By Jennifer Setek ’22

Original recipe by the cozy cook

Simple beginner recipe, with different and easy methods of cooking. Perfect for a fast and lazy snack, or addition to a meal.

It has been a tough year. People have so much to deal with on their plates, from school/work, managing mental and physical health, trying to stay updated in what is happening in this crazy world. It is a lot. What so many people are looking for is a source of comfort and ease, which is exactly what these easy crab rangoons can bring you. With three different methods of cooking, and minimal steps, these light and crisp rangoons will bring you a moment of peace and bliss.

For this recipe you will need…

-8 ounces of softened cream cheese

-3 ounces (a can) of crab meat

-2 finely chopped green onions

-1.5 teaspoons of minced garlic (1 large clove of garlic, or 2 small cloves)

-2 teaspoons of worcestershire sauce

-½ teaspoons of soy sauce

-¾ teaspoon of regular white sugar

-a package of wonton wrapper

-side note, you will also need an egg to create an egg wash for baking the rangoons, or a quart of canola oil for deep frying

No matter what way you cook your rangoons, you should begin by…

-Placing your wonton wrappers to the side, preparing them for the filling (this recipe makes around 25 crab rangoons).

-Combine all of the listed ingredients in a medium to large bowl and mix together. Make sure everything is combined well, so you don’t have a rangoon filled with just cream cheese.

-Place one teaspoon of the filling into the center of each wonton wrapper.

-Take either your finger or a brush and moisten the edge of your wrapper with an egg wash.

-Fold your wonton into a triangle shape, pressing all around to remove any air from the inside (or else your rangoons could explode).

Next you have the different methods of cooking the rangoons. I decided to simply go with baking the crab rangoons, because I mainly wanted to see if the simplest method would result in a crab rangoon just as delicious as a deep fried rangoon, which can take a bit more effort. Fortunately, I was not disappointed with the baked crab rangoons, but I did have to alter the instructions a bit to make sure the rangoons were nice and crispy, as well as fully baked, without over baking the filling. 

To bake the rangoons…

-Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees F.

-Prepare a baking sheet, and spray it with nonstick spray, then place in the oven for 5 minutes. By doing this it will ensure that the bottom of the wonton wrappers are just as crisp as the top.

-After 5 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven and immediately place the filled wonton wrappers on the sheet, and layer with an even coat of cooking spray.

  -Place your wontons into the oven for around 10-12 minutes, but check on how they are cooking after 5 minutes in the oven. You will know they are ready once they are a beautiful golden brown color, with crispy edges.

While baking the rangoons I changed a few things to make sure the rangoons would come out as perfectly as possible. I tried cooking the baking sheet, but I still found it necessary to flip the rangoons over in the oven for a bit. When I first took them out of the oven, they were limp and doughy still, mainly in the middle. Instead I cooked them for 10 minutes on one side, and then flipped them over to cook for another 3-5 minutes. This allowed the crab rangoons to evenly cook the rangoon, and crispen up the edges, for a delightful crunch. I also decided to add the leftover egg wash (which is just an egg mixed together with a splash of water) over the tops of the rangoons, which helps to bring out the desired color, rather than just spraying them with a cooking spray.

Now if you’d rather actually fry the rangoons you should…

-Take a large, deep pan (if you do not already have a deep fryer) and heat 2-3 inches of vegetable oil (it is best to do this over a stovetop on medium to high heat, but if you have access you may also heat the oil in a dutch oven just under 350 degrees).

-To test the temperature of the oil, take an extra wonton wrapper (there should be plenty extra) and place it in the oil to ensure it will not burn up too quickly. You can adjust the temperature of your oil accordingly.

-Place 4 to 5 wontons (depending on the size of your pan) into the oil for about 45 seconds to a minute. Make sure the entire wonton is covered in oil, or else you will have to flip the rangoon over to cook the other side.

-Take the rangoons out of the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels, to catch the draining oil.

The last option, and perhaps the easiest choice is to air fry them, which would include…

-Brushing each wonton with the vegetable oil, and placing them in the air fryer at 370 degrees for 7 to 8 minutes.

I am usually not one to reach for the crab rangoons, but even I can say that this simple recipe results in a delicious crispy treat. The rangoons have a joyful crunch on the edges and a more soft and creamy texture in the middle that will make your tastebuds sing. They are very easy to store and reheat, as you just cover them in the fridge and bake them to maintain that crispy crunch. 

Overall, I thought that the process of actually making the crab rangoons was simple. I was quite pleased with using just one bowl instead of having to keep track of separate mixtures. I was easily able to find a rhythm in regards to scooping out the filling, folding it in the wrapper and placing them on the tray, which helped take time off of the entire project. While on the topic of folding the rangoons, I kept it sweet and simple. I opted for a simple triangular shape, which just involves folding the wonton wrapper diagonally, even though the recipe does give you a more complex shape that I just did not find worth it at the time. While folding the rangoons, I noticed you must be careful with the filling. If you did not fill them enough, then the rangoons would be more of a chip than creamy filled appetizer. Yet if you overfilled them, they would pop in the oven, though I did not find that much of a problem because very little of the filling came out. I ended up measuring a heaping teaspoons, and almost flattened out the filling as I folded the wrapper over. This way the filling would be found in a larger area of the rangoon, rather than just one spot in the center. 

I would definitely recommend this recipe to anyone interested in it. It is a short and simple recipe that will leave you hungry for more.

-Pro Tip: With the leftover wonton wrappers, you could even create other appetizers or desserts by adding either meat, vegetables, or chocolates (preferably not all together) to the wrappers and fry them!