Crab Rangoon Dip
All the flavors of your favorite takeout appetizer in one warm, bubbly dip. This Crab Rangoon Dip is easy to make, impossible to stop eating, and perfect for any party spread, served with wonton chips.
Servings: 12 servings (1/4 cup)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces brick-style full-fat cream cheese , softened (I use Philadelphia)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise (see Note 1)
- ¼ cup full fat sour cream (I use Daisy)
- 2 teaspoons Chinese light soy sauce , or Japanese shoyu
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil (see Note 2)
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar , optional (see Note 3)
- pinch ground white pepper , to taste
- Diamond Crystal kosher or fine sea salt , to taste
- 1¼ to 1½ cups shredded mozzarella, Monterey Jack, or cheddar cheese , divided (see Note 4)
- 4 medium scallions , thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup) - plus additional for garnish
- 8 ounces lump crab meat , very well drained and picked over for cartilage (see Note 5)
- ¼ to ½ cup Thai sweet chili sauce (I use Mae Ploy, see Note 6)
- fried wonton chips , for serving (see Note 7)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle position. Lightly grease a shallow 1-quart baking dish (such as a pie plate) or a 7- to 8-inch oven-safe skillet with cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, sesame oil, sugar (if using), and a pinch of white pepper. Mix with a hand mixer, whisk, or wooden spoon until smooth and well combined.
- Mix in the scallions and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Taste the base and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Gently fold in the crabmeat with a spoon or spatula until distributed throughout, leaving some chunks intact. Taste again and add salt only if needed.
- Spread the dip evenly into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining shredded cheese, using ¼ to ½ cup, depending on how cheesy you like your dip.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the dip is hot, bubbly, and lightly browned around the edges. Remove from the oven and let the dip stand for 5 minutes to thicken slightly before serving. (If substituting surimi for lump crab, I've found that you can skip the wait.)
- Spread the sweet chili sauce evenly over the top of the dip. Garnish with additional sliced scallions. Serve warm with a small serving spoon and wonton chips, tortilla chips, or buttery crackers.
Notes
1. Mayonnaise: I like using Japanese Kewpie mayo here. You can also use a high-quality American-style mayo, like Duke's.
2. Toasted (Roasted) Sesame Oil: Keep in mind that potency varies by brand, so start with the amount listed and add more, if needed, to taste. I like the Kadoya brand.
3. Granulated Sugar: Optional. Since the sweet chili sauce topping also adds sweetness to each bite, I like to use just 1/2 teaspoon of sugar in the base. Omit for a more savory base.
4. Cheese: I use low-moisture mozzarella for a mild, creamy melt. Monterey Jack is another great mild option. For a sharper flavor, use white cheddar.
5. Crab: Fresh/pasteurized (preferred) or canned lump crabmeat both work well here. Drain all crab thoroughly so it doesn't make the dip watery. You can also use small-chopped imitation crabmeat (surimi), which will result in a slightly thicker dip after baking.
6. Sweet Chili Sauce: The quantity is a personal call — the more you add to the top of the dip, the sweeter each bite will be. Keep in mind that wider, shallower baking dishes will need more sauce to cover the surface than deeper, narrower ones. I often start with ¼ cup, then add more as we dip through that first layer. If you'd prefer no heat at all, your favorite bottled or homemade sweet-and-sour sauce makes a great substitute.
7. Wonton Chips: Follow my linked tutorial, cutting the wrappers in half diagonally into triangular chips rather than strips. You can either fry them while the dip bakes or make them up to 1-2 days ahead and store them at room temperature. For this dip, either lightly salt the chips when they come out of the fryer or serve them unsalted.
Note: Nutrition Estimate is for the dip only and does not include fried wonton chips.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.25cup | Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 544mg | Potassium: 131mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 192IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 155mg | Iron: 0.4mg
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