Crab Rangoon Nachos

Although found on Chinese restaurant menus across the United States, the crab rangoon is as American as a cheeseburger. Believed to have been created sometime in the 1940s/50s, it's a perplexing food with its own holiday, cloudy history, and an enormous cult following. Crispy, creamy, savory, and sweet, there's no wonder why the crunchy morsels are always such a big hit at gatherings. But after about 80 years, I think the Rangoon may need a little upgrade…Behold, crab rangoon nachos!

So, what the heck is a crab rangoon? Traditionally, a crab rangoon is a purse-shaped fried wonton filled with a creamy filling mainly composed of crab meat (usually imitation crab, also known as surimi), scallions, garlic, and cream cheese. The crab rangoon is often dipped into soy sauce, plum sauce, hot mustard, or Thai chili sauce.

The crab rangoon's origin surprisingly stems from America's obsession with the 'tiki' aesthetic after veterans who had served in the Pacific theater during the second world war returned with a longing for anything that reminded them of the tropics. This 'tiki' culture was the American attempt to recreate a sense of escape to the bright, warm, laid-back Polynesian islands on American soil. This era has left us

with some fun cultural hodgepodge recipes such as the crab rangoon and delicious cocktails like the mai tai or piña colada (to drink while enjoying the rangoons, of course!).

Alright, a quick confession. I first made this dish after a few too many drinks with some buddies in college. It was an easy and filling snack using ingredients I had lying around in the fridge. To make the sauce, we will do exactly what I did that night; microwave the ingredients together. There is no need to overly complicate things by busting out a pot or pan for this recipe. Throw all of the rangoon sauce ingredients into a bowl, mixing and microwaving in 20-second increments until the mixture's texture is smooth and consistent. By not making a roux for this cheese sauce, we’re able to mimic the texture and experience you get when biting into a fried crab rangoon.

Adding fresh scallions and cucumbers lifts the otherwise heavy dish both from a flavor and visual standpoint.

When you make the wonton chips, just be aware of how quickly the wontons crisp up and brown. They should take less than five minutes to cook in the oven.

Despite being delicious, crab rangoons can be challenging to make attractive on a plate. They're one-note in presentation, dull, unappealing, and brownish-orange in color. By layering the ingredients in a nacho-like way, you can see different textures and colors, making the dish more inviting. You know what they say, you eat with your eyes first!

Shake up a mai tai because we’re making a tiki-era inspired dish with a spin! Behold, Crab Rangoon Nachos. Oven-baked wonton chips with layers of crab rangoon filling, sweet chili sauce, and scallions, and topped with shredded surimi. Whether you’re looking for an easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer or a home movie snack, here’s the recipe for you!

Crab Rangoon Nachos

Shake up a mai tai because we’re making a tiki-era-inspired dish with a spin! Oven-baked wonton chips with layers of crab rangoon filling, sweet chili sauce, and scallions, and topped with shredded surimi. Whether you’re looking for an easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer or a home movie snack, here’s the recipe for you!

Recipe by Maya Alderman (Instagram & TikTok: @Kuishinbo_maya)

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 5 minutes

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

Wonton Chips:

• 18 square wonton wrappers

• Canola or vegetable oil, as needed

• Salt, as needed

Rangoon Filling Sauce:

• 8 ounces cream cheese

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 tablespoon fermented chili sauce

• 1 clove fresh garlic, minced into a paste

• 1-½ teaspoons white sugar

• ¼ teaspoon white pepper

• ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• Kosher salt, to taste

Garnishes:

• 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

• ¼ English cucumber, washed, sliced into disks

• 3 each scallions, washed, thinly sliced

• 5-7 each surimi sticks, shredded (imitation crab)

• Thai sweet chili sauce, as desired

Directions:

1. PREP CHIPS. Preheat the oven to 400 F degrees. Prepare the wonton chips by using your favorite Forge To Table Knife to slice the square-shaped wonton wrappers in half diagonally to make triangles. Place the cut wonton wrappers onto a baking sheet and lightly brush both sides of each wrapper with vegetable oil. Lightly season with a small pinch of salt onto each wrapper.

2. BAKE CHIPS. Place the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 3 minutes. Check to see if the chips are a light golden brown, and if the chips are not quite done, place them back into the oven and check in one-minute increments. Remove from oven and let cool. (NOTE: These chips cook quickly and are very easy to burn! Please don't ask how I know…)

3. SAUCE. In a microwave-safe bowl, add the cream cheese, soy sauce, sesame oil, fermented chili sauce, minced garlic, white sugar, white pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Microwave in 20-second increments until the mixture’s texture is smooth and consistent, about 1 minute total. Season with salt, if necessary.

4. ASSEMBLE. Start to assemble the nachos by spreading an even layer of wonton chips on your desired serving vessel. Spoon a consistent amount of the rangoon filling sauce over each chip, followed by shredded surimi (imitation crab), thinly sliced scallions, and Thai sweet chili sauce. Repeat this sequence to pile the nachos high! Finish with sliced cucumber and black sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Chef Notes:

• Feel free to swap the surimi for real crab if you’re feeling fancy.

• The wonton chips can be made in the air fryer as well, just decrease the temperature to 375 F degrees and check the chip’s doneness at the three-minute mark.

• Swap kosher salt for MSG if you have it on hand.