Name: Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 4 min
Ingredients: 14 store bought egg roll wrappers; 12 oz stick style Imitation crab, chopped (thawed if frozen) (can also use real lump crab meat); 1 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped; 6 scallions, thinly sliced; 1 1/2 blocks softened cream cheese (12 oz); 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp sugar; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 1/2 tsp soy sauce; 1 1/2 tsp toasted Sesame oil; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper; Sweet chili sauce, for dipping; Neutral oil, such as canola, for frying

Easy Homemade Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls recipe with imitation or real crab, crunchy water chestnuts, and a tasty creamy filling, in crispy egg rolls!

JUMP TO RECIPE

These easy Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls are a larger version of the traditional version from your favorite Chinese restaurant. You'll need 14 sturdy store-bought egg roll wrappers to make these tasty egg rolls- with a bigger filling-to-wrapper ratio than standard wonton wrappers.

Fried in hot oil for extra crunch, or air fried for a lighter version, these crispy and creamy Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls are the perfect party appetizer, and go great with your favorite sweet chili sauce.

Homemade Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls (easy and delicious)

Ingredients

With a simple and flavorful crab filling, these easy and delicious Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls are a breeze to make. Here's what you'll need to make them:

Egg roll wrappers. You can get these at most local grocery stores, or your local Asian market. Look for thick wrappers in the fresh or freezer section. I have used Twin Dragon brand in the past with great results. You can also freeze any remaining wrappers for another use!
Stick style Imitation crab, chopped (thawed if frozen). You can also use real lump crab, or a mixture of imitation crab and real crab. Make sure to dry it well before mixing into the filling.
Canned sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped. Be sure to drain them very well to keep the filling from getting soggy.
Scallions (aka green onions), thinly sliced.
1 ½ blocks softened cream cheese. Let the cream cheese sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (ideally 1 hour) for ideal texture and easy workability. If you want to the cream cheese to soften quickly, take it out of the package, and cut it into small cubes and place on a plate on the counter.
Worcestershire sauce. This adds a depth, mild sweetness, and umami bite to the crab rangoon mixture. My go-to Worcestershire Sauce is Lea and Perrins.
Sugar, for a balanced flavor, and a touch of sweetness.
Garlic powder.
Soy sauce. I use low sodium.
Toasted Sesame oil. This adds a nutty, aromatic note to the egg roll filling.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Sweet chili sauce, for dipping. It's sweet and clings perfectly to the egg rolls, with just the right amount of spice.
Neutral oil, such as canola oil, vegetable oil , or avocado oil, for frying. If air frying, you can use cooking spray.

How to fill the Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls

Avoid overfilling. Stick with 2-3 tablespoon of filling per egg rolls to keep them secure when frying and prevent tears and blowouts while frying.

How to make Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls

Below is a step-by-step visual guide with sensory cues to making the perfect Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls, every time!

prep and mix together egg roll filling in a large bowl

fill and wrap egg rolls — prep and mix together egg roll filling in a large bowl

Deep Frying Troubleshooting

If the egg rolls split or leak while frying, it’s usually because they were not sealed well, or may have been overfilled. Make sure to tightly seal, using water to moisten the edges to keep them intact while frying, and don't go crazy with the filling.

What Makes for easy Egg Roll Frying

A deep fryer, air fryer, or large pot, for frying.
Paper towels, a wire rack, and a baking sheet (or sheet pan), for draining.
An instant read thermometer, for measuring oil temperature.

Air frying the egg rolls

To air fry the Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls, preheat your air fryer to 370 degrees f. Spray the egg rolls liberally with cooking spray or oil (more than you might think) to promote even browning. Make sure they are well coated in oil on all sides.

Place the egg rolls in your air fryer basket, about 3-4 at a time depending on your air fryer model, leaving plenty of space between them for even heat distribution, and to prevent sticking.

Air fry the egg rolls for 3-4 minutes a side until crispy, checking on them every so often to ensure they are evenly browning and not burning.

Substitutions and Additions

These tasty Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls are easily adapted to work with your personal preferences, as well as what you have on hand in your refrigerator and pantry. Here are some great swaps you can use to make this recipe your own:

Crab	If you're a crab lover like me, try the recipe with all lump crab meat, or a 50/50 split of crab meat and imitation crab.
Sauce Swaps	Try sweet and sour sauce or duck sauce in place of the sweet chili sauce for dipping.
Sweetener	Swap the sugar for honey, or sweet chili sauce.

Storing and Reheating

Storing. Store leftover egg rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. You can freeze them before or after frying, and deep fry or air fry them right from the freezer!

Reheating. To reheat, warm in oven or air fry (thaw if cooking frozen egg rolls). Warm through in a 350 degree oven on a sheet pan for 10-15 minutes, until just warmed through. To reheat in the air fryer, air fry at 350 for 3-4 minutes, checking occasionally, until crispy and warmed through. Avoid the microwave for reheating, since they will get soggy.

Reheating from frozen. Frozen, uncooked egg rolls will take a bit longer to deep fry or air fry, so plan on an additional 3-5 minutes of cook time, and keep your oil temperature on the lower side (about 325 degrees f) to prevent scorching as they heat through.

Print Recipe

Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls Recipe

Easy Homemade Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls, with imitation or real crab, crunchy water chestnuts, and a tasty creamy filling, in crispy egg rolls!

Prep Time20

Cook Time4

Course: Appetizer

Keyword: crab, egg rolls

Servings:

Calories: 182kcal

Equipment

deep fryer, large stock pot, dutch oven, or air fryer
Baking sheet
wire rack
paper towels

Ingredients

14 store bought egg roll wrappers
12 oz stick style Imitation crab, chopped (thawed if frozen) , can also use real lump crab meat
1 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
6 scallions, thinly sliced
1 ½ blocks softened cream cheese (12 oz)
2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoon soy sauce
1 ½ teaspoon toasted Sesame oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Sweet chili sauce, for dipping
Neutral oil, such as canola, for frying

Instructions

Deep frying:
1. Set up a large cutting board with egg roll wrappers and a small amount of water in a small bowl.
2. Add a generous amount of filling to the center of each wrapper, turned on an angle to make a diamond orientation.
3. Moisten the outer edges of the egg roll wrapper with water lightly with your fingers, and fold the bottom corner over the filling.
4. Next fold the right corner in and press to seal, then fold the left corner in and press to seal, and roll forward until top corner is pressed onto egg roll and contents are securely wrapped and sealed.
5. Repeat until all wrappers are filled and sealed. Remove the rolled eggrolls to a large cookie sheet or tray as you go.
6. Heat a large pot of oil (enough to submerge egg rolls) or a deep fryer of oil to 350 degrees f. If heating oil on the stove, heat over medium-high heat, and check temperature with a thermometer.
7. Working in batches of 2-3 egg rolls at a time, Carefully transfer the egg rolls to the hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown.
8. When golden and crispy, remove egg rolls to wire rack or paper towel lined baking sheet and allow to cool. Continue until all egg rolls are fried.
9. Serve hot, sliced on a bias, if desired, with sweet chili sauce or sauce of choice.
Air Frying:
To air fry the Crab Rangoon Egg rolls, preheat your air fryer to 370 degrees f. Spray the egg rolls liberally on all sides with a neutral cooking spray, such as canola or avocado oil. Air fry the egg rolls for 3-4 minutes a side until crispy, checking on them every so often to ensure they are evenly browning.
Makes 12-14 egg rolls

Nutrition

More tasty egg roll recipes

If you love this Crab Rangoon Egg Rolls recipe, you'll love these tasty egg roll recipes, too!

Try my #1 most requested party appetizer from friends and family, Reuben Egg Rolls.

Try my General's Chicken Ramen Egg Rolls, for a fun twist on the classic takeout favorite.

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