Crab rangoon wontons are always popular at buffets and dinner parties. They make a great appetizer before a meat or poultry main course. You can garnish them with fresh dill if you like. Since dill is traditionally served with fish, this will indicate to your dinner guests that the wontons contain fish or seafood.
Crab rangoon wontons are known as crab puffs in Pacific northwest states. They might also be called crab meat cheese, cheese crab wontons, crab pillows or crab cheese wontons. Regardless of how you call them, these crab rangoon wontons are always amazing.
Crab Rangoon Wontons: History of Crab Rangoon
Crab rangoon has featured on Trader Vic’s menu since 1957. This San Francisco eatery claims the Polynesian-style dish came from an authentic Burmese recipe and was invented there, although modern crab rangoon wontons have evolved from the original spiced crab dish.
Cream cheese is not used in Asian cuisine so the filling is unlikely to have Asian roots. Serve these delicious appetizers with plum sauce, mustard, sweet and sour sauce or soy sauce, for dipping.
Crab Rangoon wontons are always great to serve as an appetizer or to liven up your buffet table. The combination of crab and cream cheese is simple yet magical.
Although this is not an authentic Chinese recipe, the use of wonton wrappers to contain the crab and cheese filling is genius, and you are sure to love both the texture and the taste of these magnificent little treats.
The kids will love these and so will the grownups. Because the cheese keeps the wontons very moist, you do not need to serve a dipping sauce with these unless you especially want to.
PrintCrab Rangoon Wontons
Cream cheese and crab combine with garlic, green onions and soy sauce to make the filling for these crispy wontons. Crab Rangoon wontons make a fabulous appetizer and eating one leads to eating more!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 6 mins
- Total Time: 21 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Wonton
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
- 8 oz (225g) cream cheese
- 1 cup (250g) flaked crabmeat (canned or fresh)
- 1 finely minced garlic clove
- 1 ½ finely chopped green (spring) onions
- ½ teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 package 4 inch (10 cm) wonton wrappers
- 2 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Fresh dill weed, to garnish
Instructions
- Let the cream cheese come to room temperature, then beat it with the soy sauce, onions, garlic and a pinch each of salt and black pepper. Mix in the crabmeat.
- Put a teaspoon of crab rangoon mixture in the center of each wonton wrapper, then spread it out a bit but keeping it away from the edges.
- Wet the 4 points of the wonton wrapper with water and bring them all towards the center (like in the photo) to seal them.
- Heat the oil in a pot to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and fry the wontons in batches for 3 minutes or until they are light golden brown. Drain them on paper towels and serve hot, garnished with fresh dill.
These beautifully shaped crab rangoon wontons are filled with the lovely crab and cheese mixture, and cooked to crispy perfection. Make them look as elegant as those in the picture by adding a delicate sprig of fresh dill weed, plus a colorful vegetable garnish.
If you are just making a basic snack, you can make these in another shape, perhaps triangles or moneybag shapes, then serve them on a paper towel-lined platter so everyone can help themselves.
These crab rangoon wontons are versatile and suitable for any occasion depending how they are garnished and presented. Crab Rangoon wontons are one of the best-known types of wontons.
