Crab Rangoon is a Chinese take-out favorite, and now you can make your own at home! Air Fryer Crab Rangoon is easy to make, and even better than take-out!
Cooking with crab is easy peasy, thanks to the air fryer! We love making Air Fryer Crab Legs, especially during the summer. And this Air Fryer Crab Rangoon is sure to be a fave in your house as well!
Crab Rangoon is one of my favorite appetizers to order with Chinese food take-out. If you love it, too, you can enjoy them at home without having to place a take-out order! They're easy to make, and even a little healthier for you thanks to the use of an air fryer instead of a deep fryer.
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🦀 What is crab rangoon?
Crab rangoon is a popular appetizer in Chinese restaurants around the United States. They are sometimes called crab puffs or crab wontons.
It's a dish made of wonton wrappers filled with crab meat, cream cheese, scallions, garlic, and sometimes a light sauce. Then each filled wonton is deep fried to crispy deliciousness.
The first time I made this air fryer crab rangoon recipe, I wasn't 100% sure that they would turn out as crispy and flavorful as the restaurant deep-fried version. But they are DELICIOUS!!
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- It's fast and easy. This recipe comes together in under 30 minutes.
- It uses simple ingredients available at your local grocery store or Asian market
- This homemade crab rangoon dish tastes as good as getting it in a restaurant, but not as expensive
- Perfect for parties as an easy appetizer that your guests will love!
⭐️ Ingredient notes
Cooking spray - I use avocado oil spray (non-aerosol) for air frying, but you can also use grapeseed oil, coconut oil spray, or even olive oil spray (for cooking under 405°F).
Be sure to use a non-aerosol cooking spray when spraying your air fryer, or any other non-stick cooking surface. Aerosol sprays have soy lecithin, an ingredient that can damage non-stick surfaces. It's best to use your favorite oil in an oil mister, or select an oil spray that does not contain soy lecithin.
Crab - use either fresh real crab meat, lump crab meat, or imitation crab flakes. If using imitation crab meat, be sure to chop them finely first.
Cream cheese - You'll need one 8-ounce block of cream cheese. Be sure to take it out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you start prepping the other ingredients so it has time to soften to room temperature. This will make it easier to mix for the filling.
Scallions - AKA green onions. I prefer to use finely sliced green parts, but you can use the white parts if you prefer a stronger onion flavor. The white part of scallions is more pungent than the green part.
Soy sauce - Use your favorite soy sauce. Or you can use coconut aminos if you prefer.
Worcestershire sauce - Add some Worcestershire sauce for depth of flavor.
Kosher salt and pepper - season to taste!
Egg - Lightly beat a large brown cage-free egg to use for the egg wash to seal the wontons.
Wonton wrappers - For this recipe, you will need the basic square wonton wrappers.
✅ Step-by-step instructions
1. In a large bowl, use a rubber spatula to mix together the crabmeat, cream cheese, scallions, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
2. Place wonton wrappers on a cutting board and keep a lightly damp towel handy to help keep the wontons from drying out while you work. I also like to place a lightly damp towel on top of the board and underneath the wontons to keep them from drying out while I work.
3. Place approximately 2 teaspoons of the crab mixture into the center of the wrapper. Using a small pastry brush or your finger, dip into the egg and brush some egg along the outside edge.
4. Bring two opposite corners of the wonton up to meet. Then bring the other two sides up to meet, sealing the sides that meet together, and forming a pyramid shape. Refer to the photos in the full post online for examples. Place the filled and shaped wonton onto your air fryer basket or rack.
5. Continue to repeat these steps to form the filled wontons for the remaining wontons. Then spray the tops and sides of the filled wontons with cooking spray.
6. Cook in your air fryer at 350°F for 5 minutes until the edges of the wrapper are golden brown. Depending on your air fryer, you may need to work in batches.
7. Serve with sweet chili sauce or soy sauce.
👩🏽🍳 Recipe FAQs
While Crab Rangoon is reported to have authentic Burmese recipe origins, its true origin remains a mystery. There are some reports that it made its debut at the World Fair in St. Louis in 1904. Yet most accounts suggest it was most likely invented in the 1950s and introduced to the world by Victor Bergeron, who put Crab Rangoon on his menu at his restaurant, Trader Vic's.
Since cream cheese was mostly non-existent in in Southeast Asian and Chinese cuisine - and still is, for the most part - it's not considered an authentic dish, as it was likely developed in the US for the American palate.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat: air fry at 350°F for 4 minutes. You can also microwave these, but they won't be as crispy as they are when reheated in the air fryer.
🥣 Kitchen tools and equipment
For this recipe, you just need a few basic kitchen tools:
Cutting board - use a sturdy, large cutting board. I like to assemble the Crab Rangoon on a cutting board. You can use a large plate instead, but a cutting board has room for everything and makes for easy clean up at the end.
Mixing bowl - You'll need a large mixing bowl for the filling ingredients.
Pastry brush - Use either your fingers or a small pastry brush to brush the edges of each wonton to help seal the edges together.
Air Fryer - You can make these appetizers in any type of air fryer.
I currently use my Ninja Foodi Deluxe XL 12-in-1 8-Quart Air Fryer on Air Crisp to air fry the crab rangoons. Or I use my Instant Pot Deluxe Vortex Air Fryer.
LOVE TO AIR FRY AND PRESSURE COOK? Check out my cookbook, The Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker Meal Prep Cookbook with 75 recipes you'll love!
🍽 Serving ideas
Crab Rangoons are often served with sweet chili sauce. You can either make your own homemade sweet chili sauce. Or, serve with your favorite store-bought sweet chili sauce.
You can also serve these crispy wontons with soy sauce, teriyaki sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.
🍷 Best wine pairings for Chinese food
Chinese food dishes like crab puffs/crab rangoon pair beautifully with high acid white wines and low tannin red wines. So for white wine, I always reach for a dry Riesling. A Vinho Verde from Portugal would also pair deliciously.
For red wines, a Gamay or a Pinot Noir would be lovely with Chinese food.
More Chinese food recipes
More air fryer appetizer recipes
If you're looking for more air fryer recipes, try this easy Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp, Crispy Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower, or Air Fryer Ravioli.
Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Air Fryer Crab Rangoon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 ounces lump crab meat or imitation crab meat, finely chopped
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons scallions, thinly sliced (about 3 green scallion stems)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 18 square wonton wrappers
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use a rubber spatula to mix together the crabmeat, cream cheese, scallions, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
- Place wonton wrappers on a cutting board and keep a lightly damp towel handy to help keep the wontons from drying out while you work. I also like to place a lightly damp towel on top of the board and underneath the wontons to keep them from drying out while I work.
- Place 2 teaspoons of the crab cream cheese filling into the center of each wonton. Using a small pastry brush or your finger, dip into the egg and brush some egg along the outside edge.
- Bring two opposite corners of the wonton up to meet. Then bring the other two sides up to meet, sealing the sides that meet together, and forming a pyramid shape. Refer to the photos in the full post online for examples. Place the filled and shaped wonton onto your air fryer rack or basket.
- Continue to repeat these steps to form the filled wontons for the remaining wontons. Then spray the tops and sides of the filled wontons with cooking spray.
- Cook in your air fryer at 350°F for 5 minutes. Depending on your air fryer, you may need to work in batches.
- Serve with sweet chili sauce or soy sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
Andrea says
I always get these at restaurants. Never thought I could make them myself. Now that is going to change! I can make these any time I want!
Maria San Juan says
Lovely! Thanks for this amazing recipe! Will surely try this!
Jess says
I love these but do not eat out very often so I rarely get to enjoy them. Problem solved with this recipe!
Angela says
The filling is very tasty in these rangoons. Cooking them in the air fryer is so easy!
Gina says
I love crab rangoon and cooking them up in the air fryer makes me love them more. They cooked up perfectly and were so delicious.