We can almost guarantee this appetizer will be the first to go at your next dinner party. After all, what could possibly be better than cheesy fried mozzarella sticks with a crab rangoon-inspired filling? Nothing, in our opinion.
Here we combined two favorite appetizers into one. Freezing the cheese mixture before cutting into rectangles helps them to keep their shape and makes them easier to coat with the flour, egg, and panko bread crumbs. A quick fry on your stovetop and these are ready to serve with your favorite Asian-style dipping sauce. Our favorite is a sweet chili sauce the compliments the imitation crab and savory cheese filling.
What are Crab Rangoon Mozzarella Sticks?
Imagine a mozzarella stick but instead of a chewy, mozzarella filled center there is a softer cheese and crab filling. To accomplish this perfect blend, we used cream cheese and shredded mozzarella which still creates melty perfection, and added in chopped crab meat and seasonings to get the crab rangoon flavor. A crab rangoon usually uses cream cheese, but the mozzarella helps to hold each stick's shape when frying and imparts that second appetizer in the mashup.
Can people who are allergic to shellfish eat imitation crab? Probably not. Cans of imitation crab still include a small percentage of shellfish such as King Crab meat, and additional flavors or extracts of crab and lobster. Label these appetizers at a party to warn your shellfish-sensitive guests.
When Should You Serve These Appetizers?
Serve Crab Rangoon Mozzarella Sticks at a big get-together or your next dinner party. They are a great party food for watching sports on TV, and even a more formal dinner party can use a satisfying pre-dinner bite. Kids and adults will go crazy for this appetizer that tastes both sweet and savory with the sweet chili sauce—just make sure you label this accordingly if you're unaware of allergies.
Another way we like to serve these is as a decadent after-school snack. If your kids like shellfish and crab, these are easy to make just in time for kids to get home from school and start doing their homework. You can even reheat the next day for lunch. However, we recommend eating immediately after frying, putting any leftovers in the fridge, and consuming within 24 hours.
Ingredients
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1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
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8 ounce mozzarella cheese, shredded (2 cups)
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1 8-ounce package imitation crabmeat, chopped
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4 green onions, thinly sliced (green and white parts) (1/4 cup)
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1 tablespoon powdered sugar
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½ teaspoon salt
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¼ teaspoon garlic powder
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½ cup all-purpose flour
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2 eggs
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2 tablespoon water
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1 ¾ cup panko bread crumbs
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Vegetable oil for frying
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Asian sweet chili sauce
Directions
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Line an 8x8x2-inch baking pan with parchment or waxed paper so the paper hangs over the sides of the pan.
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In a medium bowl stir together cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, crab meat, green onions, powdered sugar, salt, and garlic powder until combined.
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Transfer to prepared pan. Spread evenly until smooth and flat. Freeze 30 minutes.
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Lift cream cheese mixture from pan using the parchment paper. Cut mixture in half.
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Cut each half crosswise into 8 sticks (you should have 16 4x1-inch sticks).
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Place flour in a shallow dish. In a second shallow dish beat together eggs and water. In a third shallow dish place panko.
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Dip cream cheese sticks into the flour, shaking off excess, then dip into the egg mixture. Coat with panko. Place breaded sticks on a baking sheet and freeze 15 minutes.
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Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200°F. In a medium saucepan heat 1 1/2-inches of oil to 375°F. Fry 3 to 4 sticks at a time until golden brown, about 1 minute.
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Drain on paper towels. Keep fried sticks warm on a baking sheet in the oven while frying remaining sticks. Keep uncooked sticks in the freezer until ready to fry. Let oil return to temperature between batches. Serve with Asian sweet chili sauce.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 199 | Calories |
| 12g | Fat |
| 14g | Carbs |
| 7g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 16 | |
| Calories 199 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 12g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat 5g | 25% |
| Cholesterol 49mg | 16% |
| Sodium 383mg | 17% |
| Total Carbohydrate 14g | 5% |
| Total Sugars 5g | |
| Protein 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin C 0.6mg | 1% |
| Calcium 130mg | 10% |
| Iron 0.6mg | 3% |
| Potassium 61mg | 1% |
| Folate, total 13.6mcg | |
| Vitamin B-12 0.3mcg | |
| Vitamin B-6 0.1mg | |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
