Homemade Crab Rangoon Recipe

After endless testing, I finally perfected a Crab Rangoon Recipe thanks to one unexpected tweak that had me rewriting my notes.

I still remember the first time I tried to recreate the crunchy thing I’d been craving. Making Homemade Crab Rangoon felt like a challenge, but the payoff was ridiculous.

Little parcels that crackle and hide a creamy center, heavy on cream cheese and studded with real crab meat, not the flat versions we get at the buffet. This Crab Rangoon Recipe came out way better than I expected, and my friends couldnt stop picking at the plate.

I kept tweaking things until the texture was just wrong then suddenly perfect, and now I cant wait for you to taste the surprise inside.

Ingredients

• Cream cheese, rich and creamy, high in fat and calories, gives tangy, silky mouthfeel.
• Crab meat adds protein, low carb, slightly sweet seafood flavor, can be costly though.
• Wonton wrappers are carbs, make crunchy shells when fried, inexpensive and versatile.
• Green onions add fresh bite, low cal, some fiber, bright oniony flavor to filling.
• Soy sauce brings salt, umami and savory depth, watch sodium levels though.
• Vegetable oil used for frying adds calories and fat, gives crispy golden texture.
• Egg helps seal wontons, adds protein and richness, small nutrition boost.

Ingredient Quantities

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened (about 1 block)
• 6 to 8 oz crab meat, drained and finely chopped (fresh, canned lump, or imitation)
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp sesame oil (optional)
• 1/4 tsp sugar (optional)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 24 to 30 wonton wrappers
• 1 large egg, beaten (for sealing)
• Vegetable oil for frying, about 2 cups or enough for deep frying

How to Make this

1. In a bowl beat together the softened cream cheese, drained finely chopped crab, thinly sliced green onions, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, sesame oil, sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper until smooth and well combined; taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then chill the filling for about 10 minutes to firm up.

2. Set up an assembly station with wonton wrappers, the beaten egg in a small bowl for sealing, and a parchment lined tray; keep a damp kitchen towel nearby so wrappers dont dry out.

3. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of filling into the center of a wonton wrapper (a piping bag or a zip bag with a corner snipped makes this much faster); dont overfill or the wonton will leak.

4. Brush the wrapper edges with the beaten egg, fold into a triangle or bring opposite corners together to form a little purse, press out any air and pinch edges tightly to seal; crimp with a fork if you like.

5. If you want neater, less messy frying, freeze the assembled rangoon on the tray for about 10 minutes to firm them up before cooking.

6. Pour about 2 cups of vegetable oil or enough for deep frying into a deep pot and heat to 350 to 375°F using a thermometer; if you dont have a thermometer, test by dropping a small piece of wrapper in the oil it should sizzle and rise slowly.

7. Fry the rangoon in small batches without crowding the pot until golden brown and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes, turning once or twice for even color; remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

8. For a baked option, preheat oven to 400°F, arrange rangoon on a baking sheet, lightly brush or spray with oil and bake about 12 to 15 minutes turning once until golden and crisp.

9. Serve hot with sweet chili sauce, soy or plum sauce and extra sliced green onions; tip: seal each wonton well and test fry one first so you can adjust oil temp or filling amounts.

10. Leftover filling keeps refrigerated for 2 to 3 days and assembled but unfried rangoon can be frozen on a tray then stored in a bag for longer storage, fry or bake straight from frozen adding a minute or two to the cook time.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl, for the cream cheese and crab filling
2. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon, to scrape and mix well
3. Cutting board and chef’s knife, for chopping crab and slicing green onions
4. Small bowl and fork, to beat the egg for sealing
5. Pastry brush (or your finger), to brush egg on wonton edges
6. Piping bag or zip-top bag with a corner snipped, for faster filling
7. Baking sheet lined with parchment and a damp kitchen towel nearby, to keep assembled wontons from drying
8. Heavy deep pot or Dutch oven, for frying (or a baking sheet if you bake)
9. Candy or deep-fry thermometer, to check oil temp (or test with a wrapper scrap)
10. Slotted spoon and paper towels or a wire rack, to drain the cooked rangoons

FAQ

Homemade Crab Rangoon Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Cream cheese: swap 1:1 with Neufchatel (less fat), use mascarpone for a richer, silkier filling, or blend ricotta with 1 Tbsp butter to get a similar creamy texture.
• Crab meat: use canned lump crab if fresh isnt available, imitation crab (surimi) chopped fine, or small cooked shrimp chopped — keep the same weight and drain well.
• Wonton wrappers: use egg roll wrappers cut into 3 1/2 to 4 inch squares, gyoza/dumpling wrappers, or layered phyllo brushed with a little butter or oil (phyllo will be flakier not as chewy).
• Vegetable oil for frying: peanut oil, canola, sunflower or grapeseed oil all work (theyre high smoke point). if you want less oil try air frying at 375F for 6 to 8 min, flip halfway.

Pro Tips

– Drain and dry the crab meat really well before you mix it. Dump it on paper towels and press, or pat it with a kitchen towel. If you use canned, rinse and squeeze out extra water. Chill the filling for about 10 minutes or pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up so it is way easier to spoon or pipe.

– Keep your wonton wrappers from drying out while you work. Lay a damp kitchen towel over the stack and only take a few at a time. Use a piping bag or a zip bag with a corner cut off so you dont overfill, and always press out any air before sealing so they wont burst.

– To stop runny filling add a tiny binder like 1 4 tsp cornstarch, or cut back a bit on the soy sauce. That little bit soaks up stray moisture but wont change the flavor much, just dont add too much or the filling gets gummy.

– Fry in small batches at about 350 to 375 F, and let the oil come back up to temp between batches. Test one first to check temp and seal. Use a wire rack over paper towels to drain so they stay crisp, dont pile them up or they steam and go soggy.

– If you want less mess, freeze assembled rangoon on a tray for 10 minutes before cooking. You can also freeze long term then fry or bake straight from frozen, adding a minute or two to the cook time. For baking, preheat the sheet and brush the rangoon with a little oil so they brown and crisp up better.