Crab rangoon is one of those appetizers that people lose their minds over at parties, and it takes about 20 minutes to make from scratch. Cream cheese, crab, a few seasonings, wonton wrappers, hot oil. That’s it.
If you’ve only ever had these from a takeout menu, making them at home is going to feel like cheating. They come out crispier, the filling is better because you control how much goes in, and a batch of 24 costs a fraction of what you’d pay at a restaurant.
The recipe is Chinese-American, not Chinese. Crab rangoon showed up on menus in the 1950s and became a staple of the takeout appetizer section. Nobody’s pretending this is traditional cooking. It’s cream cheese in a fried wonton wrapper, and it’s really good.
Jump to RecipeHow to make them
Start with the filling. In a bowl, mix 8 ounces of softened cream cheese with 6 ounces of chopped crab meat, 2 sliced green onions, half a teaspoon of soy sauce, half a teaspoon of garlic powder, and a quarter teaspoon of black pepper. Stir until everything is combined. The cream cheese needs to be soft or you’ll be fighting lumps the whole time.
One tip that makes assembly easier: stick the filling in the freezer for about 10 minutes after mixing. It firms up just enough that spooning it onto the wrappers is much less messy. Don’t leave it longer than that or it’ll get too stiff.
Lay out your wonton wrappers and place about a teaspoon of filling in the center of each one. Keep the wrappers you’re not using under a damp paper towel so they don’t dry out and crack. Dip your finger in water and wet the edges of the wrapper, then pinch two opposite corners together and seal the remaining edges. Press firmly. If the seal isn’t tight, the filling leaks into the oil and things get messy fast.
Heat about 2 inches of neutral oil (vegetable or canola) in a heavy pot or deep skillet to 350 degrees. Fry the rangoons in small batches, 4 or 5 at a time, for about 1 to 2 minutes until they’re golden brown. They cook fast because the filling doesn’t need to cook through, you’re really just crisping the wrapper. Pull them out with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
Serve hot with sweet chili sauce, sweet and sour sauce, or soy sauce for dipping.
Things that matter
Softened cream cheese is not optional. If you skip this step, the filling is lumpy and hard to spread. Leave the block out on the counter for 30 to 45 minutes before you start, or microwave it for 15 seconds.
Don’t overfill the wrappers. A teaspoon is enough. More than that and you can’t seal them properly, which means they pop open in the oil. Underfilled is better than overfilled.
Oil temperature matters. If it’s too low, the wrappers absorb oil and come out greasy. If it’s too hot, they brown before the filling heats through. A thermometer helps here. Pull them out when they’re light golden because they’ll keep darkening after they come out of the oil.
Crab options
Canned lump crab works fine and is the most practical option for most people. Fresh crab is better if you have it. Imitation crab (surimi) is cheaper and honestly tastes good in this, since the cream cheese and seasonings are doing most of the flavor work anyway. Drain whatever crab you use well. Excess moisture creates steam inside the wrapper, which can cause them to puff up or burst.
Other ways to cook them
If you don’t want to deep fry, you can bake them. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush lightly with oil, and bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway. They won’t be quite as crispy as fried, but they’re still good. Air fryer works too, at 375 for about 8 minutes.
Make-ahead and storage
You can assemble the rangoons ahead of time and keep them covered in the fridge for a few hours before frying. For longer storage, place the uncooked filled wrappers on a baking sheet in a single layer, freeze for about 15 minutes until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag. They’ll keep frozen for up to 3 months. Fry them straight from frozen, adding an extra 30 seconds or so to the fry time.
Cooked rangoons keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a 325-degree oven or air fryer for a few minutes to crisp them back up. The microwave will warm them but they’ll be soft.
Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls Recipe
Crispy fried wonton wrappers filled with a creamy mixture of crab meat, cream cheese, green onions, and seasonings. A classic Chinese-American appetizer that takes about 20 minutes to make at home.
24
servings15
minutes5
minutes68
kcalIngredients
8 oz 8 Cream Cheese, Softened
6 oz 6 crab meat, chopped (canned, fresh, or imitation)
2 2 Green Onions, Thinly Sliced
1/2 tsp 1/2 Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp 1/2 Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp 1/4 Black Pepper
24 24 wonton wrappers
Oil for frying (vegetable or canola, about 2 inches in pot)
Directions
- In a bowl, combine softened cream cheese, chopped crab meat, sliced green onions, soy sauce, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix until well combined. For easier assembly, place filling in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up slightly.
- Place about 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each wonton wrapper. Dip your finger in water and moisten the edges of the wrapper. Pinch two opposite corners together, then seal remaining edges firmly. Press out any air. Keep unused wrappers under a damp paper towel.
- Heat oil in a heavy pot or deep skillet to 350 degrees F. Fry rangoons in small batches of 4 to 5 for 1 to 2 minutes, until light golden brown. Do not crowd the pot.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Serve hot with sweet chili sauce, sweet and sour sauce, or soy sauce.
Notes
- Cream cheese must be softened before mixing. Leave out 30 to 45 minutes or microwave 15 seconds.
- Drain crab meat well. Excess moisture causes rangoons to puff or burst during frying.
- Pull from oil at light golden brown. They continue to darken after removal.
- To bake instead: 375 degrees F for 12 to 15 minutes on parchment, brush with oil, flip halfway.
- Freeze uncooked rangoons in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag. Keeps up to 3 months. Fry from frozen, adding 30 seconds to fry time.
- Cooked rangoons keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat in oven or air fryer at 325 degrees F.
