Lobster Rangoon Recipe

Prepare lobster

If using cooked lobster tails, remove meat from shells and chop into small 1/4-inch pieces. Pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese and chopped lobster. Use a fork to fold until mostly smooth with small lobster pieces remaining.

Add sliced scallions, lemon zest, lemon juice, chopped thyme, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and black pepper. Fold gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning (a little more lemon or salt as needed). Chill the filling in the refrigerator while you prepare wrappers, about 15 minutes.

Set up an assembly station: a small bowl of beaten egg (for sealing), a slightly damp towel to cover unused wrappers, and a baking sheet lined with parchment for finished wontons.

Lay one wonton wrapper flat. Place about 1 rounded teaspoon (approximately 10–12 g) of the chilled lobster-cream cheese filling in the center. Do not overfill.

Brush the wrapper edges lightly with beaten egg. Fold the wrapper over to form a triangle (bring one corner to the opposite), press the edges firmly to seal, expelling air. Optionally, bring the two triangle corners together to form a traditional pouch and seal with a dab of egg to create a purse shape.

Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling, keeping assembled wontons covered with the damp towel to prevent drying. You should have about 24 wontons.

Heat 1/2 to 1 inch of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C) or a small piece of wrapper sizzles and browns in about 20–30 seconds. Work in batches to avoid crowding.

Carefully add 6–8 wontons to the hot oil seam-side down. Fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about 2–3 minutes per side (total 4–5 minutes). Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel–lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wontons, keeping finished ones warm in a low oven (200°F/95°C) if desired.

In a small saucepan, whisk together rice vinegar, granulated sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, water, and red pepper flakes. Heat over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves and mixture is steaming but not vigorously boiling, about 2–3 minutes.

Mix cornstarch with 1 teaspoon of cold water to make a slurry. Whisk slurry into the sauce and continue to cook 1 minute until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep warm or transfer to a small serving bowl to cool to room temperature (sauce will thicken more as it cools).

Arrange hot Lobster Rangoon on a serving platter. Sprinkle with finely sliced scallion greens and tuck fresh thyme sprigs around for aroma.

Serve immediately with sweet & sour dipping sauce and lemon wedges on the side. Squeeze a little lemon over the wontons just before eating if desired.