These Crab Rangoon Egg rolls are stuffed with creamy and spicy Crab Rangoon filling which are fried until golden and crispy. You can hear the crunch and taste that warm creamy filling with every bite, making it utterly irresistible to go for seconds.
This deep-fried appetizer is a homemade version of your favorite American-Chinese takeout, Crab Rangoon. This recipe is easy to make and can be served as a party appetizer with a sweet chili dipping sauce. Ohh, and you are definitely allowed to double-dip these Crab Rangoon rolls. You can prepare and freeze these rolls in advance, and fry them on the day of your party.
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What is the origin of Crab Rangoon?
Crab Rangoon is a fusion of American and Chinese cuisines believed to have been created in the United States. The dish is not considered authentic Chinese cuisine as it features a cream cheese and crab filling encased in a deep-fried wonton wrapper. Innovative variations have been created over the years with egg roll being one of them.
How to make Crab Rangoon filling?
The two most important ingredients to make the filling would be crab and cream cheese. You can either go with real crab or imitation crab works just as well too, as it is readily available in stores.
A good brand of cream cheese would enhance the flavor in the filling. Remember to leave the cream cheese at room temperature for an hour or two as softened cream cheese is easier to work with.
You must have known by now that jalapenos and cream cheese go hand in hand, so might as well throw in some chopped jalapenos. Green onions add a subtle onion flavor. Black pepper, garlic and onion powder add a savory note, whereas the filling is elevated with Worcestershire sauce. You may have noticed that no salt was added, as cream cheese, imitation crab, Worcestershire sauce, and egg roll wrappers already have salt in them.
Mix all these ingredients well to form a base for the best Crab Rangoon egg roll recipe. Encase the filling in a spring roll or egg roll wrapper and fry until golden. You will surely love this, if you tried our Crispy Thai Thread Chicken recipe.
Ingredients
- Cream cheese: adds a smooth texture to the filling.
- Crab meat/ Imitation crab: adds a briny and sweet flavor which complements the cream cheese.
- Jalapeno: adds a mild to moderate level of heat to the Crab Rangoon filling.
- Green onions: add a mild onion and flavor and bring a nice freshness with a pop of green color.
- Worcestershire sauce: enhances the richness of the dish by its perfectly balanced combination of vinegar, anchovies and spices.
- Garlic powder: imparts a savory and sweet flavor.
- Onion powder: also adds a savory taste and balances out the green onion flavor.
- Black pepper: adds a subtle heat and earthy flavor which complements the Jalapeno.
- Egg roll wrappers: serve as a vessel that complements the filling and provides a crispy and crunchy texture.
- Vegetable oil: use any available oil for deep frying.
- Dipping sauce: popular choices for dipping sauce would include sweet chili sauce, plum/ duck sauce, or any soy-based sauces.
See recipe card for quantities.
Walk through the Recipe
Let us start preparing Crab Rangoon egg rolls.
We start off by preparing the Crab Rangoon filling. Combine softened cream cheese, chopped imitation crab, green onions, jalapenos, worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper in a mixing bowl.
We now start working on the rolls. Place the egg roll wrapper on a flat surface with one corner pointing towards you and place two tablespoons of the Crab Rangoon filling in the center of the wrapper.
Gently fold the top corner over the filling towards you, covering the entire cream cheese filling.
Bring in both the sides of the egg roll wrapper over the filling, encasing the filling from all sides.
Roll it up tightly and use your finger to dab the bottom edges with water to seal the rolls. Repeat the same step with the remaining wrappers and filling.
It's now time to fry the Crab Rangoon rolls. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy-bottom pan or skillet and deep fry the rolls for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Turn the rolls occasionally to prevent discoloration on one side and to evenly fry it.
Place the deep-fried egg rolls on a drying rack or paper towel to drain and remove excess oil.
Serve these hot Crab Rangoon rolls with sweet chile sauce/duck sauce or your favorite choice of dipping sauce.
Substitutions
You can replace some of the ingredients in the recipe to suit what you have at home.
- Crab Meat: Imitation crab meat, usually made with Alaska pollock and pacific whiting.
- Jalapenos: Red chili flakes
- Worcestershire sauce: Soy sauce
Tips
- Soften the cream cheese: Allow the cream cheese to soften at room temperature before mixing as it will blend easily and create a smooth Crab Rangoon filling.
- Drain crab meat: Make sure the crab meat is drained well. Canned crab or precooked crab can have excess moisture which can make the egg rolls soggy.
- Seal the edges properly: Wrap the rolls tightly and ensure the edges are well sealed with water or beaten egg. This prevents the filling from leaking out during frying.
- Fry in batches: Ensure the oil is hot enough and fry in batches to prevent overcrowding and discoloration in the egg rolls.
FAQs
Duck sauce or sweet chili sauce is the best dipping sauce as the sweetness compliments the cream cheese and crab filling in the crispy egg rolls.
The best way to reheat Crab Rangoons is in an air fryer as this retains the crispy texture and prevents the rolls from getting soggy as compared to reheating in a microwave.
Crab Rangoons are made with wonton wrappers and shaped as small bite-sized pockets or pouches, whereas Crab Rangoon egg rolls are made of, you guessed it, egg roll wrappers and have a longer and cylindrical shape. Both use the same crab and cream cheese filling.
Yes, you can place the egg rolls flat on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer to a sealed container or zip lock bag and place it back in the freezer until you are ready to fry it. Fry directly from the frozen state when ready to serve.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Prawns Koliwada (Mumbai-style spicy fried shrimps)
- Jerk Chicken Quesadilla
- Sumac Fries
- Crispy Brussels Sprouts Recipe (Indian style)
Fusion Recipes
Try out some of our specialty recipes:
- Jerk Shrimp Pasta (Rasta Pasta Recipe)
- Burnt Garlic Fried Rice
- Cevapi Sliders with Ajvar
- Chorizo Carbonara
Recipe
Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 lb cream cheese
- 1 lb crab meat/ imitation crab
- 1 small jalapeno, finely chopped
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 30 egg roll wrappers
- vegetable oil for deep frying
- Sweet chili sauce(optional)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, chopped imitation crab, green onions, jalapenos, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Mix well to combine all the ingredients.
- Place the egg roll wrapper on a flat surface with one corner pointing towards you. Place 2 tablespoons of the crab and cheese mixture in the center of the wrapper.
- Fold the top corner over the filling and then fold both sides over the filling. Roll it up tightly and seal the edges with water. Repeat the same step for the remaining wrappers and mixture.
- Heat vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pan to 350°F (175°C). Fry the Crab Rangoon egg rolls in batches for 3 to 4 minutes until golden-brown. Turn occasionally.
- Place the egg rolls over a drying rack or paper towel to remove excess oil. Serve these hot crab Rangoon egg rolls with your choice of dipping sauce.
Mike
I tried out this recipe and I must say, it turned out to be really tasty.