This ultra-creamy crab rangoon dip recipe mimics the taste of everyone’s favorite takeout order in a large, sharable appetizer. While a typical crab rangoon recipe uses imitation crabmeat, we’re going for the real deal here with actual lump crabmeat folded into the dip.
We fry up a batch of homemade wonton chips for the best possible dip serving vessel and finish the dip with a sweet chili glaze on top. This crab rangoon dip is one of those crowd-pleasing appetizers that everyone is sure to love, so be prepared to share the recipe!
Crab Rangoon Dip Ingredients
- Oil: The best oils for deep frying are canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil and safflower oil; each has a high smoke point and a neutral taste. We don’t recommend avocado or peanut oil because each has a significant flavor that can alter the taste of the wonton chips.
- Wonton wrappers: Most grocery stores display wonton wrappers in the produce section near the chilled salad dressings and pickled vegetables.
- Cream cheese: Take your cream cheese out of the fridge about 30 minutes prior to starting this crab rangoon dip recipe so the cream cheese has time to soften.
- Sour cream: We love the rich tanginess that sour cream adds to this dip.
- Mayonnaise: A little tangy mayonnaise creates flavor and loosens the consistency of the dip so it’s more scoopable.
- Garlic: Feel free to use jarred minced garlic instead of fresh minced garlic cloves. Just 1 teaspoon jarred minced garlic equals two garlic cloves.
- Worcestershire sauce: If you don’t have Worcestershire sauce, a good replacement is soy sauce or tamari.
- Lump crabmeat: We call for one 6-ounce can of lump crabmeat, which is available at a grocery store for an economical price. However, if you want something a little fancier, packages of high-quality lump crabmeat are available at specialty grocery stores.
- Mozzarella: You’ll need 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella, but keep in mind that each cup will be used at a different point of this crab rangoon dip recipe.
- Green onions: We love the bright green hue and pungent pops of flavor that chopped green onions impart. Chop up a few more green onions to garnish the top of the dip.
- Sweet chili sauce: Buy some from the store or make your own sweet-hot dipping sauce at home.
Directions
Step 1: Fry the wonton chips
Cut the wonton wrappers in half to form triangles.
In a Dutch oven or electric skillet, heat the oil to 375°F. Gently place the wontons in the oil and fry them until golden brown, two to three minutes, turning once. Use a slotted spoon to remove the wonton chips and place them on paper towel-lined plates.
Editor’s Tip: To cut the wontons, stack the wrappers on top of each other and cut the stack diagonally with a really sharp chef’s knife.
When frying the wonton chips, avoid overcrowding the triangles in the oil. Working in batches allows you to maintain the oil’s temperature better so the wonton chips fry to a gorgeous golden brown color and don’t soak up too much oil (making them soggy).
Step 2: Prepare the dip
Preheat the oven to 375°. In a bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the cream cheese until it’s smooth.
Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic and Worcestershire sauce to the cream cheese, and mix well.
Fold in the crabmeat, 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese and the green onions.
Step 3: Bake the dip
Transfer the dip to a greased 3-cup baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake the dip, uncovered, until it is bubbly, 25 to 30 minutes.
Step 4: Finish and serve
Remove the dip from the oven. Drizzle the top with the sweet chili sauce. If desired, garnish with additional green onions. Serve the dip warm with the wonton chips.
Recipe Variations
- Omit the wonton chips: One reason we love to use wonton chips is that their sturdiness can hold up well in this dip, but you can skip the wonton chip step in the recipe and just serve the crab rangoon dip with tortilla chips. If you find that the tortilla chips are breaking easily in the dip, set out a spoon so guests can scoop the dip onto the chips.
- Use another shredded cheese: If you’re not a fan of mozzarella, you can use shredded cheddar cheese here instead. White cheddar will be closer in color to mozzarella, and yellow cheddar will add a bit more of an orange-yellow hue to the dip.
- Swap out the lump crabmeat: Swap in imitation crab, chopped and cooked shrimp pieces, or even canned chicken for the lump crabmeat.
- Serve with extra sauces: Set dipping sauces alongside this crab rangoon dip so guests can add extra flavor as they desire. Packets of soy sauce and duck sauce are commonplace with an order of crab rangoon, so we recommend setting out small bowls of those ingredients.
How to Store Crab Rangoon Dip
Let the crab rangoon dip cool completely to room temperature (be sure to do this in under two hours since a cream-based dip should not sit out longer than that). Once at room temp, cover the pan with storage wrap or transfer the dip to an airtight container. The dip can last in the fridge for up to three days. Store any leftover wonton chips in a resealable bag at room temp for three days.
Crab Rangoon Dip Tips
What can you serve with this crab rangoon dip recipe?
This dip is a spinoff of the Chinese American dish everyone knows and loves, so it’s best to serve it with complementary dishes. Let this crab rangoon dip be the starting appetizer for other Chinese food recipes like kung pao chicken, a favorite fried rice recipe or an easy quick ginger pork.
We also love serving this dip for any low-key, casual gathering. Plus, it makes a perfect appetizer for a Super Bowl party, where dips and finger foods reign supreme.
Do you serve this dip hot or cold?
This crab rangoon dip recipe is best served hot and straight from the oven when the cheese is melty. Technically, you can eat any leftovers cold from the fridge, but we highly recommend reheating the leftover dip.
How do you reheat crab rangoon dip?
To reheat crab rangoon dip, place it in an oven-safe pan and bake it in a 375° oven until the dip is bubbly, 20 to 30 minutes.
