Crab Rangoon Pizza Recipe

This Crab Rangoon Pizza gets a head start in the oven before the creamy topping goes on, keeping the crust crisp. Imitation crab, wontons and sweet chili finish it off.

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“It was very good pizza!”

—Olga

Crab Rangoon Pizza Started With My Daughter’s Favorite Takeout Order

Crab rangoons have been one of my daughter’s favorite foods since she was barely old enough to have opinions about takeout, so we’ve eaten our fair share of them around here.

Eventually I did what I tend to do with foods my family loves and turned crab rangoon into a few different things, including my Crab Rangoon Dip. This pizza takes that same creamy, savory crab rangoon flavor and turns it into dinner with mozzarella, fresh herbs, crispy wonton strips and sweet chili sauce.

The important part is giving the crust a six-minute head start before the creamy topping goes on. Eight ounces of cream cheese is a lot of moisture to ask raw pizza dough to deal with, and that partial bake is what keeps this crab rangoon pizza crisp on the bottom instead of soft and doughy.

Crab Rangoon Flatbread Ingredients

A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.

• cream cheese – this becomes the “sauce” for the pizza. Softening it before mixing makes the garlic and Worcestershire easy to distribute evenly.
• garlic and Worcestershire sauce – these season the cream cheese and give it more savory depth so the base doesn’t just taste like plain cream cheese.
• pizza dough – either Homemade Pizza Dough or a 1-pound ball of store-bought dough works. If the dough has been refrigerated, bring it closer to room temperature before stretching it.
• fresh mozzarella cheese – this gives the pizza the stretchy, melted cheese factor that separates it from simply putting crab rangoon filling on flatbread. If you can’t get fresh mozzarella, then shredding a bar of mozzarella is your next best option.
• imitation crab meat – this is my choice for imitation crab pizza because it’s closest to the crab rangoons we usually get from Chinese restaurants here in the Midwest. I prefer flake-style crab, but chunk, leg or shredded styles will work if you tear larger pieces into bite-sized pieces.
• green onions and Thai basil – these fresh ingredients cut through all that cream cheese and mozzarella. Regular basil works if Thai basil isn’t available. Chives work great in place of the onions.
• crispy wonton strips – these provide the crunchy wonton element without asking you to fry wonton wrappers separately. Look for them near salad toppings or bottled dressing at the grocery store.
• sweet chili sauce – this adds the sweet, gently spicy finish I want with crab rangoon. Mae Ploy is the brand I prefer if I can find it, but The Ginger People brand is also great.

Should I Use Crab Or Imitation Crab For Crab Rangoon Pizza?

I use imitation crab.

Here in the Midwest, almost every takeout crab rangoon I’m served at restaurants is made with imitation crab, so that’s the flavor that says “crab rangoon” to me.

Flake-style imitation crab is especially easy to scatter evenly over pizza, but chunk, leg and shredded styles are all fine. Just tear any large pieces into bite-sized chunks first.

If you’d rather make your crab pizza with fresh or canned crab meat, you absolutely can. Make sure it’s well drained so you aren’t adding unnecessary moisture to the pizza.

How To Make Crab Pizza

1. PREHEAT. Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F so the stone gets nice and hot.

2. MIX. Microwave the cream cheese in short intervals just until it’s soft enough to stir. Mix in the garlic and Worcestershire sauce until well combined.

3. PARTIAL BAKE. Stretch the pizza dough into a 14-inch circle. Carefully transfer it to the prepared pizza stone and bake for 6 minutes. This head start is important because the cream cheese topping is quite moist.

4. TOP. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the partially baked crust, then add the mozzarella and imitation crab.

5. BAKE. Return the pizza to the oven for about 8 minutes, or until the mozzarella is melted and the bottom of the crust is golden brown.

6. FINISH. Sprinkle with green onions, Thai basil and crispy wontons. Slice the pizza, then drizzle with sweet chili sauce or serve the sauce alongside for dipping.

What Sauce Goes On Imitation Crab Pizza?

Sweet chili sauce is my first choice for crab rangoon pizza. Its sweetness and mild heat balance the cream cheese and mozzarella without overpowering the crab. Mae Ploy is the brand I usually buy, and I prefer drizzling it over the finished pizza so everybody gets a little sauce in each bite.

If your favorite crab rangoon restaurant serves sweet-and-sour sauce instead, that’s an easy swap.

Storage And Reheating

• Refrigerate: Transfer leftover pizza to an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator uncovered until fully chilled, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Keep in mind that the wonton strips will lose some of their crunch as the pizza sits.
• Reheat: For the best crust, reheat slices in a 350 degree F oven until warmed through. An air fryer or skillet also works well. The microwave is fastest, but the crust will be softer. Add a few fresh wonton strips after reheating if you want to bring the crunch back.
• Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing the fully assembled pizza. Cream cheese can become grainy after freezing and thawing, while the fresh herbs and wonton strips lose their texture.

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