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Crispy on the outside, creamy and savory on the inside - these smoked salmon rangoons are the ultimate crowd-pleasing appetizer! Forget about the traditional crab rangoons; this elevated version with smoky salmon, bright herbs, and hot honey mustard takes finger food to a whole new level.
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Watch how to make this
What makes this dish special
I always knew what crab rangoons were, but it wasn't until a couple of months ago that I finally tasted one. Don't ask why it took me so long, but now that I know how tasty these are, I was excited to create my version.
To make my variation special, I decided to swap out shrimp for smoked salmon. Smoked salmon pairs beautifully with dill, cream cheese, and mustard, so it only made sense to incorporate those flavors as well. The combination of silky smoked salmon, rich cream cheese, briny capers, and fresh herbs creates a filling that's sophisticated yet approachable. Meanwhile, the crispy wonton wrapper provides the ideal contrast to the luscious center, while the spicy honey mustard dipping sauce adds just the right kick of heat and sweetness.
These bite-sized treats are elegant enough for a fancy cocktail party, similar to my pigs in a blanket, wild mushroom bruschetta, and Korean spicy pork empanadas, but they're easy enough to whip up for a casual game day spread.
Ingredients
- Smoked salmon: Smoked salmon is the star ingredient that gives these rangoons their distinctive flavor profile. Its subtle saltiness works perfectly with the creamy base.
- Cream cheese: Helps bind all the ingredients together into a stable mixture that won't leak out during cooking.
- Mayonnaise: Lightens the dense cream cheese, making the filling more spreadable and easier to work with during assembly.
- Herbs: Dill and scallions help balance the rich, creamy elements while adding brightness to the rangoons.
- Wonton wrappers: These thin sheets of dough transform during cooking, becoming perfectly crisp while sealing in the filling.
Substitutions and variations
- Protein: Try this recipe with smoked trout or smoked tuna for a fun variation.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free wonton wrappers.
Recipe
Smoked Salmon Rangoons
Ingredients
Smoked salmon rangoons
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened at room temperature
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons capers drained
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon Tabasco
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces chopped smoked salmon
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill
- 1 scallion chopped
- 40 wonton wrappers
Hot honey mustard sauce
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 375 degrees F.
- Prepare filling. Combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, capers, lemon juice and zest, Tabasco, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until well combined. Transfer mixture to a bowl.
- Add chopped salmon, dill, and salmon to cream cheese mixture, stirring until well combined.
- Fill wonton wrappers with 2 teaspoons of filling per wrapper. Brush the edges of the wrapper with water using your finger. Fold the opposite sides over the filling, pressing the centers together to seal. Repeat with the remaining sides, making a four-pointed star, pressing edges together to seal together. Repeat with the rest of the wrappers and filling.
- Lay rangoons in air fryer basket and spray with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining rangoons.
- While rangoons are cooking, making hot honey mustard sauce. Whisk together Dijon mustard, honey, and cayenne until well combined. Serve smoked salmon rangoons with hot honey mustard sauce.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Make filling
To make these delicious rangoons, start by preheating your air fryer to 375°F. If you're using an oven, preheat it to the same temperature, 375 degrees F.
In a food processor, combine softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, capers, lemon juice and zest, Tabasco, and salt. Pulse until smooth and well-blended, then transfer this mixture to a bowl.
If you don't have a food processor, you can mix the filling by hand, finely chopping the capers and beating the cream cheese.
Gently fold in the chopped smoked salmon, fresh dill, and scallions and mix until incorporated. The key here is to maintain some texture from the salmon and herbs rather than blending them into oblivion - those little pops of flavor make each bite interesting!
Step 2: Fill rangoons
Now comes the assembly, which is easier than you might think. Place a wonton wrapper on a clean work surface and add about 2 teaspoons of filling in the center. Don't be tempted to overfill - less is more here, as too much filling will make it difficult to seal the wrappers properly.
Dip your finger in water and run it along all four edges of the wrapper to moisten them. This moisture acts as the "glue" that will hold everything together.
To create that classic four-pointed star shape, bring the opposite corners together over the center of the filling and pinch firmly at the top. Then, fold in the remaining two corners and pinch all seams together tightly.
Give the seams an extra press to ensure they're well-sealed - any gaps can lead to the filling leaking during cooking.
Recipe tip
Keep the stack of unused wonton wrappers covered with a slightly damp paper towel or kitchen towel while you work. This prevents them from drying out and becoming brittle.
Step 3: Air-fry
Place the assembled rangoons in your air fryer basket, making sure they're not touching (this might require working in batches). Give them a light spray with cooking oil to promote even browning.
Cook for about 10 minutes, but start checking around the 8-minute mark. They're done when they're golden brown and crispy, with the edges slightly darker than the center. Don't worry if some of the rangoons puff up slightly - that's normal, and they'll deflate a bit as they cool.
While the rangoons are cooking, whisk together Dijon mustard, honey, and cayenne for your dipping sauce. The beauty of this sauce is how the sweet honey balances the spicy cayenne and tangy mustard - it's the perfect complement to the rich rangoons.
If you have hot honey, you can also combine it with mustard to make a similar sauce.
Serve these smoked salmon rangoons immediately while they're hot and crispy. If you need to make them ahead of time, you can assemble them earlier in the day and keep them refrigerated, covered with plastic wrap, until you're ready to cook. These little gems are guaranteed to disappear quickly, so you might want to make a double batch!
Make-ahead and storage tips
- Make-ahead: You can make the rangoons and chill them in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven or air fryer at 350 degrees until warm. Avoid using the microwave as it will make them soggy.
Frequently asked questions
If you can't find wonton wrappers, you can use egg roll wrappers cut into quarters, gyoza wrappers, or even phyllo dough cut into squares. Each will give a slightly different texture, but they'll all work well.
The edges should be firmly pressed together with no filling leaking out. If you see any gaps, dab a little more water on the seam and press again. Make sure there's no air trapped inside, as this can cause them to burst while cooking.
Absolutely, you can cut the recipe in half to yield about 20 rangoons.
Yes, you can freeze the uncooked rangoons for up to 1 month - air fry them directly from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to the cooking time.
More smoked salmon recipes
Looking for more dishes featuring smoked salmon? Try these:
Sarah says
What a fun twist on rangoons! I really liked the dill in there. I ended up baking these instead and they turned out nice and crispy!
Christine Ma says
Thanks for giving my recipe a try!