Crab Rangoon (The Best Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (2024)

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The best and authentic Crab Rangoon recipe with cream cheese, crab and wonton wrapper. These Crab Rangoon are fail proof and much better than Chinese takeouts!

Crab Rangoon (The Best Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (1)

Crab Rangoon (The Best Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (2)

Table of Contents

Crab Rangoon Recipe

What is Crab Rangoon?

It’s an appetizer found in many Chinese restaurants in the United States.

Many people wonder if crab Rangoon is authentic and the answer is no. It is a classic American creation even though they are mostly served in Chinese restaurants.

These dainty appetizers are basically fried wontons filled with cream cheese, with real crab meat in the filling.

They are deep-fried to golden brown and usually served with a pink-color sweet and sour dipping sauce.

I first encountered them at a Chinese buffet restaurant in the Midwest. They have since become one of my favorite appetizers!

Crab Rangoon (The Best Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (3)

Other Recipes You Might Like

  • Fried Wonton Recipe
  • Chicken Wontons
  • Shrimp Gyoza
Crab Rangoon (The Best Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (4)

How to Make Crab Rangoon?

There are three few key ingredients in the recipe: cream cheese, wonton wrapper and crab meat.

First, you make the filling by mixing cream cheese and crab meat together.

Next, wrap the filling in the middle of a wonton wrapper. Make sure you seal it tight and there is no leakage.

Finally, deep fry until golden brown. It’s that easy!

Tips for the Best Homemade Crab Rangoon

For the best results, please follow the cooking techniques below:

  • Use square wonton wrappers to wrap the cream cheese and crab filling. You can get wonton wrappers at Asian supermarkets or food stores. You can also find wonton wrappers in many regular supermarkets now, for example: Whole Foods.
  • Use real crab meat for the cream cheese filling. You can use fresh crab meat, frozen crab meat or canned crab meat. If crab is not an option, you can use imitation crab meat sticks. Just cut and shred up the imitation crab meat before using.
  • Wrap the cream cheese and crab mixture using wonton wrappers. Do not overfill with too much filling.
  • Seal each wonton wrapper tight so there is no leakage. Pinch it up like a little purse and deep fry to golden brown.
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Frequently Asked Questions:

Is There Crab in Crab Rangoon?

Yes! You can use either fresh crab, canned crab or artificial crab.

What’s the Difference between Fried Wontons and Crab Rangoon?

Fried wonton is a Chinese appetizer wrapped with wonton wrapper and filled with meat such as ground pork, chicken and/or shrimp.

The latter is a type of wontons with cream cheese and crab as the filling.

Can You Freeze Crab Rangoon?

Yes, once they are assembled and wrapped, you can freeze them in the refrigerator. Thaw to room temperature before deep-frying.

Can I Use Air Fryer for This Recipe?

Yes, you certainly can. Just follow the instructions of your manual for perfectly crispy and authentic crab rangoons better than Chinese takeout.

Can I Bake Crab Rangoon?

Yes, you can use an oven to bake. The color of the wrapper won’t turn golden brown, but they are equally delicious!

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Crab Rangoon Calories per Serving?

Crab Rangoon is pretty healthy and each one is only 26 calories, so you can definitely eat lots of them.

What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?

Serve Crab Rangoon with other Chinese recipes. For a Chinese-restaurant style meal at home, I recommend the following recipes.

Hot and Sour Soup

Chow Mein

Kung Pao Chicken

Mongolian Beef

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Crab Rangoon

Best and authentic Crab Rangoon recipe with cream cheese, crab and wonton wrapper. These Crab Rangoon are fail proof and much better than Chinese takeouts!

4.52 from 260 votes

Print

By Bee Yinn Low

Yield 20 pieces

Prep 15 minutes mins

Cook 5 minutes mins

Total 20 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 1 cube Kraft Philadelphia Regular Cream Cheese (room temperature)
  • 2 oz. (60g) crab meat (finely diced, or 2 sticks imitation crab meat )
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 20 wonton wrappers
  • oil (for deep frying)

Instructions

  • Mix all the cream cheese, crab meat, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Stir to blend well. Place about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese filling in the middle of a wonton wrapper.

    Crab Rangoon (The Best Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (11)

  • Dab some water on the outer edges of the wonton wrapper and fold the two ends of the wrapper together. Fold the other two ends to make a tiny parcel pictured below. Pinch to seal tight and make sure that there is no leakage.

  • Heat up a pot of oil for deep-frying and fry the crab rangoon until golden brown. Dish out with a strainer or slotted spoon, draining the excess oil by laying the crab rangoon on a dish lined with paper towels.

  • Let the crab rangoon cools down a bit before serving them with sweet and sour sauce.

Notes

Use real crab meat if possible. Don't serve the crab Rangoon immediately after deep-frying as the filling will be too hot! To make the sweet and sour Crab Rangoon dipping sauce, please refer to mysweet and sour pork recipe.

Course: Chinese Recipes

Cuisine: Appetizer

Keywords: Crab Rangoon

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Crab Rangoon

Amount Per Serving (20 pieces)

Calories 26Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 2mg1%

Sodium 69mg3%

Carbohydrates 5g2%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 1g2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

Crab Rangoon (The Best Recipe!) - Rasa Malaysia (2024)

FAQs

Do Chinese restaurants use real crab in Rangoon? ›

The filling is made with a combination of cream cheese, crab meat or imitation crab meat, scallions or onion, garlic, and other flavorings. A small amount of the filling is wrapped in each wonton wrapper.

What is crab rangoon filling made of? ›

Combine cream cheese, crabmeat, green onions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce together in a bowl. To prevent wonton wrappers from drying, prepare only one or two Rangoon at a time, keeping the other wrappers under a damp towel. Place 1 teaspoon crab filling onto the center of each wonton wrapper.

What is the difference between crab rangoon and cream cheese wontons? ›

Crab rangoon is a type of fried wonton, so they are really very similar. The difference is all in the filling. Traditional wontons are not ever filled with cream cheese (which is one of the main components in crab rangoon recipes).

What is the shell of crab rangoon made of? ›

Wonton wrappers: I use thin square wonton wrappers for crab rangoon. My grocery store sells them in the refrigerated section near tofu, but you'll find an even better selection at International grocery stores. Consider using leftover wonton wrappers to make these baked wonton cups.

Does Panda Express use real crab in crab rangoon? ›

I love Panda Express' Crab Rangoons and they're so easy to make! Oddly enough, they don't use crab or imitation crab in their original recipe. Feel free to add some though, it's delicious! My local Panda Express offers 3 for $2.35.

How healthy is crab rangoon? ›

Ingredients and Nutritional Information
Amount/Serving%DV*Amount/Serving
Total Fat 21.2g53%Tot. Carb. 27g
Sat. Fat 6.9g26%Dietary Fiber 1.2g
Trans Fat 0gSugars 5g
Cholesterol 28.4mgProtein 5.7g
2 more rows
Dec 17, 2019

What culture is crab rangoon from? ›

Trader Vic's in San Francisco claimed the crab rangoon they served (first appearing on their menu in the 1950s) came from an old Burmese recipe, but food historian Herb Caen says that dish most likely was invented in the restaurant's own kitchen. In other words, crab rangoon is just as American as apple pie.

Why are some crab rangoon sweet? ›

Chinese Crab Rangoons are stuffed with cream cheese, crab meat, and scallions! These Wonton pockets go best with duck sauce or sweet and sour dipping sauce and the secret to those buffet Rangoons is to make a sweet crab Rangoon recipe using powdered sugar! This fried appetizer is addicting!

What are Panda Express rangoons made of? ›

What Makes the Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon the Best? These crispy wonton apps are stuffed with a mixture of cream cheese, scallions, and a dash of garlic powder. They make satisfying finger food for game day, or you can try dolling them up to make casual co*cktail appetizers.

Why does my crab rangoon puff up? ›

During the deep frying process, the water in the filling can turn into steam and cause the wonton to puff up and even burst, causing the filling to ooze out, leaving only an empty shell.

What is another name for crab rangoon? ›

Also known as Crab Puffs, Crab Pillows, and Cheese Wontons, these are essentially fried wontons stuffed with cream cheese and imitation crab (or sometimes real crab). They are crunchy and creamy, and they are prepared nearly the same at every restaurant. When and where did Crab Rangoons originate?

What is crab rangoon sauce made of? ›

Combine vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, chile flakes, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking to combine until sugar is dissolved.

Do Chinese restaurants use imitation crab in crab rangoon? ›

It depends on where you get it. Crab rangoon is typically won ton wrappers, cream cheese, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, onions/onion powder, and either crab meat or imitation crab, which is a type of cured surimi called kamaboko.

Are crab Rangoons popular in China? ›

In fact, the majority of the most famous Chinese food dishes in the west don't exist in China, including the famous Chinese takeout box, mainly because of the kind of ingredients available, for example, the cream cheese, an ingredient so uncommon in China that makes the crab rangoon almost impossible to find.

Do Chinese restaurants use real crab? ›

You're probably not eating real crab at all. According to Chowhound, crab rangoon usually isn't made with real crab meat. Imitation crab, a.k.a. surimi or "krab," is commonly the main ingredient. Fooducate describes surimi as a highly processed product composed of lean white fish pulverized into a thick paste.

Is crab rangoon made with real or imitation crab? ›

While actual crab is not the primary focus of crab rangoon, either imitation crab or the real stuff adds necessary flavor. The best shape for crab rangoon is a four-pointed star: It concentrates the filling and maximizes surface area for more crunch.

Do restaurants use canned crab? ›

It's virtually impossible to export products like seafood without preserving it. That's why even fine-dining restaurants use canned seafood.

Is imitation crab real crab? ›

Just like the name implies, imitation crab contains no crabmeat. Fish is, however, one of the main ingredients. It is made using surimi, which is a paste made of fish and a few other ingredients. Surimi is often made with pollock, which is also used to make fish sticks and breaded fish products.

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