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Craving both pizza and Chinese takeout? Problem solved! Our Crab Rangoon Pizza is the ultimate fusion dish, with crispy flatbread topped with that creamy, sweet-savory crab rangoon filling, gooey mozzarella, crunchy fried wonton strips, and fresh green onions, all finished with a drizzle of sweet chili sauce. It’s the ultimate mashup, perfect for a weeknight treat, a party appetizer, or anytime you’re looking for a fun and flavorful twist on two classics.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
The idea for this crab rangoon flatbread came from an episode of Food Network’s The Best Thing I Ever Ate, in which Alton Brown shared one of his favorite dishes, crab rangoon pizza. It looked delicious, and I knew I wanted to come up with a version to make at home that could utilize either store-bought flatbreads or pizza crust. It’s become a new weeknight favorite in our house!
Key Ingredients
This is an overview of the key ingredients for this recipe. Please see the printable recipe card below for the complete listing, including quantities.
- STORE BOUGHT FLATBREADS: We use Stonefire Artisan Flatbreads, which are the perfect size for this recipe. They come two to a package, weighing about 14 ounces total. Of course, you’re welcome to use any store-bought or homemade flatbread or pizza crust you like, but these make a tasty canvas for the crab rangoon-inspired toppings.
- SESAME OIL: We like to brush our flatbreads with a little sesame oil before pre-baking for the added nutty flavor, but you can use olive oil, instead.
- WHIPPED CREAM CHEESE: We used whipped cream cheese because it’s easier to mix, but you can substitute softened cream cheese instead.
- JAPANESE MAYONNAISE: We prefer the unique umami flavor in Japanese mayonnaise and the way it pairs with the other Asian flavors in this recipe. However, you can use regular mayonnaise if you’d prefer.
- IMITATION CRAB: Imitation crab (aka surimi or krab) is our first choice for making crab rangoon pizza for several reasons. While it may seem counterintuitive, we actually like the milder, sweeter flavor of imitation crab versus real crab. The second is cost. Quality crab meat can be quite pricey, so imitation crab makes this dish much more affordable. You can use either flake or leg style, so long as you break it down into shreds.
- FRIED WONTON STRIPS: You can certainly make your own, but we used store-bought wonton strips that are sold with salad toppings. They add just the right amount of crunch.
- SWEET THAI CHILI SAUCE: Although most crab rangoon is served with a sweet and sour sauce for dipping, we like the extra spicy kick in sweet Thai chili sauce. If your sauce is too thick to drizzle, you can thin it out slightly with just a dash of water.
How To Make Crab Rangoon Pizza Flatbread
This is an overview of how this recipe is prepared. Please see the printable recipe card below for detailed step-by-step instructions.
PRE-BAKE THE FLATBREADS: Preheat the oven and brush both sides of each flatbread with a little sesame oil. Arrange them on a baking sheet and bake for about six minutes.
MAKE THE CREAM CHEESE MIXTURE: Whisk together the cream cheese, sour cream, Japanese mayonnaise, garlic powder, lime juice, sriracha, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. Gently mix in about half of the imitation crab.
TOP THE FLATBREAD: Spread half of the cream cheese and crab mixture over each flatbread, then sprinkle with the remaining crab, the mozzarella and the green onions. Crack a little black pepper on top.
BAKE AND SERVE: Bake until the flatbreads are crisp and the cheese is bubbly. Remove them from the oven, then top with the fried wonton strips and drizzle with sweet Thai chili sauce. Cut into squares and serve.
Serving Suggestions
Our Crab Rangoon Pizza is a fantastic appetizer to share, but it can easily become the main course. For a complete and satisfying meal, pair it with a light and refreshing Asian-inspired salad. A simple mix of greens, shredded carrots, and cucumbers, tossed with a sesame or ginger dressing, provides the perfect counterpoint to the rich flavors of the pizza.
More Pizza Flatbreads to Try
We love store-bought flatbreads because they let you skip a lot of prep work and have a delicious main dish on the table in 30 minutes or less, but you can swap pizza dough in any of these recipes. Pick one up in the refrigerated section of your grocery store, or make your own (this homemade white-wheat pizza dough is easy and versatile). Some of our favorite flatbreads with global flavors include:
- Street Corn Flatbread (all the amazing flavors of elote)
- Thai Chicken Flatbread Pizza (our version of a California Pizza Kitchen classic)
- Naan Pizza with Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp (the flavors of a Caprese salad married with succulent shrimp and prosciutto)
Crab Rangoon Pizza
Ingredients
- 2 rectangular flatbreads, 1 pkg – 14.1 ounces total
- Sesame oil
- 6 ounces whipped cream cheese
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup Japanese mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 8 ounces imitation crab, shredded
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
- 4 green onions, sliced
- Black pepper
- Fried wonton strips
- Sweet Thai chili sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush both sides of each flatbread with a little sesame oil and arrange them on a sheet pan. Pre-bake for 6 minutes, remove them from the oven, and set aside.
- While the flatbreads pre-bake, whisk together the cream cheese, sour cream, Japanese mayonnaise, garlic powder, lime juice, sriracha, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce in a bowl.
- Gently mix in half of the shredded imitation crab, and spread the mixture evenly over each flatbread.
- Top each flatbread with the remaining imitation crab, followed by the shredded mozzarella, sliced green onions, and some freshly ground black pepper.
- Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until cheese is slightly bubbly.
- Remove the flatbreads from the oven and top with fried wonton strips and drizzle with sweet Thai chili sauce to taste. Slice and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
