Crab Rangoon (Crab Puffs) With Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (2024)

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Crisp and bubbly with a molten center of oozy, tangy cream cheese, scallions and crab.

By

J. Kenji López-Alt

Crab Rangoon (Crab Puffs) With Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (1)

J. Kenji López-Alt

Culinary Consultant

Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.

Learn about Serious Eats'Editorial Process

Updated September 06, 2023

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Why It Works

  • 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.

I asked the folks over on my Facebook Page what their favorite Chinese restaurant appetizer is. I was expecting dumplings, spring rolls, perhaps hot and sour soup. What I got instead was a deluge of crab rangoon, with more than twice as many votes as any other dish.

Crab Rangoon (Crab Puffs) With Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (2)

The people have spoken, so I shall deliver.

Crisp, bubbly wonton wrappers with a molten center of oozy, tangy cream cheese lightly scented with scallions and a vague hint of crab. Who can argue with that?

Crab Rangoon (Crab Puffs) With Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (3)

Crab vs. Krab

This, of course, raises the question: Do you even need to use crab in there? And what about real crab versus krab, a.k.a surimi the red-dyed sticks of ground and formed fish that resemble crab-flavored string cheese? I fried up a few batches, one made with real crab, one made with fake krab, and one with no crab at all to gauge the difference.

Crab Rangoon (Crab Puffs) With Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (4)

Certainly, no crab was not the way to go. I mean, they were tasty and all, but it turns out that crab, even artificial crab, adds an essential flavor to the crispy puffs. A little salty, and a little briny. As far as real vs. fake, it's a toss-up. The real crab had a much more distinctly "fishy" flavor which might turn some people off. The krab was a lot less assertive: One of my party guests is a hardcore no-fish eater, but even he didn't mind the flavor of the fake stuff.

Crab Rangoon (Crab Puffs) With Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (5)

Shaping Up

The only other question is shape. Simple folded triangles are the easiest to form, but they have a tendency to puff up like a balloon and blow out as they fry, spewing hot crab into the oil and causing it to bubble, pop, and probably burn your arms (or worse, if you, like me, enjoy frying topless). You can also fold and twist them into little tortellini or bunch them up into little purses. But the king of shapes, the crab rangoon ne plus ultra, is the four-pointed star. Not only does it bunch up all the filling into an easily burst-able sphere, it also maximizes surface area on the skin, giving you more crunch per wonton.

April 2011

Recipe Details

Crab Rangoon (Crab Puffs) With Sweet and Sour Sauce

Prep60 mins

Cook20 mins

Active60 mins

Total80 mins

Serves6to 10 servings

Makes40 pieces

Ingredients

For the Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce

  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar

  • 3/4 cup brown sugar

  • 2 tablespoons ketchup

  • 2 teaspoons red chile flakes (more or less to taste, see note)

  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon water

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

  • 1/2 cup fresh pineapple chunks or canned chunks, drained

For the Crab Rangoon

  • 8 ounces softened cream cheese

  • 6 ounces picked crab meat (or surimi, cut into 1/2-inch pieces)

  • 6 scallions, whites only, finely sliced (about 1/2 cup)

  • 1 pack square wonton wrappers (preferably yellow), about 40-50 pieces

  • 2 quarts peanut oil

  • Kosher salt

Directions

  1. 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. Combine remaining tablespoon water and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk with a fork to form a slurry. Whisk into sauce and bring to a boil. Allow to cool while you form the crab rangoon.

    Crab Rangoon (Crab Puffs) With Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (6)

  2. Combine cream cheese, crab, and scallions in a medium bowl and fold with a spatula. Lay one wonton wrapper out on a cutting board (keep the rest under plastic wrap or a damp towel) and place a small amount of filling in the center (about 1 1/2 teaspoons). Moisten the edges with a wet fingertip, then seal by either folding it in half in a triangular shape, or by pushing the four edges in towards the center to create a four-pointed star. Be careful not to allow any air to remain inside as you seal them. Transfer to a large plate, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and repeat until all of the filling is used.

    Crab Rangoon (Crab Puffs) With Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (7)

  3. To finish the sauce, add pineapple chunks and puree with an immersion blender or by transferring to a standing blender.

    Crab Rangoon (Crab Puffs) With Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (8)

  4. Heat oil in a wok or Dutch oven to 375°F (190°C) as registered on an instant read thermometer. Carefully add 10 to 12 wontons to the oil. Cook, adjusting flame to maintain temperature and agitating and flipping them constantly with a wire mesh spider until crisp and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined bowl to drain, season with salt, and serve immediately with sweet and sour sauce.

    Crab Rangoon (Crab Puffs) With Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (9)

Notes

Crab rangoons can be frozen after step 2. Space them out on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the freezer until completely frozen, then transfer to a zipper-lock bag. They'll keep for up to three months. The two teaspoons of chile flakes in this sauce will make it moderately spicy. You can adjust the heat level to your taste (or omit it entirely).

  • Crab
  • Chinese-American
  • Fried Seafood
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
458Calories
26g Fat
41g Carbs
14g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6to 10
Amount per serving
Calories458
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g34%
Saturated Fat 8g41%
Cholesterol 75mg25%
Sodium 737mg32%
Total Carbohydrate 41g15%
Dietary Fiber 1g4%
Total Sugars 18g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 4mg21%
Calcium 88mg7%
Iron 2mg10%
Potassium 255mg5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Crab Rangoon (Crab Puffs) With Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between crab rangoon and crab puffs? ›

Are crab puffs and crab rangoons the same thing? Yes, crab puffs and crab rangoons are the same things.

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. Combine remaining tablespoon water and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk with a fork to form a slurry.

Why do my crab rangoons 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 crab rangoon filling made of? ›

In a small bowl, gently combine crab meat, cream cheese, green onion, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce (if using), and garlic powder. Layout 3 wonton wrappers at a time. Place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of each. Dab the edges with water and fold the two opposite corners together to form a triangle.

Is Panda Express crab rangoon real crab? ›

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.

Do Crab Puffs have real crab? ›

Preparation. 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 ethnicity is crab rangoon? ›

Cursory online research will tell you that a dish resembling present-day crab rangoon first appeared on the menu of legendary tiki bar and restaurant Trader Vic's, though some sources hypothesize these stuffed crab puffs emerged around the turn of the century in British-controlled Burma.

Is Chinese crab rangoon healthy? ›

Worst: Crab Rangoon

It's mostly cream cheese, wrapped in dough and deep-fried to create bite-sized calorie bombs. Because they're small, it's easy to eat more than one. Finish an order of 4, and you're likely to get more than half the calories and fat you should have in an entire meal.

Do Chinese restaurants use real crab in crab rangoon? ›

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.

What can you use instead of wonton wrappers for crab rangoon? ›

Although crab rangoon is usually made into small wontons, I made my version using egg roll wrappers. Since the egg roll wrappers are bigger than wonton wrappers, they hold more filling, and take less time to make. Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls are an easy way to enjoy crab rangoon in a slightly larger vessel.

Are money bags the same as crab Rangoons? ›

THE SECRET: At first glance, you might think Money Bags are the same as Chinese crab rangoon. It is only after a taste that you realize they are uniquely Thai. "People love the cream cheese taste," Piyassaphan says, "but it is the seasoning that makes them special.

What kind of oil do you fry crab rangoons in? ›

HOW DO YOU FRY CRAB RANGOON?
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a deep stock pot/Dutch oven or deep-fat fryer to 350 degrees F or medium high heat.
  2. Gently add wontons in batches so they don't overcrowd the pot.
  3. Fry until golden brown, either pressing down with a metal spyder to submerge or turning over once to cook evenly.

Are cream cheese wontons the same as rangoons? ›

Wontons and crab Rangoon are, on the surface, similar dishes: They're both a form of dumpling (essentially, a dough pocket) stuffed with some kind of filling. However, crab Rangoon has a specific type of filling, while wontons have a little more wiggle room when it comes to what they're stuffed with.

What kind of crab is used in rangoon? ›

Crab Rangoon Ingredients

The cream cheese will be easier to mix if it is room temperature. Lump Crab Meat: You can use lump crab meat that is found in the refrigerated meat section of the grocery store, or you can also find canned lump crab meat! I recommend using real crab meat over imitation crab meat.

Are crab puffs healthy? ›

Worst: Crab Rangoon

It's mostly cream cheese, wrapped in dough and deep-fried to create bite-sized calorie bombs. Because they're small, it's easy to eat more than one. Finish an order of 4, and you're likely to get more than half the calories and fat you should have in an entire meal.

What are the two types of crab cakes? ›

Two Styles of Crab Cake

These are the boardwalk style and restaurant style. The restaurant style is also known as the gourmet style and does not rely on breading; at the very least, it's not supposed to. Instead, they are broiled over open flames or cooked in a buttered pan.

What is the difference between crab cheese wonton and crab rangoon? ›

While wonton filling can vary from pork to shrimp with seasonings like ginger, garlic, scallions, and soy sauce, crab rangoon always has cream cheese and crab filling.

What's the difference between crab rangoon and cream cheese wonton? ›

Crab Rangoon Has A Specific Filling

This mixture creates a luscious, slightly sweet, and tangy flavor profile, resulting in a delightful contrast to its crispy, deep-fried wonton wrapper. In contrast, the filling of wontons is a savory symphony of flavors.

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