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Home » Recipes » Appetizers

Published: Aug 22, 2019 · Modified: May 12, 2021 by Nancy · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

Homemade Crab Rangoon

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Creamy, crunchy and crabby... this Crab Rangoon recipe is an "oldie but goodie" appetizer that's ready in under 30 minutes.
Creamy, crunchy and crabby... this Crab Rangoon recipe is an "oldie but goodie" appetizer that's ready in under 30 minutes.

Learn how to make the BEST Crab Rangoon. This easy seafood appetizer is crunchy, cheesy, and filled with luscious crab meat. Paired with a sweet dipping sauce, it's always the FIRST THING TO GO at any party!!!

homemade 
Crab rangoon on a platter with sweet and sour dipping sauce.
The best make ahead appetizer !

Table of contents

  • Why this Recipe Works
    • For the Crab Rangoon you will need:
  • How to Make them:
    • How to Fold Crab Rangoon:
  • What you need for the Crab Rangoon Sauce
    • How to Make Crab Rangoon Dipping Sauce:
  • Recipe Tips
  • How to Freeze Crab Rangoon:
    • How to Freeze the wontons Before Frying:
    • Freezing the Wontons After Frying:
  • More of my appetizer recipes
    • Craving more?

Why this Recipe Works

  • Crab Rangoon, also known as a crab puff, checks all the boxes - crunchy, creamy and crabby! Paired with a luscious dipping sauce, this easy Asian appetizer recipe hits all the flavor points.
  • Who doesn't love make-ahead appetizers? And this one you can totally make in advance. Just mix, fold and freeze. Then all you need to do is fry them up.
  • Only 7 ingredients (if you skip making the dipping sauce) which you can totally do if you are pressed for time.

For the Crab Rangoon you will need:

Ingredients for crab rangoon

How to Make them:

  1. Make the filling - Combine the crab, cream cheese, salt and garlic powder in a bowl and stir to combine.
  2. Prep the wontons-Lay a wonton down on a cutting board and brush the edges with a beaten egg.
  3. Fill the wonton with the cream cheese and crab mixture.
  4. Seal the wonton - Fold the wonton over and press to seal the edges, making sure to press out any air bubbles.
  5. Fry the wontons - Heat the oil in a large stockpot or dutch oven. Use a clip-on deep-fry thermometer to monitor the oil temperature.

How to Fold Crab Rangoon:

  • brushing the wonton wrapper with egg wash.
    Brush the wonton edges with egg wash.
  • spooning the crab rangoon filling onto the wonton wrapper
    Place the filling on the wonton
  • folding the wonton wrapper over the crab rangoon filling.
    Fold the wonton over
  • folding a sealing the crab rangoon wonton.
    Seal and press out the air bubbles
  • Brush the edge with egg wash
  • Folding the triangle corners over the center of the crab rangoon wonton wrapper.
    Fold the ends over
  • finished crab rangoon wrapper with corners folded over the front like an envelope.
    Finished wonton

What you need for the Crab Rangoon Sauce

How to Make Crab Rangoon Dipping Sauce:

  1. Heat the crushed pineapple, sugar, 1 cup water, vinegar and soy sauce to boiling.
  2. Mix the cornstarch with the two tablespoons cold water, stirring until thoroughly combined.
  3. Add to the pineapple mixture and bring back to a boil.
  4. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
  5. Add the plum sauce.
  6. If not using immediately, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks
dipping a crab rangoon into the sweet and sour dipping sauce.

Recipe Tips

How do you keep the wontons from exploding?

When the wontons are fried, any air trapped inside with convert to steam and break apart the wonton. So, be sure to press out any air bubbles when sealing the wontons.

What oil should you use for frying Crab Rangoon?

Vegetable and canola oil are the best choices since both oils have a neutral flavor and can be heated to a high temperature.

How to make them crispy wontons?

Crispy wontons are all about the temperature of the oil. If the temperature is too low, the wontons will soak up the oil and become greasy. If the temperature is too high, the wontons will cook on the outside but not on the inside!
To get crispy wontons, heat the oil to 350 degrees. Fry a few wontons at a time - don't crowd the pot. Use a deep-fry thermometer monitor the temperature and increase/decrease the heat as needed.

How to Freeze Crab Rangoon:

You can freeze Crab Rangoon before or after frying. If you want the crispiest wontons though, freeze them before frying.

How to Freeze the wontons Before Frying:

After folding all of the wontons, lay them on a parchment-lined sheet pan and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Transfer the wontons to a sealed container and return to the freezer.

Freezing the Wontons After Frying:

Let the wontons cool. When cool, layer them in a lidded container, using parchment in between the layers.

To reheat, place the wontons on a parchment-lined sheet pan and place in a 350-degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until the wontons are hot. Serve with the dipping sauce!

crab rangoon laid out on a sheet pan to be frozen

More of my appetizer recipes

Some of my favorite appetizer recipes!

  • These easy yogurt flatbreads make a great base for scooping up this Roasted Red Pepper Dip!
  • Spanish style Stuffed Mushrooms are loved by both vegetarians and meat lovers alike. Flavored with shallots, lemon zest and parmesan they are deliciously simple to make.
  • Everyone loves fritters and these Corn Fritters with Hatch Chiles are absolutely swoon worthy.

Craving more?

Get my newsletter and follow along on Pinterest and Facebook for more fabulous recipes and tips from A Communal Table!

Crab Rangoon on a platter with dipping sauce in the background.

Crab Rangoon

Crab Rangoon is a classic  recipe and much easier to make than you would think! 
0
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Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Chinese
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 20 wontons
Calories: 123kcal
Author: Nancy Buchanan

Ingredients

  • 6 oz. crabmeat picked through for shells
  • two 8 oz. packages cream cheese softened
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 20 wonton wrappers
  • 1 egg slightly beaten
  • Oil for frying

Crab Rangoon Dipping Sauce

  • 20 oz. can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 Tablespoons cold water
  • 1 cup plum sauce

Instructions

  • For the Crab Rangoon:
  • In a medium bowl, mix together the crabmeat, cream cheese, salt and garlic powder until well combined.
  • Lay one wonton wrapper on a clean work surface with one corner facing up (so wonton wrapper looks like a diamond). Cover the remaining wonton wrappers with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out.
  • Brush the edges of the wonton with the beaten egg.
  • Place a heaping teaspoon of the crab/cream cheese mixture on the center of wonton.
  • Fold the bottom up to the top to form a triangle shape.
  • Carefully press the wonton around the filling, smoothing out any air.
  • Dab a bit of the beaten egg on each size of the triangle and fold the ends towards the center.
  • Repeat with the remaining wontons until you used all the filling.
  • Fill a deep skillet with 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil and heat to 350 degrees.
  • Fry 8 - 10 wontons at a time, turning 2 or 3 times until the wontons are golden brown, about 2 minutes.
  • Drain on paper towels.
  • Serve with sweet and sour sauce

For the Crab Rangoon Dipping Sauce

  • Heat the pineapple with syrup, sugar, 1 cup water, vinegar and soy sauce to boiling.
  • Mix the cornstarch with the two tablespoons cold water, stirring until thoroughly combined.
  • Add to the pineapple mixture and bring back to a boil.
  • Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
  • Add the plum sauce.
  • If not using immediately, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Recipe Notes

Notes:

Ingredients

You can use either fresh or canned crab. 
For best results, use a neutral-flavored oil like vegetable oil or canola oil. 

Making the Wontons:

To keep the wontons from breaking: When the wontons are fried, any air trapped inside with convert to steam and break apart the wonton. So, be sure to press out any air bubbles when sealing the wontons.
For the Crispiest Wontons: Crispy wontons are all about the temperature of the oil. If the temperature is too low, the wontons will soak up the oil and become greasy. If the temperature is too high, the wontons will cook on the outside but not on the inside!
To get crispy wontons, heat the oil to 350 degrees. Fry a few wontons at a time - don't crowd the pot. Use a deep-fry thermometer monitor the temperature and increase/decrease the heat as needed.

How to Freeze Crab Rangoon:

You can freeze Crab Rangoon before or after frying. If you want the crispiest wontons though, freeze them before frying.

How to Freeze the wontons Before Frying:

After folding all of the wontons, lay them on a parchment-lined sheet pan and place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Transfer the wontons to a sealed container and return to the freezer.

Freezing the Wontons After Frying:

Let the wontons cool. When cool, layer them in a lidded container, using parchment in between the layers.
To reheat, place the wontons on a parchment-lined sheet pan and place in a 350-degree oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until the wontons are hot. Serve with the dipping sauce!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 123kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 309mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 36IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
YOU KNOW I WANT TO SEE IT!Mention @Acommunaltable or tag #acommunaltable!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mark says

    March 11, 2018 at 1:27 pm

    5 stars
    My wife set these out for a party at our house. I got in trouble for eating most of them before the guests arrived. Great appetizers.

    Reply
  2. Valentina says

    August 24, 2019 at 10:02 pm

    5 stars
    Nancy, this recipe sounds so delicious, and fun to make! I love your new table of contents function. Brilliant! And the step-by-step photos are so helpful. Great guide. 🙂

    Reply
    • Nancy says

      August 27, 2019 at 12:02 pm

      Thanks Valentina - this was my first Table of Contents but the post was so darn long I thought it would be helpful since not everyone needs every step!!!

      Reply
  3. Kelly | Foodtasia says

    August 28, 2019 at 8:43 am

    5 stars
    Nancy, these look fabulous! They really can be hit and miss. Yours look so delicious. Can't wait to try them!

    Reply
    • Nancy says

      August 28, 2019 at 9:51 am

      Hi Kelly!!
      Awww... thank you! You are right, they can definitely be hit or miss! I hope you enjoy them!!!

      Reply
  4. Cathy says

    September 17, 2019 at 10:03 am

    5 stars
    WOW you have made this recipe fool-proof with all of the great photos, instructions and tips. Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Nancy says

      September 18, 2019 at 10:36 am

      Thanks Cathy! It was a LOT of fun to shoot!!!

      Reply
  5. Barbara says

    July 01, 2021 at 2:42 pm

    In Instruction #8 you say "size" of a triangle. Do you mean "side"?

    Reply
  6. Cindy says

    April 29, 2022 at 10:14 am

    Do these air fry well?

    Reply
    • Nancy says

      June 07, 2022 at 1:48 pm

      You definitely can air fry them but they won't come out quite as crispy but they are still delicious!!!

      Reply

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SALUD, BONJOUR AND CIAO!
Hi, I’m Nancy Buchanan! At A Communal Table, you’ll find simple, delicious recipes inspired by world cuisine.

With my step-by-step instructions, tips, and tricks, I invite you to explore the world…one plate at a time!
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