As a child, my parents often took me to potlucks and holiday parties with family and friends. I enjoyed these because I got to try so many different homemade recipes with a variety of cultural flavors. I remember that one year my mom decided to bring crab rangoon, which is an Asian-inspired dish that wraps crab and cream cheese filling in crisp wontons. This easily became a party favorite.

My mom would set up a whole table of wonton wrappers, filling, and water bowls for me and my sister. We always had fun folding up the wontons in whatever shape we could think of. Use your own imagination and challenge your friends to a wonton wrapping match with this delicious and easy crab rangoon recipe.

Crab Rangoon

  • Prep Time:5 minutes
  • Cook Time:15 minutes
  • Total Time:20 minutes
  • Servings:4
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 1/2 long celery sticks
  • 5 tablespoon cream cheese
  • 9 imitation crab sticks
  • 28 wonton wrappers
Photo by Ashly Kim
  • Step 1

    Chop up the celery and crab.

    Photo by Ashly Kim
  • Step 2

    Add the celery, crab, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix. Then, mix in the cream cheese.

    Photo by Ashly Kim
  • Step 3

    Add water into a separate bowl and place a wonton wrapper in one hand. Dip a finger into the water bowl and use it to damp all 4 edges of the wonton wrapper.

    Photo by Ashly Kim
  • Step 4

    Add 1/2-1 spoon full of filling in the center of the wrapper.

    Photo by Ashly Kim
  • Step 5

    Take one corner of the wonton wrapper and connect it to the opposite corner, making a triangle. Pinch the edges of the triangle to close the wrapper. Repeat steps 3-5 until all the wontons are ready to be fried.

    Photo by Ashly Kim
  • Step 6

    Put oil into a pan and set the stove temperature between medium and high. Wait a few seconds, and then place wontons side by side into the pan. Cook one side for 35-40 seconds. Then, flip and cook for 5-10 seconds.

    Photo by Ashly Kim
  • Step 7

    Plate the wontons once you’ve taken them all out of the pan. Now you’re ready to wow people at your party.

    Photo by Ashly Kim

Dipping Sauce

  • Prep Time:30 seconds
  • Cook Time:30 seconds
  • Total Time:1 minute
  • Servings:1
  • Easy

    Ingredients

  • 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 5 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 pinch red chili flakes
Photo by Ashly Kim
  • Step 1

    Mix the soy sauce and white vinegar in a small bowl. Top it off with a pinch of red chili flakes.

    Photo by Ashly Kim