Super Easy Crab Puffs Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between crab puffs and crab rangoon? ›

Are crab puffs and crab rangoons the same thing? Yes, crab puffs and crab rangoons are the same things.

Preparation. The filling is made with a combination of cream cheese, crab meat or imitation crab meat, scallions or onion, garlic, and other flavorings. A small amount of the filling is wrapped in each wonton wrapper.

It consists of cream cheese, sometimes sweetened, plus, usually, very small bits of imitation crab, stuffed into a wonton wrapper and deep-fried, served with a syrupy, neon sweet-and-sour dipping sauce. It is, essentially, deep-fried cheesecake with fake crab in it—as sweet as any dessert, but served as an appetizer.

Worst: Crab Rangoon

It's mostly cream cheese, wrapped in dough and deep-fried to create bite-sized calorie bombs. Because they're small, it's easy to eat more than one. Finish an order of 4, and you're likely to get more than half the calories and fat you should have in an entire meal.

Also known as Crab Puffs, Crab Pillows, and Cheese Wontons, these are essentially fried wontons stuffed with cream cheese and imitation crab (or sometimes real crab).

So, what exactly is this yellow stuff you find in crabs? This substance is known as “crab mustard” or “tomalley” in culinary terms. It's not mustard, though, nor is it related to the condiment we all know. Tomalley acts as the crab's liver and pancreas, which might sound a bit odd at first.

We recommend using an oil with a high smoke point, like canola oil, for frying crab rangoons. (Learn more about the different types of frying oil.) Heat the oil to 375° or a gentle boil and then fry the wontons until they're golden brown.

I love Panda Express' Crab Rangoons and they're so easy to make! Oddly enough, they don't use crab or imitation crab in their original recipe. Feel free to add some though, it's delicious! My local Panda Express offers 3 for $2.35.

Cursory online research will tell you that a dish resembling present-day crab rangoon first appeared on the menu of legendary tiki bar and restaurant Trader Vic's, though some sources hypothesize these stuffed crab puffs emerged around the turn of the century in British-controlled Burma.

Although crab Rangoon can be found in almost all the Chinese restaurant in the United States, again, this dish has nothing to do with Chinese food. The word “Rangoon” in the name “crab Rangoon” is really an old name of Yangon, the largest in Myanmar.

What brings out the flavor of crab? ›

If you plan to boil or steam your crab legs, your first option is to use the water to impart extra flavor. Don't be shy about adding salt, pepper, lemon juice and lemon rinds, or the classic Old Bay seasoning to your pot before boiling or steaming your crab legs.

Can you eat imitation crab raw? Yes. It is pre-cooked, so you are able to eat it straight from the package. Many people use it as part of a larger recipe though, adding it to cream of crab soup, crab Rangoon or crab salad.

Unless your seafood is literally catch of the day, chances are it will taste and smell a bit fishy, thanks to a compound found in nearly all seafood called trimethylamine oxide, or TMAO.

While wonton filling can vary from pork to shrimp with seasonings like ginger, garlic, scallions, and soy sauce, crab rangoon always has cream cheese and crab filling.

The name "Crab Rangoon" is believed to be a nod to the traditional Burmese dish, "ohn-no khauk swe" or "ohn-no kaukswe," which is a soup made with noodles and chicken. "Rangoon" was the former name of Yangon, the largest city in Myanmar (formerly Burma), where the dish is said to have originated.

Two Styles of Crab Cake

These are the boardwalk style and restaurant style. The restaurant style is also known as the gourmet style and does not rely on breading; at the very least, it's not supposed to. Instead, they are broiled over open flames or cooked in a buttered pan.

In a small bowl, gently combine crab meat, cream cheese, green onion, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce (if using), and garlic powder. Layout 3 wonton wrappers at a time. Place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of each. Dab the edges with water and fold the two opposite corners together to form a triangle.