Copy Cat Recipe - Panda Express Cream Cheese Wonton (2024)

FAQs

What is Panda Express cream cheese rangoon made of? ›

Cream Cheese Rangoon is made with wonton wrappers filled with cream cheese and served with sweet and sour sauce. These cream cheese wonton appetizer is a popular item on the Panda Express menu, and is served in PF Changs, Pei Wei, and many Chinese restaurants across the U.S.

The difference is all in the filling. Traditional wontons are not ever filled with cream cheese (which is one of the main components in crab rangoon recipes).

While actual crab is not the primary focus of crab rangoon, either imitation crab or the real stuff adds necessary flavor. The best shape for crab rangoon is a four-pointed star: It concentrates the filling and maximizes surface area for more crunch.

Traditional Chinese wonton wrappers are made from wheat flour, eggs and water, and can be used to wrap around any number of fillings to be cooked in soups or fried.

Wonton filling

There are many types of wonton fillings, but I'd say that pork and shrimp/prawns are the most common. Then there are all sorts of additions, including mushrooms, water chestnuts, chopped up Asian greens and even carrots.

Wontons are basically fried dumplings that are filled with a mix of vegetables and meat, typically ground beef or pork. Wontons wrappers are typically thinner and made with wheat flour, whereas dumplings can be made from potato or wheat flour. Both can be boiled, steamed, or fried.

The flavors of wonton soup are warm, comforting, and yet gentle on the digestive tract. The broth is simple and brought to life with a drizzle of sesame oil and, usually, white pepper. The delicate wonton pouches are not too heavy on the stomach, and the ginger is light and helps with nausea.

The oldest recipes include the wonton wrapper, cream cheese, garlic powder, A-1 steak sauce and crab. Imitation crab came out from Japan in 1975 and its cheap cost led it to replace real crab in many restaurant recipes.

Do the rangoons from Panda have crab? ›

They're common to find in Chinese restaurants in America. Panda Express cream cheese rangoons are very popular but it only has cream cheese instead of crab too.

The most common filling is ground pork or chicken and shrimp with a small amount of flour added as a binder. The mixture is seasoned with salt, spices, and often garlic or finely chopped green onion. Factory-made, frozen varieties are sold in supermarkets.

Except it usually isn't. Usually, Crab Rangoon is a sad, fried wad of dough filled with surimi (fake crab) and gloppy cheese. It's frequently an object of ridicule among food enthusiasts (which, in 2015, is most people). But there's no reason – no reason at all!

Cream cheese was popular in American households in the 1940s, but it wasn't used in China: The majority of the country is lactose intolerant, and its cuisine is virtually dairy-free. To confuse the dish's identity even further, Vic named it crab rangoon after the former name of the city of Yangon in Myanmar.

“For one, they're commonly found at just about any Americanized Chinese restaurant, so most people are familiar with them, which helps them have mass appeal and recognition,” he explained to In The Know by Yahoo.

Cream Cheese Rangoons

The inside of these crispy rangoons contains cream cheese and diced scallions (no crab here!), so they're technically vegetarian-friendly if you can get past the fact that they are fried in the same fryers as non-vegetarian items.

Panda Express Cream Cheese Rangoon may seem like a Chinese restaurant favorite, but it is actually not the crab (or Krab) wontons you're used to. In this version, the flavor is mostly made up of cream cheese and crispy delicious wontons.

They're typically deep-fried and contain cream cheese, which adds calories and fat. Enjoy them in moderation as an occasional treat rather than a regular part of your diet.

Wonton wrappers: I use thin square wonton wrappers for crab rangoon. My grocery store sells them in the refrigerated section near tofu, but you'll find an even better selection at International grocery stores. Consider using leftover wonton wrappers to make these baked wonton cups.