Air Fryer Crab Rangoon

At a glance

What stands out: This restaurant favorite can easily be made at home (without deep frying). Try air fryer crab Rangoon, you won’t be able to stop eating them!

How long it takes: 21 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: air fryer, bowl, spoon, tongs
Servings: 20

What stands out

We could literally make a meal of crab Rangoon. In fact, that’s exactly what our niece does. (In all fairness, she’s only five years old.) The waiter doesn’t even ask. He just brings her a plate of crab Rangoon with a little paper umbrella stuck into the middle of one. That’s when the smiles begin!

What makes them special:

• Just as good as your favorite Chinese restaurant. Crispy crab Rangoon are one of our favorite things to order at Chinese restaurants and these air fryer crab Rangoon taste just like them. (Crab Rangoon are an American invention; you probably won’t find them in China.)
• Air fried, not deep fried. Once again, air frying is a winner. They turn out so well: crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside. You can skip the messy process of deep frying (and the extra calories!). Be sure to try our air fryer egg rolls, too!
• Not too difficult to make. The filling is straightforward to mix and can be done ahead. The most time-consuming part is filling and sealing the wonton wrappers. It’s not difficult but it takes awhile to do it forty times! Our suggestion? Call a friend and share the task. (If you’re not in the mood for making individual crab Rangoon, this crab Rangoon dip with crisp from-scratch wonton chips is easier and very, good!)

Heather Said:

“Mine weren’t as pretty as yours, but they were rich! A big hit with our dinner guests and a reliable accompaniment to our husband’s beef lo mein. We will make these again and again and again…”

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What goes in

• Crab cheese filling: You can use real crab or imitation crab meat for these wontons, whichever you prefer. Imitation crab is less expensive and we're guessing that’s what they use in most Chinese restaurants. Along with the crab, you’ll need a package of cream cheese, sliced green onions, Worcestershire sauce, and a clove of garlic.
• Wonton Wrappers: These little goodies are straightforward to use and inexpensive. They usually come in a 12 ounce pack of 40. Find them in the refrigerated produce section of your grocery store. Use a beaten egg to glue the wrappers together.
• Olive Oil Spray: Because the wontons are air fried, not deep-fried, a little olive oil spray helps them get golden brown and crisp.
• Sweet Chili Sauce: A tangy sweet sauce with just the right amount of heat, sweet chili sauce evenly complements the crab rangoon. You need this sauce!

How it comes together

Get ready. You’ll need a good-sized bowl to mix the filling. Prep the green onions and garlic. Get your air fryer out. In a small bowl, lightly beat an egg. Open up the package of wonton wrappers. Cover them with a damp towel so they don’t dry out.

Make the filling. Put all the filling ingredients into the large bowl. Stir it all together, mashing the crab with a fork to break up any large chunks, and blending the cream cheese in.

Fill the wonton wrappers. Put a rounded teaspoon of filling in the center of a wrapper. Try not to get carried away and put too much filling in because that makes it more difficult to fold and seal the wonton wrappers.

Fold and seal the wrappers. Brush all four edges with the beaten egg. Bring the corners up diagonally and press together firmly.

It’s kind of fun especially if you have a wonton buddy to help.

Spray with oil. Spray the rangoon lightly with olive oil or another oil of your choice, and arrange them in the basket of your air fryer. You’ll have to do them in batches.

Fry. Air fry the crab Rangoon for about six minutes. Remember to time them because they brown quickly. They still taste good, but they’re not as pretty. Since the wontons have to be cooked in batches, you can get the first batch started right away and keep filling and cooking as you go.

Pro Tip

If your crab Rangoon pop open while you’re frying them, make sure you’re not overfilling them and you’re sealing the edges tightly. Seal the edges with the egg wash, and press together firmly with your fingertips.

Serve. Serve the air fryer crab Rangoon immediately with sweet chili sauce for dipping. Bet you can’t eat just one!

How it comes together

If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake crab Rangoon in the oven. They aren’t quite as good as their air fried cousins though. Here’s how: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the wontons on wire rack sprayed with nonstick spray, set on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Make Ahead Ideas

Refrigerate: Make the crab Rangoon a day ahead but don’t cook them. Put them in single layers, with parchment paper between each layer, in a resealable container. Refrigerate overnight. Air fry as instructed.

Freeze: Freeze the uncooked crab Rangoon in a single layer. Once they’re frozen, put them into an airtight container for up to 3 months (they can be stacked). To air fry, remove the desired amount from the freezer. Don’t thaw them. Spray lightly with olive oil or avocado oil spray, and cook at 350ºF in preheated air fryer for 6 minutes or until golden brown.

Keeping leftovers

Air fryer crab Rangoon are best eaten right away, once they are air fried. If you have leftovers, store them in the fridge for up to four days. To reheat, air fry them a couple of minutes or put them in your toaster oven to bake for 5 minutes or until heated through. Microwaving tends to make them tough.

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• Yield: 10 (4 per serving)
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 6 minutes
• Total: 21 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened (use full fat cream cheese for best results)
• 8 ounces crab meat or imitation crab meat
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove garlic (very finely minced or pressed)
• 40 wonton wrappers (12 ounce package)
• 1 egg
• olive oil spray
• sweet chili sauce, for dipping

Method

1. In large bowl, combine cream cheese, crab meat, green onion, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic. Using a fork, break up large chunks of crab and blend it into the cream cheese so the mixture is fairly smooth.
2. Remove the wontons wrappers from the packaging. Cover them with a damp towel so they don't dry out. In a small bowl, lightly beat 1 egg with a fork until blended.
3. Place 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons of filling mixture onto the center of each wonton wrapper (don't overfill them). Use a small basting brush to brush the edges of the wonton wrapper with egg. Bringing up diagonal corners, seal wontons by pinching the edges together. Once you get a batch prepared, you can begin air frying them, prepping the next batch in the meantime.
4. Preheat air fryer at 350ºF for 5 minutes.
5. Spray the crab Rangoon lightly with oil and arrange them in the air fryer in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd; you'll need to cook them in batches. Cook for 6 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Serve immediately with sweet chili sauce, if desired.

Notes

Make ahead: You can prep the crab wontons ahead but don’t cook them. Arrange them in a sealable container with parchment paper between each layer. Refrigerate overnight. Air fry as directed.

To freeze: Uncooked crab Rangoon can be frozen in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once they’re fairly solid, put the crab Rangoon into an airtight container; you can keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Air fry them, unthawed, as instructed.

Oven method: If you don’t have an air fryer, you can bake crab Rangoon in the oven. They aren’t quite as good as their air fried cousins though. Here’s how: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the wontons on wire rack sprayed with nonstick spray, set on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.