Easy Vegan Rangoon Dip

Rich and creamy, this Easy Vegan Rangoon Dip, tastes just like the crab rangoon from a Chinese restaurant, but made with dairy-free cream cheese…and no crab meat. Ready in around 20 minutes, grab some chips and start dipping!

A serving dish full of vegan rangoon dip is topped with sliced green onions. There are tortilla chips beside it.

Sometimes when you miss something you can no longer have, you try to find a way to be content with unfulfilled desire. Or you hope and struggle to find a way to be reunited with the object of your desires. That kind of unrequited longing was the inspiration behind today’s recipe, Easy Vegan Rangoon Dip.

I have other dips in my arsenal, like this Easy Vegan Queso Dip and my Vegan Spinach and Artichoke Dip. It’s good to have lots of dips to draw from to satisfy your culinary cravings.

Unrequited Food Love

I have a junk mail drawer with a stack of coupons to get the well-known Chinese Restaurant appetizer, but I can’t have them.

They’re not vegan.

Most people I’ve talked to agree that the Crab Rangoons found in a typical corner store Chinese Restaurant are vegetarian, citing that the “crab” is actually some non-meat-based substitute. But there’s no arguing that the creamy part is not vegan.

Something had to be done.

Unrequited love does not die; it’s only beaten down to a secret place where it hides, curled, and wounded. For some unfortunates, it turns bitter and mean, and those who come after pay the price for the hurt done by the one who came before.

Elle Newmark says in The Book of Unholy Mischi

There are famous examples of unrequited love;

  • Romeo and Juliet
  • Dante and Beatrice
  • Cyrano de Bergerac and Roxane
  • Mork & Mindy

These are characters known for their intense and passionate desire for another but with a tragic twist. The subject of their affection does not…or cannot love them back.

Sigh.

Vegan dip in a white bowl with a white background and crackers in front for dipping.
We’ve updated the photos on this post. Here’s an example of one of the old photos.

Why This Easy Vegan Rangoon Dip Works

I was looking for a creamy, savory dip with a hint of sweetness to remind me of the crab rangoon I used to order in Asian restaurants. It took me several times to get this right. The first time I used too much salt in the dip, trying to imitate the umami flavor of crab rangoons. Then I had an idea, why not add green onions to the mix? And I also poured some Sweet Red Chili Sauce into the dip, and that hit the bullseye!

I feel like this Easy Vegan Rangoon Dip does a pretty good job of simulating crab rangoon.

On days when I’m craving my favorite little Asian appetizer, I simply throw this tasty, creamy vegan dip together and serve it with some crispy rice crackers. And somehow, it’s all good.

I love that it only takes a few minutes to throw together. You can also increase the heat with some added sriracha (which is something I do for my portion).

Looking down on vegan dip in a bowl, topped with crispy tofu pieces and green onions. There are tortilla chips beside it.
A serving dish full of vegan rangoon dip is topped with sliced green onions. There are tortilla chips beside it.

Easy Vegan Rangoon Dip

Rich and creamy, this Easy Vegan Rangoon Dip, tastes just like the crab rangoon from a Chinese restaurant, but made with dairy-free cream cheese…and no crab meat! Ready in around 20 minutes, grab some chips and start dipping!
5 from 1 vote
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Asian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 137kcal

Ingredients

  • 16 oz container of extra firm tofu*
  • 1 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sweet Chili Sauce it’s not really hot, if you’re worried about that
  • 1 container plain Vegan Cream Cheese
  • 1 green onion chopped
  • About 10 tortilla chips crushed

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F.
  • Cut the tofu into ½" (fairly small) cubes. Don't feel like you have to be exact here; approximate is just fine. Typically you'd want to drain the tofu as well, but we get to skip that step for this recipe. Just be sure to use extra-firm tofu.
  • Pour the Sweet Chili Sauce into a skillet and turn up to medium heat. Add the chopped tofu and allow the tofu to simmer in the sauce for several minutes. Be sure to stir the tofu well so each piece is well-covered in the sauce.
  • Use a medium-sized baking pan or casserole dish and spread all but about 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese in the bottom of the pan. Top with chopped green onions.
  • Now return to your tofu which has been simmering in the skillet. Use your spoon to break up pieces of the tofu and be sure to stir the sauce so all the tofu is well-coated.
  • When the sauce has cooked down a bit, add the reserved two tablespoons of cream cheese to the tofu mixture and stir it around a bit. It gives it a creamier texture. Now pour it over the cream cheese/green onion mixture and top with the crushed tortilla chip pieces.
  • Bake in the heated oven for 20 to 25 minutes. I turned the heat up to 400°F for the last 10 minutes to really brown that tofu and crisp those chips. If you do that just be sure to keep an eye on it so nothing burns!
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Serve warm with crackers.

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Notes

* You can also use Gardein Crispy Tenders in place of the tofu. Simply cook according to package instructions and add chopped pieces over the cream cheese and then drizzle with the chili sauce. Also, despite the name of the chili sauce, it is more sweet than spicy.
Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 482mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Vitamin C: 4.6mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Enjoy!

8 Responses to Easy Vegan Rangoon Dip

  1. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyTina Myles Reply

    Love your blog and will definitely try this vegan rangoon. Cheers!

  2. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyCheryl Reply

    Yum! I thought I could eat imitation crab meat when I finally went cold tofu, but alas, it’s made out of fish (how dare they!) Now I can eat this dip! I bet this would be delish wrapped in some lil wonton wrappers and popped in the oven too! So excited to have found this site, everything looks amazing!

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      I totally get you. Sometimes the “idea” of something – like substituting imitation crab meat – is much better in your head then when you try it out. Trust me, I’ve done stuff like this 3 gazillion times. I may have exaggerated a little there, but you get my point. And why the heck would they put fish in something that says “imitation”? Oh well. Don’t get me started. This dip does a great job of bringing all the other flavors together. I hope you like it as much as we did!

  3. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlySara @ The Cozy Herbivore Reply

    5 stars
    Dude, crab rangoon is the BEST (worst) part of American Chinese food. I miss it myself, even as a vegetarian, because I just can’t bring myself to consume that much cheese/fake meat/questionable ingredients. Thanks for a great alternative!

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Amen, sister! I like what you’re saying! Now, I think I need to make me some more of this dip. 😉

  4. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyAnna {Herbivore Triathlete} Reply

    I’ve never had rangoon dip, but I did enjoy crab dip and crab cakes and creamy dips in my pre-vegan days. This dip looks scrumptious!

  5. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyJason (the fact checker) Reply

    Because I am that person.

    Because Cyrano de Bergerac was not in (unrequited) love with himself, the pairing should be with Roxane.

    uno abrazo

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      You know what? I was thinking his love interest was Roxanne, but then I was so worried I was thinking of the Steve Martin version and I would sound pathetic saying that. Thank you for setting me straight (as you so often do…and as I so often need to be). I’ve corrected the post above accordingly. Dos Abrazos, Marly

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