{"id":244076,"date":"2018-01-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-09-22T00:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/origin-www.tasteofhome.com\/recipes\/crispy-crab-rangoon\/"},"modified":"2024-09-22T08:12:27","modified_gmt":"2024-09-22T13:12:27","slug":"crispy-crab-rangoon","status":"publish","type":"recipe","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/recipes\/crispy-crab-rangoon\/","title":{"rendered":"Crab Rangoon"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u00a0Mad Men<\/em> era, it’s become a staple on American Chinese restaurant menus across the country, and a party staple.<\/p>\n

Our fried crab rangoon recipe uses imitation crabmeat, but we also have air-fryer crab rangoons<\/a> and baked crab rangoons<\/a> that include fresh crabmeat. Make a batch\u2014or several\u2014and stock them in your freezer so you’re ready for an indulgent snack anytime.<\/p>\n

What is crab rangoon?<\/h2>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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\u2014including cream cheese, which was also very popular at the time\u2014 at the behest of owner Victor Bergeron. A delicious appetizer was born!<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Crab Rangoon Ingredients<\/h2>\n

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