This is one of my most favorite new combination foods! This Crab Rangoon Grilled Cheese has all the flavors of everything you love about crab rangoons, stuffed into a melty, gooey, grilled cheese sandwich. The final touch is serving it with a side of sweet chili sauce to dip. It’s creamy, crunchy, gooey, and comes together in about 15 minutes. You will love this!
Crab Rangoon Grilled Cheese
We used to stay at this hotel with a pool bar in Kauai (which has since closed otherwise I’d link it) and it had these incredible little crab rangoons for happy hour. I actually blogged a baked version recently! I’ve always loved anything with surimi, and especially love the flavor of crab rangoons, so I wanted to try to get all the flavor of a rangoon inside a grilled cheese. And guess what? I did it, and it’s my new favorite grilled cheese recipe!
Ingredients Needed to Make a Crab Rangoon Grilled Cheese
- Sourdough
- Butter
- Shredded Mozzarella
- Imitation Crab
- Or real crab, canned crab works as well.
- Cream Cheese
- I like to use whipped for better consistency. It’s easier to mix.
- Green Onions
- Granulated Garlic
- Salt
- Pepper
- Sweet Chili Sauce
- Optional, but amazing to dip for that classic crab rangoon taste.
Making a Crab Rangoon Grilled Cheese
I use my panini press for grilled cheese sandwiches, but you can easily just use a regular pan. This comes together almost as simply as a standard grilled cheese!
- Start by mixing together the cream cheese, the grab, the mozzarella, onions, the granulated garlic and the salt. Mix well with a fork until fully combined.
- Preheat pan (or panini press).
- Butter the top and bottom of each piece of bread.
- Spread the cream cheese crab mixture between 2 pieces of sourdough.
- Place the sandwich in the pan, with the buttered sides facing outward.
- When both sides are golden brown, and the interior is melty, the sandwich is ready!
I like to cut it at a diagonal to serve, it makes it easier to dip in the sweet chili sauce!
Questions Answered, Substitutions, & Tips
- What is imitation crab? Can I use real crab?
- Imitation crab is also called ‘surimi’, and it’s basically made from a mild white fish and is fully cooked. It’s perfect for this recipe, because you simply chop it up, add it to the cream cheese mixture, and it’s ready to go.
- You can absolutely use real crab! Canned crab works great, just be sure to drain it super well.
- The secret to a great grilled cheese (with any filling)? Moderate heat! Dont’ overheat the pan. You want the interior of the sandwich to get melty and gooey. If it’s cooked too high, the bread gets toasted quickly, but the interior will need more time to melt.
- The best sauce to go with a crab rangoon grilled cheese? Sweet chili sauce! I buy mine at Trader Joes.
Tips for the Best Crab Rangoon Grilled Cheese
- Use softened cream cheese, or whipped. If you use a block of cream cheese right from the refrigerator it will be hard to mix.
- Chop the crab into smaller pieces. It flakes pretty easily with a fork, too.
- Don’t overstuff it with too much filling, otherwise it will have a hard time melting completely.
More Recipes with Crab
If you like this recipe, here’s a few more we think you’ll love!
- Baked Crab Rangoons
- Crab Rangoon Pizza
- Cucumber Sushi Bites
- Artichoke Crab Dip
- Salmon Dip
- Easy Sushi Cupcakes
- California Sushi Bake
What do you think about this recipe? Have questions? Comment below! Don’t forget to like us on Facebook, and connect with us on Instagram and tag your @Laughingspatula recipes with #laughingspatula,while you’re at it…We love to see your pics!
Cheers to unique, fun food! – Kathi and Rachel
Crab Rangoon Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 slices sourdough
- 4 tbsp butter (2 tbsp per sandwich)
- sweet chili sauce (for serving)
Imitation Crab Filling
- 1 cup imitation crab
- 1/2 cup whipped cream cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1 tbsp sliced green onion
- 1/4 tsp granulated garlic
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Mix together crab filling; combine crab, cream cheese, mozzarella, green onions, granulated garlic and salt. Mix together until fully incorporated.
- Preheat pan (or panini press).
- Butter 1 side of each piece of bread. Add about 1/2 cup of crab mixture to bread. Place another slice on top, so both buttered pieces are facing outward.
- Grill sandwich until both sides are golden brown, and interior is melty and gooey. Repeat for sandwich number 2.
- Allow to slightly cool before serving, and serve with a side of sweet chili sauce. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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