Vegan Crab Rangoon

Name: Vegan Crab Rangoon
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 110 g firm tofu; 13 wonton wrappers; 1 medium carrot; 200 g softened vegan cream cheese; 2 spring onions; 2 garlic cloves; 2 tsp vegan worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp soy sauce; ½ tsp sesame oil; 2 tsp sugar - I’ve used raw coconut sugar; Fresh grated ginger; Salt to taste

Ingredients to make Vegan Crab Rangoons

Firm tofu and carrots are grated to be the "crab" substitute for these rangoons! Hearts of palm are also a great substitute too

Spring onions/scallions give a pop of colour and taste! You can also add onion powder but I prefer additional spring onions

Garlic makes everything better right?? If you're not a huge garlic fan, reduce to 1 clove. You can use garlic powder if you prefer

Ginger, I haven't noted an amount as it's an ingredient you either love or hate. I love it, so I add quite a lot 🙂

Worcestershire sauce is traditionally used. Just ensure you purchase a vegan brand if you are vegan as it usually contains anchovies

Soy sauce is added for extra flavour. I always prefer using the sodium-reduced brandsSesame oil gives a lovely nuttiness

Sugar is added for a little sweetness, especially as imitation crab in standard crab rangoons is quite sweet. I've used Coconut Sugar but you can use your preferred sugar

Vegan cream cheese is added for the creaminess. It's on the plain side which is why the remaining ingredients are important to bring a pop of flavour in every bite! You can also make vegetarian crab rangoons by using regular cream cheese instead

Wonton wrappers are used to wrap the filling. if you are vegan, ensure you purchase vegan wonton wrappers, as they can sometimes include eggs

How to make Vegan Crab Rangoon

Time needed: 30 minutes

Prepare ingredients
Leave cream cheese to soften at room temperature and press tofu to remove excess water

Grate tofu and carrots with a box grater and place in a large mixing bowl
Create mixture
Grate tofu and carrots with a box grater and place in a large bowl

To the same bowl, add chopped spring onions and grate in the garlic and ginger to taste. Add all sauces, sesame oil, sugar, cream cheese with a pinch of salt to taste and stir together using a disposable glove or a spoon
Fold the crab rangoon's
Scoop a spoon of the mixture into the centre of a wonton wrapper. Dip your finger in water and dab all edges of the wrapper

To fold bring two opposite corners together to form a triangle and seal the edges with your fingers. Bring each remaining corner to the middle and seal sides together again to create a little pocket

Repeat the above with the remaining mixture until all crab rangoon’s are wrapped
Time to cook
Preheat Air Fryer to 180°C/350°F

Spray the bottom of the air fryer with oil. Place rangoon's in the air fryer so they're not touching and generously spray with oil along the top and sides.

Cook for 10-12 minutes until they’re golden brown

Enjoy by dipping in sweet chilli, sirracha or your favourite sauce

Tips for Air Fryer Crab Rangoon

Pressing the tofu removes the excess water and allows it to absorb all the flavours. I wrap my tofu in a clean tea towel or paper towels, and place heaving items on top, such as books or a pot

Make sure to allow the vegan cream cheese to come to room temperature. This allows it to soften and mix in easier

I like to mix the mixture with my hands with a disposable glove. You can use a spoon but I find using your hands works better

To make the wrapping process quicker, make a little dipping station where you can wrap 3-4 at a time like a production line. Make sure to have a small bowl of water or ramekin to help when dabbing the edges of the wontons.

Don’t over fill the wonton wrappers as it will cause the rangoons to pop open when they’re cooked.

When folding the wontons, practice makes perfect! Don’t stress about the perfect shape, just make sure to seal them properly with your fingers along the edges

If cooking in the air fryer, spray them well with oil spray, don’t be shy 🙂 It helps them get crispy

Once cooked set aside on a cooling rack rather than on a plate so the bottom doesn’t go soggy from the heat

FAQs

What can I substitute for crab in crab rangoon?

Firm tofu and carrots can be grated as a crab rangoon substitute. Hearts of palm are also a great substitute too

Can you freeze crab rangoons?

Yes definitely! Once the crab rangoons have been wrapped, place flat on a tray into the freezer for about 30 minutes to an hour. Once they’ve frozen, you can rearrange them in a zip lock back and freeze them easily

What does rangoon mean?

Rangoon are wontons that are filled with a crab meat mixture and cream cheese, then cooked as deep fried. In this recipe however, I have air fried the rangoons for a healthier alternative

Recipe