Crab Rangoon

Crab rangoon is a quintessentially American food mashup, a product of American Chinese food’s popularity in the mid 20th century. These crispy, deep-fried wontons filled with tangy cream cheese, crab and aromatics were served as an appetizer at Trader Vic’s, the original Polynesian-inspired tiki bar restaurant. Since the Mad Men era, it’s become a staple on American Chinese restaurant menus across the country, and a party staple.

Our fried crab rangoon recipe uses imitation crabmeat, but we also have air-fryer crab rangoons and baked crab rangoons that include fresh crabmeat. Make a batch—or several—and stock them in your freezer so you’re ready for an indulgent snack anytime.

What is crab rangoon?

Crab rangoon is the name for little bundles of cream cheese and crab, wrapped in a wonton then deep-fried until golden brown. In true American fashion, this dish has an unusual mix of ingredients from unrelated backgrounds, and that’s what makes them so good.

Rangoon is the former name of the current city of Yangon in Myanmar, yet this crispy snack is not related to any foods from Myanmar. With American Chinese cuisine and tiki culture becoming popular in the United States in the 1950s, a Chinese-American worker at Trader Vic’s named Joe Young is thought to have invented crab rangoon by throwing some ingredients together—including cream cheese, which was also very popular at the time— at the behest of owner Victor Bergeron. A delicious appetizer was born!

Unlike many crab rangoon recipes today, Trader Vic’s version is slightly more complex and luxurious, including real crabmeat and A.1. Steak Sauce. In all of its forms, this crispy, creamy fried delight is a staple at many American Chinese restaurants today.

Crab Rangoon Ingredients

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• Cream cheese: Cream cheese is the base of the creamy filling. Make sure it’s softened for easier mixing.
• Aromatics: Green onions and minced garlic boost the flavor of the filling.
• Crabmeat: We use imitation crab, a blend of pureed mild-flavored whitefish that is seasoned, bound, colored and shaped to look and taste like the real (pricier) deal. It’s often used as an inexpensive crab substitute in dishes like California rolls or crab dips and fillings.
• Wonton wrappers: Wonton wrappers are thin, square sheets of dough made from wheat flour, salt, water and sometimes cornstarch, egg or yellow food coloring. Be sure to use wonton wrappers, not dumpling, egg roll or spring roll wrappers. Wonton wrappers sold in Asian markets are often thinner and more delicate than the ones in American supermarkets, and will fry up crispier. Look for them in the refrigerated section.
• Oil: Neutral-flavored cooking oils with a high smoke point, like canola, are ideal for deep-frying.
• Sweet-and-sour sauce: A thick, sweet and tangy sauce is the usual condiment paired with crab rangoon. A bottled sauce works fine, but you can also make your own sweet and sour sauce from scratch.

Directions

Step 1: Make the filling

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese until it’s smooth. Stir in the onions, crab and garlic.

Step 2: Wrap up the dumplings

Place about 1-1/2 teaspoons of filling in the center of a wonton wrapper. (Keep the remaining wrappers covered with a damp paper towel until you’re ready to use them.) Moisten the edges with water, then fold the opposite corners over the filling and press the edges to seal the dumplings. Repeat until you’ve used up all the filling.

Editor’s Tip: To prevent crab rangoons from sticking to each other, transfer wrapped dumplings to a lightly floured plate or baking sheet, leaving space between each rangoon. Wrap unused wrappers tightly in plastic wrap and store them in a zip-top bag in the freezer. You can make a lot of snacks with wonton wrappers beyond the crab rangoons!

Step 3: Fry the crab rangoon

In an electric skillet, heat 1 inch of oil to 375°F. Fry the wontons in batches until they’re golden brown, for about one minute on each side. Drain them on paper towels. Serve them with sweet-and-sour sauce.

Editor’s Tip: Let the fried crab rangoons rest for a couple of minutes before serving—the filling gets super hot and can cause burns.

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Crab Rangoon Variations

• Use the real stuff: Go luxe and use real crabmeat in this recipe for crab rangoon. Make sure you pick through for any shells before mixing the filling.
• Add more flavor: Give the filling a little more oomph with any of the following: a dash of Worcestershire sauce, A.1. sauce, soy sauce, lemon zest and/or lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning or diced fresh chiles. Lean into Asian aromatics and add grated or minced gingerroot, sesame oil or white pepper. A surprising ingredient in some recipes for crab rangoon is sugar.
• Bake or air-fry: To bake, preheat the oven to 350°. Arrange the wontons in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake them until they’re golden and crispy, 15 to 18 minutes. To air-fry, preheat the air fryer to 350°. Spray the basket with cooking spray. Working in batches, arrange the wontons in a single layer in the basket and spray them with more cooking spray. Cook them until they’re golden and crispy. The cooking time will differ depending on the air fryer, but check them around 5 minutes.
• Wrap it pretty: Both baked and air-fried crab rangoons can be shaped into more impressive-looking four-pointed stars (this shape doesn’t work as well when shallow-frying). Fold two opposite corners of wrappers together over filling and press tips together to seal. Repeat with the remaining two corners, pressing out any air pockets before pinching to seal all the tips at the top to make a four-pointed star.
• Try another dip: Crab rangoon can be paired with several other sauces. Try sauces that go well with fried Asian foods like Chinese-style mustard, a soy-based dipping sauce like the one in this scallion pancake recipe, Thai sweet chili sauce, duck sauce, plum sauce, satay sauce and tamarind or mango chutney.

How to Store Crab Rangoons

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Like most fried foods, once cooked, crab rangoons are best served fresh. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container. You can also store both uncooked and cooked crab rangoons in the freezer.

How long do crab rangoons last?

Cool cooked crab rangoons and then store them in an airtight container for up to four days. Uncooked and cooked crab rangoons can be frozen for up to three months.

How do you freeze crab rangoons?

To freeze cooked or uncooked crab rangoons, arrange them in a single layer on parchment-lined baking sheets and freeze them until they’re firm before transferring them to airtight freezer containers. They can be frozen for up to three months.

How do you reheat crab rangoons?

You can reheat crab rangoon in the oven or air fryer. Preheat an air fryer to 350° and reheat the crab rangoons for two to three minutes. You can also reheat them in a 350° oven until they’re heated through, about 10 minutes.

Can you make crab rangoon ahead of time?

The filling can be made and stored in the refrigerator up to one day ahead of time.

Crab Rangoon Tips

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How do you keep crab rangoons from exploding?

The amount of filling per crab rangoon may seem a little skimpy, but overfilling the wrappers can cause them to explode when frying. Be sure to press out any air bubbles, otherwise air pressure will build up inside. Freezing them for 15 minutes before cooking will also help avoid explosions.

How else can you fry crab rangoon?

If you don’t have an electric skillet, you can fry crab rangoons in a cast-iron or other heavy-bottomed skillet. Heat one inch of oil to 375°; working in batches, fry them until they’re golden brown and crispy, about one minute per side.

What can you serve with crab rangoon?

We like to serve a spread of crab rangoons with several dipping sauce options, plus other fun party appetizers like hot crab pinwheels, easy egg rolls and chicken satay. Don’t forget the cocktails—especially classic rum drinks, Trader Vic’s-style.