Jigger & Joy — Secrets of the speakeasy, Spirit of the pub
Jigger & JoyFood & Party Recipes← All Recipes
Polynesian-American

Crab Rangoon

Crispy wonton purses filled with cream cheese and crab, served with sweet chili sauce

hot_biteMediumPolynesian-American
Prep25 minCook15 minTotal40 minServes24Temphot
⚠ Contains: 🦐 Shellfish, 🥛 Dairy, 🌾 Gluten, 🥚 Egg
Recipe
Ingredients
  • 8 ozcream cheese(softened)
  • 6 ozlump crab meat(picked over for shells)
  • 2green onions(thinly sliced)
  • 1 clovegarlic(minced)
  • 1 tspWorcestershire sauce
  • 0.5 tspsesame oil
  • 0.25 tspwhite pepper
  • 24wonton wrappers
  • vegetable oil(for frying)
  • 0.5 cupsweet chili sauce(for serving)
Make Ahead

Rangoons can be assembled and frozen up to 1 month; fry from frozen adding 1-2 minutes. Best served immediately after frying.

Instructions
  1. 1Mix cream cheese, crab, green onions, garlic, Worcestershire, sesame oil, and white pepper
  2. 2Place 1 teaspoon filling in center of each wonton wrapper
  3. 3Moisten edges with water
  4. 4Bring all four corners together and pinch to seal, creating a purse shape
  5. 5Heat 2 inches oil to 350°F
  6. 6Fry rangoons in batches 2-3 minutes until golden brown
  7. 7Drain on wire rack
  8. 8Serve hot with sweet chili sauce
Notes
Pro Tips

Real crab makes a difference, but quality imitation crab works in a pinch. Seal the wontons completely to prevent bursting. The oil temperature is crucial - too hot and they brown before heating through. Serve immediately for maximum crispiness.

History & Origin

Crab Rangoon is a purely American invention, created in the tiki bar era of the 1950s. Often attributed to Trader Vic's, these crispy wontons with their cream cheese filling became a Polynesian restaurant staple, despite having no connection to actual Polynesian cuisine.

Cocktail Pairings
Pairs Well With
mai-taiscorpion-bowlsakebeer
Save & Share
Polynesian-American◆Medium