Dairy-free Crab Rangoons

Well that didn’t take long…..I fried something!  I told myself that this blog was going to be free of fried foods, but I could not bring myself to bake these Dairy-free Crab Rangoons.  I have been using this recipe for years, and it is perfect, but I wanted to see if I could make it healthier.  I searched the internet for instructions and ideas on how to bake rangoons, and I did not like the results…..

They all said the same thing “chewy”, “not as good as fried”, “weird texture”…..uhhmm….maybe not.  If you are going to eat something, it should taste good!  Won ton wrappers are thick, and they were made to be fried.  By the time you brush them with olive oil to bake them, you may as well just go ahead and fry them!

I did not dig out the deep fryer.  See, I have some self control.  I pulled out my trusty stock pot and poured in enough oil to cover the rangoons, but not enough to fill the kitchen with oil.  It worked, there was minimal splatter on the stove top!  You will need to be careful that they do not stick to the bottom of the pan when you first put them in.  Just use the tongs to grab a corner and lift it up a bit. ***Update: if you use a Dutch Oven, they will not stick to the bottom*** Alex was so happy, he hasn’t had Crab Rangoons in years!

***These are the original photos taken with my old camera and no kitchen lighting***

How to make dairy-free crab rangoons:

In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, shallot, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, pepper, green onion, and garlic…..

Stir in the crab meat, set aside. Place (4) won ton wrappers on a flat surface. Place 1 teaspoon of crab mixture in center of each wrapper…..

Rub water on 2 edges of the wrapper (use your finger) so the edges will stick together and seal…..

Fold wrapper over the filling to form a triangle. Squeeze out air bubbles and make sure you have a tight seal. You do not want your filling to leak out while frying…..

Set aside until ready to fry…..

Heat 1-inch of oil in a large pot until it reaches 350 degrees.  Carefully drop a few rangoons into the oil at a time…..

You don’t want to overcrowd the pan.  Once they are golden brown and crispy, remove from oil and drain on a paper towel or wire rack…..

Serve with Sweet and Sour Sauce…..

More delicious appetizer recipes:

Buffalo Chicken Rangoons – perfect for game day!

Crispy Pork Wontons

Paper Wrapped Chicken

Simple Seafood Artichoke Dip

Teriyaki Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

Irish Nachos

Apricot Ginger Chicken Wings

Enjoy!!

Dairy-Free Crab Rangoons

Traditional Crab Rangoons with creamy crab filling and light, crispy shell are the most popular appetizer at any dinner party and waaaaay better than take-out!!

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Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: crab, cream, cheese, recipe, asian, appetizer, dairy-free

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Servings: 12 Servings

Calories: 180kcal

Author: Lisa Johnson

Ingredients

• 8 ounces vegan cream cheese, softened (or regular cream cheese)
• 1 Tablespoon shallot (finely minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 whole green onions (minced)
• 1 large clove garlic (minced)
• 8 ounces lump crab meat (fresh or canned, drained and flaked)
• 1 package won ton wrappers
• small bowl water
• canola oil for frying

Instructions

• In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, shallot, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, pepper, green onion, and garlic.
• Stir in crab meat, and set aside.
• Place (4) won ton wrappers on a flat surface. Place 1 teaspoon of crab mixture in center of each wrapper.
• Rub water on 2 edges of the wrapper (use your finger).
• Fold wrapper over the filling to form a triangle. Squeeze out air bubbles and make sure you have a tight seal. You do not want your filling to leak out while frying. Set aside.
• Continue filling until you have used all of the crab mixture, 43 - 48 total.
• Heat 1 1/2" of oil in the bottom of a large Dutch oven or stock pot until it reaches 350 degrees.
• Carefully drop in 3 - 4 rangoons at a time, do not overcrowd. Flip over so that both sides are golden brown, about 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and allow to drain on a cooling rack. Continue until you have cooked all of the rangoons.

Notes

• Serve with Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce.
• If you carefully measure the filling you should get 48 rangoons.  I do not measure, so I got 43.  I think I got 45 the last time that I made them.  Just be careful to not overfill or they will explode.

Nutrition

Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 462mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 0.2% | Vitamin C: 1.6% | Calcium: 3.9% | Iron: 8.8%