Okay, I LOVE crab rangoon.
It’s a given that whenever I’m at a Chinese restaurant, I’m always going to order the rangoon. However, I’ve found that some versions can be a bit bland, lacking that punch of flavor that makes them truly irresistible. That’s why I’m so excited to share this crab rangoon recipe—because it’s anything but bland. It’s packed with flavor, and it’s exactly what crab rangoon should be.
This recipe was given to me many years ago by a sister-in-law. It’s become a holiday favorite around our home, although I’ll use ANY excuse to fry up a batch! In fact, I treat myself to this crab rangoon on my birthday, and I keep it all to myself—no sharing allowed!
I think you get the point…this is the ultimate crab rangoon recipe, and if you love these crispy, creamy bites of goodness as much as I do, you’re going to want to try this one out.
Ingredients
- 12 oz. cream cheese, softened (1½ packages)
- 1/4 C red pepper, diced
- 1/4 C green onions, diced
- pinch kosher salt
- ½ C imitation crabmeat, flake style, diced
- 1 lg. egg, beaten
- 1 package wonton wrappers
- peanut oil for frying
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients. I like to use my hands for this step to make sure everything is well mixed! Once combined, set the mixture aside. Start heating 4-5 inches of peanut oil in a large pot or deep fryer until it reaches 350°F.
- Now it's time to invite all your friends (or family) and set up an 'assembly area.' Cover a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper, then place the bowl of crab mixture in the center. Give everyone a paper plate to work on, and as each wonton is assembled, line them up on the cookie sheet, ready for frying.
Assembling the wontons:
- 1. Brush one wonton wrapper with the beaten egg to help it seal.
- 2. Add a small amount of the crab mixture to the center of the wrapper (a small cookie scoop is the perfect tool for this).
- 3. Fold the wrapper over to create a triangle*, pressing the edges together to seal. Place the completed wonton on the cookie sheet and move on to the next one!
- Once the oil is ready for frying (you can test the temperature by tearing off a small piece of bread and dropping it into the oil—look for nice, small bubbles surrounding the bread), carefully add the wontons to the hot oil. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan; fry the wontons in batches to ensure they cook evenly.Cook the wontons for about 5-8 minutes, turning them over when one side reaches a beautiful caramel color. Once both sides are evenly fried and crisp, remove the wontons with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels to drain any excess oil.
- Serve the freshly fried crab rangoon with your favorite sweet and sour sauce on the side for dipping.
