Crab Rangoon Recipe (P.F. Chang Copycat) - Recipes.net (2024)

FAQs

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.

It consists of cream cheese, sometimes sweetened, plus, usually, very small bits of imitation crab, stuffed into a wonton wrapper and deep-fried, served with a syrupy, neon sweet-and-sour dipping sauce. It is, essentially, deep-fried cheesecake with fake crab in it—as sweet as any dessert, but served as an appetizer.

Crab Rangoon, sometimes called crab puffs, crab rangoon puffs, cheese wontons, or cream cheese rangoons, are filled crisp dumpling appetizers served primarily in American Chinese restaurants.

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.

A crab rangoon is essentially a cheesecake samosa, sometimes with a soupcon of surimi thrown in for color. A wonton is curled around a filling of sweetened cream cheese and deep fried. It's served with some kind of fruit preserve made mostly out of corn syrup and food coloring.

What is the difference between crab wonton and crab rangoon? Crab rangoon is a type of fried wonton, so they are really very similar. The difference is all in the filling. Traditional wontons are not ever filled with cream cheese (which is one of the main components in crab rangoon recipes).

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.

It has its roots in tiki culture

Even though humans have been frying up food for centuries, crab rangoon isn't as old as you might think. In the 1940s, Americans became obsessed with the tropical, laid-back, island-style vibes associated with tiki culture.

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.

The traditional Crab Rangoon is made with Chinese wonton wrappers, but I find it's convenient and easy to use soft flour tortillas to hold the filling, if that's what you have on hand. They're delectable either way, but both approaches will give slightly different results.

What is Panda Express cream cheese Rangoon made of? ›

What Makes the Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon the Best? These crispy wonton apps are stuffed with a mixture of cream cheese, scallions, and a dash of garlic powder. They make satisfying finger food for game day, or you can try dolling them up to make casual co*cktail appetizers.

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.

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.

The name "Crab Rangoon" is believed to be a nod to the traditional Burmese dish, "ohn-no khauk swe" or "ohn-no kaukswe," which is a soup made with noodles and chicken. "Rangoon" was the former name of Yangon, the largest city in Myanmar (formerly Burma), where the dish is said to have originated.

Luckily, these crab rangoons freezes incredibly well, which makes them perfect for days when you're craving them and making ahead for large gatherings! To freeze crab rangoons, arrange the crab rangoons on a sheet pan lined with cling film or a freezer safe plate or container.

On restaurant menus, imitation crab may be spelled “krab” to indicate that it's fake. Imitation crab is made from surimi, which is minced fish flesh — often pollock — that has been deboned and washed, then combined with other ingredients, heated, and formed into crab-like cuts.

Imitation crab is made with surimi, a paste made out of finely shredded or pulverized fish. After the fish is minced, it is heated and pressed into shapes that resemble meat from a crab leg. The resulting imitation crab looks similar to the original crab in its coloring and texture.

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.