Crab Rangoon Nachos

Whenever my husband and I order Chinese takeout, we can never resist adding an order of crispy crab rangoon. Our favorite tradition is sneaking one of the fried wontons—with its with its molten, creamy crab filling—on the drive home while it’s still super hot and fresh. There’s truly nothing better. These crab rangoon nachos are an ode to our favorite takeout appetizer.

What I love most about this recipe is that it’s much easier to make than traditional crab rangoon—there’s no folding, pleating or frying required. Instead, wonton wrappers are baked in the oven until they become golden chips. Once you have your chips, mound them on a platter and top them with a homemade cream cheese sauce seasoned with soy sauce, green onions, garlic, imitation crab meat and a generous drizzle of sweet chili sauce. Garnished with sesame seeds and a few extra scallions for color, these crab rangoon nachos won’t last long.

Ingredients for Crab Rangoon Nachos

• Wonton wrappers: Wonton wrappers can be found in most grocery stores, usually in the refrigerator section or near the tofu, kimchi or fresh herbs. If you want extra-thin wrappers, look for the ones sold at Asian markets; they’re often more delicate, and they bake up crispier.
• Olive oil: Brushing the sheet pan and tops of the wonton wrappers with olive oil gives the chips just enough oil to lightly fry and crisp in the oven. This is the same method used for making Italian nachos.
• Cream cheese: Using the best cream cheese brand for the sauce makes a world of difference.
• Sugar: A small amount of sugar lightly sweetens the sauce and balances the umami flavors.
• Soy sauce: Soy contributes salt and a rich umami flavor to the luscious sauce.
• Toasted sesame oil: This powerfully scented oil adds nuttiness and gives the sauce an intoxicating aroma.
• Milk: Milk thins the cream cheese sauce to the perfect consistency.
• Green onions: This fresh allium adds a mild onion flavor and a burst of green color to the sauce.
• Imitation crab meat: While you can use leg-style imitation crab meat, I found that a flake-style imitation crab meat offered better bite-sized, shredded pieces for topping nachos.
• Sweet chili sauce: This sweet, tangy and spicy condiment is often served as a dipping sauce for crab rangoon. It makes the perfect finish for the nachos.
• Garnish: A final flourish of chili crisp or a smattering of sesame seeds makes the perfect finish to this tantalizing, takeout-inspired appetizer.

Directions

Step 1: Bake the chips

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Divide 2 tablespoons of olive oil between two half-sheet pans, brushing it evenly over the surface. Cut the wonton wrappers diagonally in half, then arrange them on the sheet pans in a single layer. Brush the tops with the remaining olive oil. Bake them until they’re golden brown and crisp, six to eight minutes.

Step 2: Make the sauce

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the cream cheese, milk, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and garlic powder until they’re smooth and creamy. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in half of the green onions.

Editor’s Tip: You can adjust the consistency of the cream sauce by adding more or less milk. Add 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Step 3: Assemble the nachos

Layer the wontons with the cream cheese mixture and crab meat over the top. Drizzle with sweet chili sauce and sprinkle with the remaining green onions. Finish with sesame seeds and garlic chili oil, if desired. Serve immediately.

Place the wontons onto a serving tray. Dollop cream cheese mixture over top. Sprinkle them with crab meat, then drizzle them with sweet chili sauce. Garnish the nachos with the remaining green onions and the sesame seeds and chili crisp, as desired.

Crab Rangoon Nachos Variations

• Explore your sauce options: For a milder flavor, use sweet-and-sour sauce instead of sweet chili sauce.
• Use real crab: Imitation crab gives these nachos a more authentic takeout flavor. That said, if you’re not a fan of imitation crab meat, you can substitute an equal amount of canned lump crab (drained).

How to Store Crab Rangoon Nachos

Crab rangoon nachos are best enjoyed as soon as they’re assembled. The chips will quickly become soggy if they’re stored in the refrigerator. To limit waste, assemble only as many nachos as you think you will eat in one sitting.

Store extra chips in an airtight food storage container at room temperature. Store extra crab and cream cheese sauce separately in airtight food storage containers in the fridge for up to four days.

How do you reheat crab rangoon nachos?

If you have leftover cream cheese sauce and would like to make a second batch of nachos, you can warm the sauce in the microwave at a reduced power setting until it’s heated through. If it’s too thick, add a splash of milk to loosen it up. Assemble the crab rangoon nachos as directed, and enjoy them immediately.

Crab Rangoon Nachos Tips

Can you deep-fry or air-fry the wonton chips?

Yes! If you want to replicate the taste and texture of authentic crab rangoon, then frying the wontons is the way to go. If you’re not confident enough to deep-fry, you can prepare them in an air fryer instead.

To deep-fry the wontons, heat 2 to 3 inches of canola oil to 350°. Fry the wontons in batches until they’re golden, about 30 to 60 seconds. Remove them promptly and drain them on a paper towel-lined plate. To make wontons in an air fryer, begin by preheating it to 375°. Spritz the basket with cooking spray, then add a single layer of wontons. Repeat with two to three more layers of wonton pieces, spritzing between each layer. Fry them for three to five minutes, shaking the basket every minute until the chips are golden.