I love to make simple takeout classics from home like beef and broccoli, egg roll soup, and stir frys. These all make for fantastic dinners, but what about the beloved appetizers? A perfect takeout meal always starts with something crispy, at least in my books. Besides spring rolls, crab rangoon has to be the most popular appetizer for American Chinese restaurants. That creamy filling is just downright addicting! Once you see how simple these are to make, you’ll be shaking your head that you haven’t tried the recipe out before.
What is crab rangoon?
You may know this crispy appetizer as ‘crab puffs’ or ‘cheese wontons’. Made popular by American Chinese restaurants, these deep fried dumplings are filled with crab, cream cheese, flavored with onion and garlic. This appetizer is usually served with sweet and sour sauce to complement the rich creaminess of the filling.
Ingredients
Crab meat – I used canned crab. You can use fresh or imitation crab. Cream cheese – Mascarpone will work instead if you want a lighter flavor. Green onion – You can use chives or shallot instead. Garlic powder – Or 2 cloves of fresh garlic. Liquids – Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and a bit of sesame oil. Wonton wrappers – Use fresh wrappers. Unwrap the package right when you’re ready to fill them so that they don’t dry out. Water – For brushing around the edges of your wrappers. Oil – I used vegetable oil to fry these. Other oils like peanut, canola, or grapeseed will work.
How to make crab rangoon
How to serve crab rangoon
You’ll typically see crab rangoon served with a side of sweet and sour sauce. Teriyaki, ponzu, or gyoza sauces would all be wonderful as well. If you’re looking for some more appetizers to serve alongside your rangoon, give these a try:
Asian Pork Rolls Chili Garlic Shrimp Crockpot Asian Meatballs Beef Teriyaki Skewers Bang Bang Chicken or Shrimp
How to store leftovers
Your leftovers will last 3-4 days refrigerated. Store in an airtight container or sealable freezer bag. To reheat while maintaining as much crispiness as possible, there are two options. Preheat your oven to 350F and place the crab rangoon on a baking sheet. Bake for 5-10 minutes, or until crisped and warmed through. You can also reheat your crab rangoon in an air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 300F and cook the rangoon, working in batches if needed, for 5-10 minutes or until heated through.
Can I freeze crab rangoon?
If you’d like to make your rangoon ahead of time or even save some for later, I suggest freezing them before frying. After you’ve shaped the dumplings, place them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours, or until solid. Now you can pop all the dumplings into a large freezer bag or airtight container without them sticking together. You can cook your frozen crab rangoon straight from the freezer. Heat the oil to 325F and cook the rangoon for 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown. Be very careful that there is no freezer burn. This can cause splattering in the oil.
Did you love this take-out favorite? Try these:
Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry Mongolian Beef Asian Style Pepper Steak Orange Chicken Kung Pao Chicken Sweet and Sour Chicken Asian Style Udon Noodles with Pork Chow Mein
