refrigerated).Each package will probably have a lot of wrappers, so you can wrap up what you don’t need and freeze them for another Crab Rangoon evening that will be.
- Red pepper jelly:The sweet-and-spicy condiment cuts through the richness of the cream cheese perfectly, making it easiest to buy red pepper jelly, but you can also make pepper jelly yourself.
Step-by-step instructions
1.In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, crab meat, mayonnaise, and green onions, and in a small bowl whisk together egg and water to make egg wash. Working in batches, arrange 5 – 10 wonton wrappers on a clean, dry surface and brush all 4 edges of each wrapper with the egg wash. Then, place 1 rounded teaspoon of cream cheese filling in the center of each wonton wrapper.
2.First, lift and press the seams of two opposing corners together over the filling, and then bring the remaining two opposing corners to the middle to form a small parcel. Press all seams together and fold over the top where all four corners meet, applying additional egg wash if needed, before repeating the process with all remaining wonton wrappers and filling.
To fry the Crab Rangoon:
1.In a deep fryer or deep pot, heat oil to 375 degrees and fry wontons in small batches until golden brown, about 15 to 20 seconds; then drain on paper towels and serve with pepper jelly if desired.
To bake the Crab Rangoon:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees, spray 24 regular-sized muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray, and then arrange one filled wonton in each cup.
2.Bake until the edges are golden brown and the filling is heated through for about 18 to 20 minutes, then cool for 5 minutes before serving with pepper jelly if desired.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield:This recipe yields 24 Crab Rangoon, serving six with four pieces each.
- Storage:Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheat them best in the oven or an air fryer.
- Make ahed:Prepare the Crab Rangoon Wontons a few hours ahead, arranging them on a sheet tray spaced out, and cover with a damp paper towel or plastic wrap to keep them moist until ready to fry.
- Air fryer:For air-frying Crab Rangoon, preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees following the manufacturer’s instructions (some may recommend preheating for 3 minutes, while others may not require preheating), then cook in a single layer for 10 minutes. After flipping each Crab Rangoon, fry it until you reach your desired level of crispiness, which may take an additional 2 to 5 minutes. Adjust cooking times as necessary due to variations in Air Fryers by manufacturer.
- Seal the deal:The crucial aspect of preparing Crab Rangoon is ensuring the wontons are sealed correctly to prevent filling leakage during frying, especially with pre-made wrappers that are typically drier and firmer, making the sealing process a bit more challenging.Ensure the seams are pressed together thoroughly to secure the filling inside the dumpling during frying, and apply additional egg wash as adhesive if necessary.
- Start small: Start by making only a few dumplings at a time until you become comfortable with the process to prevent the wrappers from drying out excessively. Once you’ve mastered the technique, feel free to increase the quantity by working on larger batches with more wonton wrappers.
- Portion control: To portion out the tasty cream cheese filling efficiently, you can opt for a small cookie scoop or use a teaspoon dipped in cold water between scoops to prevent the filling from sticking to the metal utensil.
- Keep the oil hot:To avoid greasy Deep-fried Crab Rangoon, ensure the oil reaches 375 degrees Fahrenheit before frying the dumplings.
- Dipping sauces:You can serve your dumplings with pepper jelly, Chinese plum sauce, your preferred Asian sauce, or Sriracha mixed with honey, soy sauce, or sesame oil for added flavor.
Crab Rangoon Wontons
Crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside, Crab Rangoon is a takeout classic that is easy and delicious whether baked or fried, with a secret Midwest condiment that serves as the perfect dipping sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
- 8 ounces whipped cream cheese (see note 1)
- 6 ounces white crab meat drained and flaked (see note 2)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3 scallions sliced
- 1 large egg (see note 3)
- 1 tablespoon water
- 24 Wonton wrappers (see note 4)
- Pepper jelly for serving, optional (see note 5)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, crab meat, mayonnaise, and green onions, and in a small bowl whisk together egg and water to make egg wash.
- Working in batches, arrange 5 – 10 wonton wrappers on a clean, dry surface and brush all 4 edges of each wrapper with the egg wash using a pastry brush or your finger.
- Place 1 rounded teaspoon of cream cheese filling in the center of each wonton wrapper, then lift and press the seams of 2 opposing corners together over the filling, followed by lifting the remaining 2 opposing corners and bringing them to the middle to form a small parcel.
To fry crab rangoon:
- In a deep fryer or deep pot, heat oil to 375 degrees, ensuring it does not greatly exceed this temperature to avoid smoking and potential flame bursts, then fry wontons in small batches until golden brown for about 15 to 20 seconds, draining them on paper towels and serving with pepper jelly if desired.
To bake crab rangoon:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, spray 24 regular-sized muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray, arrange 1 filled wonton in each cup, then bake until the edges are golden brown and the filling is heated through for about 18 to 20 minutes; cool for 5 minutes before serving, and serve with pepper jelly if desired.
Notes
- cream cheese:I like whipped cream cheese for its light, airy texture that blends easily with other ingredients, but regular cream cheese softened to room temperature works just fine as well.
- Crab meat:Look for canned lump white crab meat, drain it before use, and consider using imitation crab or omitting it altogether as alternatives.
- Wonton wrappers:Look for square wonton wrappers made with wheat, not rice, measuring about 3 1/2 inches square, typically found in the refrigerated section of the produce aisle.Each package will likely contain a large quantity of wrappers, allowing you to wrap up any extras and freeze them for future Crab Rangoon evenings.
- Red paper jelly:This sweet-and-spicy condiment complements the cream cheese richness perfectly, and while the easiest option is to purchase it, you can also make your own pepper jelly.
- Yield:This recipe yields 24 Crab Rangoon, serving 6 people with 4 pieces each.
- Storage:Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and reheat them best in the oven or an air fryer.
- Make ahead:Prepare the Crab Rangoon Wontons ahead of time and fry them when ready to eat. Simply arrange the crab-filled wontons on a sheet tray, then cover with a damp paper towel or plastic wrap to keep them moist.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4pieces
- Calories: 258 kcal
- Sugar: 2g
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 74mg