Crispy on the outside and filled with savory cream on the inside, these vegan cream cheese wontons are sure to be a new favorite! This easy appetizer comes together in just 15 minutes and with only a handful of ingredients. These wontons are so tasty, that they'll fly off the plate!
We absolutely love to make these cream cheese wontons all the time! They were inspired by the cream cheese rangoons from Panda Express, but veganized!
There’s no need to search high and low for takeout with dairy-free options when you can whip these up in mere minutes!
These rangoons are perfect for any occasion. They’re great as an appetizer or side dish. Or take them to your next get-together.
You can munch on them as they are, or dip them in your favorite sauce such as spicy chili or sweet and sour.
More great news… these can be cooked in 3 different ways! If you are loving air fryer cooking as much as my husband is, I have instructions for how to air fry these wontons below.
Or, if you would prefer not to fry them in oil, I also have instructions for baking them in the oven. Can you tell how much our family loves these dairy-free, savory little bites? We’ve made them all kinds of ways!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Cream Cheese - Any type of vegan cream cheese works. I like to use the following brands because they are tasty and soft enough to easily combine with the other ingredients: Kite Hill, Simple Truth (Kroger), and Trader Joe's.
Wonton Wrappers - You can use either wonton wrappers or even egg roll wrappers. If you use egg roll wrappers, you’ll want to cut them in half. Make sure to check the ingredients as not all of the wrappers are vegan.
Seasoning- I use garlic powder, paprika, and salt. Smoked paprika works just as well. Feel free to use any other spices or herbs you love such as cayenne, pepper, parsley, etc.
Green Onions - Green onions (scallions) give a nice savory flavor and crunch. If you don’t have any on hand, chives (fresh or dried) would work as well as very thinly sliced onions.
Oil - I fry these stuffed wonton puffs in a thin layer of olive oil in a small pan. Any other oil that can withstand high heat, such as canola or vegetable, would work too.
Dipping Sauce - Dipping sauce is completely optional here. I like to use this Sweet Chili Sauce from Amazon, but sweet and sour or another favorite sauce would be great.
How to Make Vegan Cream Cheese Wontons
Here are some quick visual steps. Find the full recipe with exact measurements on the recipe card below.
Combine the Ingredients - Cut green onions into thin rings. Add them to a small mixing bowl along with vegan cream cheese, garlic powder, paprika, and salt. Stir everything together, making sure the green onions are spread throughout.
Heat the Pan - Add a thin layer of oil to a small pan and set the heat to medium-high.
Stuff the Wontons - One at a time, stuff the wonton wrappers. Spoon half a tablespoon onto the middle of the wrapper. Dampen the edges of the wrapper either by dipping your finger or a pastry brush in water and tracing the edges. Then, fold the edges together to form triangles as you push as much air out as you can.
There are other ways to fold the wontons shut, such as by pressing the corners or edges upwards, but I find this to be the quickest and the way to use the least amount of oil.
Tip: You want to work quickly with the wrappers because they can dry out and crack if not. If this does happen, you can use a little spray bottle to rehydrate them or simply seal them in a bag and pop them back in the refrigerator for a bit.
Cook the Wontons - Start with the wontons that were prepared first because they will be the driest. Cook a few rangoons at a time in the hot oil. Each side should get fried for about 30 seconds or until it’s golden brown. Press the corners down into the oil to brown them if needed. Once they’ve cooked on both sides, move them to a plate that has several paper towels on it. This helps absorb any excess oil.
Enjoy! - Let them cool down for a few minutes. Then, serve these cream cheese rangoons with your favorite dipping sauce and garnish with scallions!
Recipe Variation Ideas
- Add mushrooms
- Use chives instead of green onions
- Sprinkle in cayenne or buffalo hot sauce
- Add oyster bay seasoning or crushed seaweed snacks
Storage
These wontons can sit on the counter for a couple of hours, in the refrigerator for 3 days, or frozen for 3 months. Reheat them in the microwave at 30-second intervals until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes!
Freezer: Prepare the wontons. Then, place them on a tray lined with parchment paper and into the freezer for 30 minutes. Once they are frozen, place them in a sealed container or bag and store them in the freezer for 3 months. When ready, fry them in hot oil straight from the freezer.
Refrigerator: Prepare the cream cheese filling up to 3 days ahead of time. Then, simply fill the wontons wrappers and fry them when you’re ready.
After sealing the cream cheese wontons, place them in a single layer in the air fryer. You can spray them with cooking oil to make them crispier, but that is optional. Cook them for 2 ½ minutes on each side at 400°F. They should be golden brown when done.
If you are looking into buying an air fryer, we love our Cosori Pro that we bought from Amazon.
Prepare and seal all of the wontons. Place them on a baking sheet and mist a thin layer of cooking oil spray on both sides. If you don’t have any cooking spray, you can brush a small amount of oil on with a pastry brush. Then, simply pop them into the oven and bake them for 15 minutes at 350°F. Flip them over after about 8 minutes.
Related Vegan Recipes
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Vegan Cream Cheese Wontons
Ingredients
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons scallions (about 3 stalks)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 20 wonton wrappers
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Thinly slice the green onions. To a small mixing bowl, add the green onions, vegan cream cheese, garlic powder, paprika, and salt. Stir everything together.
- Add a thin layer of oil to a small pan and set the heat to medium-high.
- Place half a tablespoon of cream cheese filling onto the middle of each wonton wrapper. Dampen the edges of the wrapper with water. Form a triangle as you seal them, pushing as much air out as you can.
- Carefully place a few wontons at a time in the hot oil. Start with the ones that were prepared first. Cook them on each side for about 30 seconds or until they're golden brown. Push the corners down into the oil to brown them if needed.
- Once they’ve cooked on both sides, place the wontons on several paper towels to absorb the excess oil.
- After the wontons have cooled down for a few minutes, garnish them with green onions and serve them with your favorite dipping sauce.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information is estimated and can vary depending on brands and measurements used.
Courtney R
Wow! These stunned me! I made a tiny batch not knowing what I'd think. I used to love crab Rangoon but I've never cooked wonton before. They exceeded my expectations. I'm bad at frying but even so I loved them.
Bonnie
I'm so happy to hear that you liked them, Courtney!
Jen
What sauce is pictured? It looks so tasty!
Bonnie
It's called Sweet Chili Sauce. I usually find it in the Asian food section at the store or online. It's so good!