I know it’s a bold statement, but these easy homemade crab rangoons really are the best I’ve had (including at my favorite restaurants). They are ridiculously good! I’m so excited for you to try this recipe! We developed it with Chef Richard Hattaway, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. Every time we’ve tested this recipe, the wontons disappear in minutes!
Key Ingredients
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. Crab: I love using real crab for these. We used Dungeness crab in the photos and video, but blue crabmeat is also excellent. Imitation crab works, too (surimi), but it tastes milder and sweeter than real crab. Cream cheese: This makes our crab rangoon filling creamy and rich while helping to bind everything together. You might notice that our recipe calls for less cream cheese than other recipes, making these more crab-forward and less heavy. Veggies: For flavor, we stir in sliced green onion, chopped red bell pepper, and a bit of garlic. I highly recommend using all three. Soy sauce: Crabmeat is naturally salty, so you don’t need much seasoning in the filling. I add a teaspoon of soy sauce or tamari to the mix.
How to Make Crab Rangoon
My favorite crab rangoon filling is super simple to put together. I use real crab. Fresh or pasteurized crab is usually pretty wet, so I add it to a colander and let it drain for a few minutes. Then, I look through it and pick out any shells. Once the crabmeat is drained and free of shells, I mix it with softened cream cheese, green onion, red bell pepper, garlic, and soy sauce. The filling is simple but so tasty! There are a few ways to fold your wontons for crab rangoon, but I stick with the easiest method: making a simple envelope. Watch our video to see how I do it! I start by adding a teaspoon of filling to the middle of my wonton wrapper (any more, and it will be too full). Then, I brush a little egg wash onto the edges. Next, I fold the bottom corner of the wonton over the filling to meet the top corner, which forms a triangle. As I press the triangle together, I press out any air trapped in the middle. To finish, I brush more egg wash onto one side of the triangle and then fold the wonton like an envelope. If any of that was confusing, watch me fold wontons for crab rangoon in our video! For the best crab rangoon rivaling your favorite restaurants, fry them in oil. That’s coming from someone who goes above and beyond to avoid frying at home. I’ve tried baking and air frying these, and while both methods work, fried is SO much better! I fry them in a small, tall saucepan. This way, I don’t use a ton of oil, and since I only add 2 to 3 inches of oil, there’s plenty of room to fry the wontons without the oil rising too close to the top. Our recipe below makes about 24 wontons, so I fry them in batches, about 6 at a time. They only take a few minutes, so they go quickly! Occasionally, a wonton will split and cause the oil to spit around it. If you’ve left enough room in your pot, this should not be a problem. If you are worried, place a splatter screen over the pot. And while we show cooking these on the stove in our video, I’ve since purchased a Fry Daddy, which works wonders for small-batch frying (not sponsored, just like it!). I serve these with our homemade sweet and sour sauce (it’s so good), which takes 5 minutes to make. You’ll love it (the recipe is below).
Make Ahead and Storing Tips
Filling: Store the filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Uncooked wontons: Freeze them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet until hard. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag and store them for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, you can fry them directly from frozen. Cooked wontons: Freeze cooked crab rangoon in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag and store them for up to 3 months. To reheat, bake in a 300°F (150°C) oven until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.
4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, softened 1 green onion, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper 1 small clove garlic, grated on a microplane or finely minced 1 teaspoon light soy sauce or tamari 26 wonton wrappers Peanut oil or vegetable oil for frying 6 tablespoons (75g) granulated sugar 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar 2In a medium bowl, stir the cream cheese, green onion, bell pepper, garlic, and soy sauce. Fold in the crabmeat. 3Make an egg wash by whisking one egg with a tablespoon of water in a small bowl. 4Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust with flour. 5Lay a few wontons out on a lightly floured work surface. Keep the rest under a damp towel or plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. 6Place one teaspoon of the cream cheese filling in the middle of each wonton. Moisten the edges with the egg wash, then fold into a triangle, pushing as much air out of the middle as possible. Moisten one of the corners of the triangle, and then bring the two corners together, overlapping the moistened corner on top of the other corner and pressing to seal to make a little envelope. Watch us do this in our video. 7Place filled and folded wontons onto the prepared baking sheet and cover with a clean dishcloth. Repeat with remaining wontons (this recipe makes about 24). 2Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C) as registered on an instant-read thermometer. 3Carefully drop 5 to 6 wontons into the oil. Cook, adjusting the heat to maintain close to 350°F (175°C). Use a wire mesh spider to flip them in the oil. 4When the wontons look crisp and golden brown, carefully transfer them to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat with remaining wontons. 2Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and set aside for serving. If needed, warm the sauce after frying the wontons.
