Crab Rangoon gets a dunk-able makeover in this amazing dip. All the creamy, cheesy filling chock-full of crab exits the oven bubbling and ready for homemade wonton chips. Dig in!
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I love to eat Chinese food – all the complex dishes with unique vegetables and sauces.
If I’m completely honest, though, the things I look forward to the most are all the crispy fried goodies and dipping sauces – egg rolls plump with barbecued pork and cabbage, fried dumplings full of shrimp and scallions, and . . . mmmm . . . Crab Rangoon.
The marriage of sweet, delicate crab meat with cream cheese oozing out of a crispy wonton wrapper is pure genius, and it’s all those flavors and textures that inspired my Crab Rangoon Dip.
The origin of crab Rangoon is a little muddy. “Rangoon” is the former name for the capital of Myanmar in China, but cream cheese is definitely a Western thing, not an Asian staple. I just call it my favorite product of Asian-American fusion!
If you don’t know how to make crab Rangoon or haven’t already guessed, there’s a painstaking (but noble) art to crafting the creamy crab filling, individually stuffing wonton skins, then pinching them into the classic triangle or flower shape and frying them until the skins are all bubbly and perfectly browned.
Imagine being able to take that crab Rangoon filling and make an epic dip, basically an inside-out crab Rangoon dip where the cheesy, gooey insides are bubbling away waiting on crispy wonton skins to dive in.
It’s quick and easy to make, and the best part is I can make it at home without even heating up my fryer. You’re going to love this amazing, addictive dip!
The creamy base starts with a combination of sour cream and cream cheese.
Some of the crab Rangoon dip Pinterest pins use mayonnaise, but that thins the base a bit and I want it nice and thick.
I also like to add shredded mozzarella for extra body and those cheesy strings you get when you pull out your chip or cracker. It’s also a nice mild cheese that won’t compete with the crab, which I prefer to recipes like the crab Rangoon dip Pampered Chef version which uses Swiss cheese.
I like to season the base with a little peppery green onion (that also adds some nice color), garlic powder (since the flavor is more subtle than fresh), and a touch of sugar to offset the tang of the cream cheese and accent the sweet quality of the crab.
There’s also some Worcestershire sauce that deepens the flavor with all its unique ingredients like anchovies, tamarind, and chili powder, plus a little lemon to brighten the mixture and lend a freshness to the dip.
Honestly, the only thing that could make this creamy concoction better is a little crab!
Crab meat is definitely not the cheapest thing you can find at your seafood counter, but the good news is this is one of those recipes so full of flavor that you can get away with buying less expensive, canned crab. No need to break the budget buying the expensive stuff!
The salty, briny essence of the crab works perfectly in the creamy base to add that classic texture and seafood quality without needing to splurge on the hand-picked variety.
I do like to keep the seafood flavor subtle, just like in the crab Rangoon I find at my favorite Chinese restaurant, so I’ve eliminated some of the more “fishy” ingredients you may find in other recipes like the crab Rangoon dip Food Network version by Sandra Lee that adds shrimp bisque.
Don’t forget the crab Rangoon dipping sauce! Once the dip has warmed up in the oven and gotten nice and gooey, I like to drizzle a little duck sauce over the top before serving, then serve the extra sauce in a small bowl so people can give their loaded wontons an extra dip if they’d like.
Recipes like the crab Rangoon dip delish.com has on its site eliminate the dipping sauce, but I think it adds some extra flavor and really completes the whole crab Rangoon mimicry.
Duck sauce is made from sugar, vinegar and some type of fruit – either peach, plums (it’s sometimes called “plum sauce”) or pineapple. I like the sweet and sour accent it gives to the rich crab.
The wonton chips really add an authentic touch to this dish and are surprisingly easy to make. They bake up crisp and light in about 5 minutes with only a little cooking spray. No need to feel guilty about eating greasy chips with these baked beauties!
Just be sure to set your timer when you bake these since they can go from perfectly done to charcoal in the blink of an eye. Yes, I’ve had to throw out a few batches myself. Let’s just say it’s not the best time to catch up with your bestie, LOL!
This dip is good for so many reasons, but I mainly love that this “inside-out” take on crab Rangoon lets me control the wonton-to-creamy-crab ratio since I usually find myself wishing I had a little more filling in those restaurant Rangoons.
I can also throw in a few chili flakes with the dip ingredients or drizzle a little Sriracha on top with the duck sauce for a little kick.
There are just so many textures and flavors going on this dip, and I can’t wait for you to try it!
Recipe Notes For Crab Rangoon:
Crockpot – If it’s one of those hot days and you just can’t bear to turn on your hot oven, don’t serve a cold Crab Rangoon dip! Pop the dip mixture into your crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours. You won’t get the same browning on top that you would in the oven, but it’ll still be nice and gooey and will even stay warm awhile if you’re serving this at a party.
Saucy stuff – The drizzled duck sauce on top of the dip is a lovely finishing touch, but I have a hard time finding it at my local market. You can do what I do and order it from Amazon or you can make this crab Rangoon dip with sweet and sour sauce if that’s easier to find. It’s very similar to duck sauce, with a vinegar and sugar base, but it usually has added ketchup to give it the characteristic reddish color.
Serving suggestions – You can find wonton wrappers in the deli or produce section of your local market. If you just want to cut down a little on prep times, plain crackers like Ritz, slices of toasted baguette, or veggies would be good too. Tortilla chips are a good option if you need something gluten-free (though I might suggest just eating the dip right out of the dish with a spoon instead!).
Crab Rangoon Dip Recipe
Ingredients
Dip:
- 8 Ounces Cream Cheese
- 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
- 1 Cup Mozzarella Shredded
- 1 Teaspoon Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 Green Onion Sliced
- 2 6 Ounce Cans Fancy Crabmeat-Drained
- 1 7 Ounce Jar Duck Sauce or Sweet and Sour Sauce
Wonton Chips:
- 1 14 Ounce Package Wonton Wrappers
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Mix cream cheese, sour cream, mozzarella, sugar, Worcestershire Sauce, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and green onions in a mixing bowl until combined. Fold crabmeat into mixture.
- Spread mixture in prepared pan. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, spray a cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Cut wonton wrappers in half diagonally. Arrange wonton halves in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Spray the tops of the wontons evenly with nonstick cooking spray and bake until golden, about 5 minutes.
- To serve, drizzle a few Tablespoons of Duck Sauce or Sweet and Sour decoratively over the top of hot dip. Pour remaining sauce in a small bowl. Serve with baked wonton chips.
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Oh YUM! I absolutely love this idea! making crab rangoons is such a hassle, so I don’t even do it. But this is a great way to still get those wonderful flavors! I’m toying with the idea of making my own duck sauce as it can sometimes be difficult to find. Def pinned for later!
Hi Danielle, enjoy the dip. We’d love to hear back from you on how you like the dip and if you make your own Duck Sauce <3
So perfect for gatherings ! Thank you so much !Pinning !
You’re welcome! Thanks so much for pinning <3