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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.....
Recipe Note
- This recipe is written as dairy-free so my son can enjoy them as well. You can substitute regular cream cheese in place of the vegan version and they will be even more delicious!!
- 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.
- Be careful to not overfill or they will explode.
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
Ingredients
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese, softened (or regular cream cheese)
- 1 Tablespoon shallot (finely minced)
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon soy sauce
- ⅛ 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.
- Be careful to not overfill or they will explode.
Heide M. says
I'll have to try this.
Lucy says
I'm not much of a fried food kind of gal but something need to be fried and these look like one of them!! They look outstanding!! Thanks for sharing at Saturday Dishes.
Cathy@LemonTreeDwelling says
We lOVE crab rangoon around here.....it is a must when we order Thai! These look fabulous, Lisa....thanks so much for sharing at Saturday Night Fever! Pinning!
Lisa Johnson says
We do too Cathy, they are sooooo good! Have a great weekend. 🙂
Adelina Priddis says
Oh these look delicious! Have you tried using different wrappers to bake them? I've got some spring roll wrappers, I might try it with. Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friday
Dairysensitive says
These are not dairy free 😂 what do y'all think cream cheese is??
Lisa Johnson says
It clearly state "vegan" cream cheese which mean dairy-free. There are several brands available across the country.