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Vegan Crab Rangoon [Epic Vegan Cookbook]

Looking for a fun, and SUPER delicious appetizer, for the holidays? Dustin Harder, of the Vegan Roadie, has a recipe for vegan crab rangoon that is perfect!

A hand dipping vegan Crab Rangoon into sweet chili sauce, with two black plates of Crab Rangoon, on a napkin and grey background. Text on image reads "Vegan Crab Rangoon from the Epic Vegan Cookbook"

If you’re not familiar with Dustin, he is the author of The Simply Vegan Cookbook and blogger at the Vegan Roadie. Now, he is the proud book-daddy of Epic Vegan: Wild and Over-the-Top Recipes. And boy, this book is true to its name. It’s honestly unlike any other vegan cookbook I’ve seen!

Hearts of palm in a bowl, next to green onions, gyoza wrappers, old bay seasoning, cashew pieces, and sauerkraut, on a cutting board, with a copy of the Epic Vegan Cookbook behind it.

The first couple of chapters start out with basics, or simpler entree recipes, and then you have the option to “Create Your Epic”. Meaning, let’s take this recipe to STUNT-FOOD-LEVELS OF AWESOME! Like with this vegan Crab Rangoon recipe, you can make just the app, or go all the way with the Crab Rangoon Pizza. Another example is taking the Garlicky Cheddar Biscuits and Gravy, and turning it into the Deep-Dish Brunch Pizza. Are you drooling yet?

Using a citrus reamer to squeeze lemon juice into a blender pitcher on the left, and vegan cream cheese being pureed in a blender on the right

Lucky for us, Dustin is a sweetheart who’s letting me share this satisfying appetizer recipe. I picked it knowing that many people will be entertaining in the next few weeks, and small bites are necessary! I haven’t enjoyed a dish like Crab Rangoon in years, so this was quite the treat.

Vegan cream cheese in a bowl on the left, and assembling vegan Crab Rangoon on a baking sheet, next to an open cookbook, on the right.

Now, go and try this recipe out, I know you won’t regret it! And for another one of Dustin’s recipes, you can find my post on Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies. If you make them, make sure to tag @theveganroadie and @veganyackattack for us to see!

Frying vegan Crab Rangoon in a large, cast iron skillet, on a the stove, with cooked pieces on a plate in the background.

1 year: Gluten-free Millet Stuffing // 3 years: Brussels Sprouts Butternut Squash Salad // 6 years: The Great Vegan Pumpkin Book // 7 years: Pumpkin Banana Nut Bread // 8 years: Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

Yield: 16 Rangoons

Vegan Crab Rangoon

Vegan Crab Rangoon on black plates with a side of sweet chili sauce, whole green onions, and a white linen on a great background

"When I was a kid in Michigan, ordering crab rangoon was a staple for the table when we went out for Chinese food. When I moved to NYC, I remember being so disappointed to discover this was not a typical item on Chinese menus. Needless to say, it was my mission to re-create these for very personal reasons. Hearts of palm give it the texture usually provided by the crab, but let’s face it, it’s that luscious cream cheese with the crunchy wonton everyone loves! Speaking of cream cheese, these were tested several times with various brands, and the tofu-based cream cheeses complement it best, with the nut-based cream cheeses coming in second; the Dreamy Creamy Cream Cheese on page 41 will also successfully take you to the finish line." Recipe and text reprinted from Epic Vegan with permission from Fairwinds Press; Copyright Dustin Harder 2019

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

Crab Rangoon

  • 1/2 cup Dreamy Creamy Cream Cheese (page 41) or store-bought tofu-based cream cheese
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water from the can of hearts of palm
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 3/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons (18 g) minced hearts of palm
  • 16 vegan wonton or dumpling wrappers
  • Canola oil
  • Sweet Thai Chili Sauce (page 46 or store-bought), for dipping (optional)

Dreamy Creamy Cream Cheese

  • 1 cup (137 g) raw cashews,soaked in water overnight or boiled for 10 minutes and drained
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened soy or almond milk
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon (9 g) sauerkraut
  • 1 tablespoon (16 g) white miso
  • 1 tablespoon (7 g) onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1⁄3 cup (33 g) chopped scallions (optional)

Instructions

  1. For the vegan crab rangoon, In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, hearts of palm water, lemon juice, Old Bay, and salt until well combined. Stir in the hearts of palm until evenly dispersed.
  2. Prepare a small bowl with water for sealing the edges of the wontons.
  3. Set a wonton wrapper on a work surface. Scoop 1 heaping teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture into the center of the wrapper. Create a basic triangle wonton or get epic with a “parcel” fold, as pictured (see Tip).
  4. To make triangle rangoons: Moisten the edges of the wonton with a wet fingertip, then fold it in half over the filling to create a triangle, carefully pressing out excess air before you press down and seal the wonton—be sure to seal the edges tightly to avoid the filling from falling out.Set aside on parchment paper as you work through them so the bottoms don’t stick to the work surface.
  5. To make “parcel” fold rangoons: Moisten the edges of the wonton with a wet fingertip. Lift and press two opposing corners of the wonton together in the center over the filling. Lift the remaining two opposing corners to the middle and press all corners together, forming a small parcel. Gently press the edges of the seams together to form a solid seal. Be careful not to allow any air to remain inside as you seal them. Set aside on parchment.
  6. In a wok or large saucepan, pour 3 inches (8 cm) of canola oil. Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C), or until a small piece of wonton crisps up within seconds when set in the oil. Line a plate with paper towels.
  7. Carefully transfer 2 or 3 wontons to the oil and fry for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the paper towel–lined plate. Repeat with the remaining rangoons. Serve with Sweet Thai Chili Sauce, if desired.
  8. If you're making the Dreamy Creamy Cream Cheese, add the cashews, milk, lemon juice, sauerkraut, miso, onion powder, and salt to a high-speed blender. Start blending on low speed and gradually increase the speed as more of the ingredients break down. This will take some time to get a nice smooth texture, but I promise you, it’s worth it!
  9. Periodically stop and scrape down the sides of the blender to make sure all of the ingredients are being incorporated. Be patient, and blend until smooth and creamy—it will takeseveral minutes and some stopping and going.
  10. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the scallions, if using, until well incorporated. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (Yields roughly 1 1/2 cups (358 g))

Notes

Tip! Can’t wrap your brain around creating the “parcel” fold for the crab rangoon? This is what YouTube is made for! Find a YouTube tutorial and you’ll be an expert in no time! If you’re working with a round dumpling wrapper, you can achieve the same results; you’ll just be folding in the four sides of the round to the center for the parcel, and the triangle shape will be a half moon—either will be delicious!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1 rangoon

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 91

The nutrition information is calculated by a plug-in, and isn't always accurate. Please calculate your own with the products that you use, as it will be different for everyone.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Vegan Crab Rangoon on black plates with a side of sweet chili sauce, whole green onions, and a white linen on a grey background, with the Epic Vegan Cookbook.
Vegan Crab Rangoon on black plates with a side of sweet chili sauce, whole green onions, and a white linen on a great background

Lastly, this post contains affiliate links. The publisher sent me a copy of the cookbook in exchange for posting a recipe from it. All words and opinions are my own.

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5-Minute Vegan Blender Queso - Vegan Yack Attack

Thursday 10th of February 2022

[…] Vegan Crab Rangoon [Epic Vegan Cookbook] […]

Randa

Sunday 17th of January 2021

Do you think these could fry up okay in the air fryer?

Jackie @ Vegan Yack Attack!

Sunday 17th of January 2021

Hmm, I think you'd have to spray them with a pretty serious coat of oil, otherwise the wrap will be pretty dense/chewy instead of crispy/light.

Vegan Crab Rangoon [Epic Vegan Cookbook] - Veganly

Wednesday 20th of November 2019

[…] Looking for a fun, and SUPER delicious appetizer, for the holidays? Dustin Harder, of the Vegan Roadie, has a recipe for vegan crab rangoon that is perfect! If you’re not familiar with Dustin, he is the author of… Read More […]

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