Crispy Goat Cheese Wontons with Chili Dipping Sauce ~ impossibly crunchy little wontons filled with creamy goat cheese ~ this is the appetizer everybody goes wild for!
I’m going to be visiting my Dad and his wife in North Carolina for a few days, so this will be my last post till early next week. As usual I’m going through the fridge to try and clear it out a little before I leave. I bought the won ton wrappers a while ago, and thought I’d give them a try. We started ordering cream cheese wontons with our Chinese take out when our kids were very little. It was one of the few sure fire things we knew they’d eat. Since then the whole family has become addicted to these crispy little dumplings filled with creamy cheese. I don’t think they’re particularly authentic, but they sure are good. I used goat cheese for a little different flavor, and spiked the dipping sauce with chili.
Once you have the basic Asian condiments in your kitchen you can throw together all kinds of interesting and varied sauces on a whim. I would say the bare minimum to keep around includes soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, some kind of hot chili sauce, hoisin sauce, and a knob of ginger in the freezer so you can grate a little off any time you need it. My method is to use a little of this and a little of that, tasting as I go. I decided to go spicy with this sauce since the wontons are mild. SWEET CHILE DIPPING SAUCE would go great with these, too.
These fry up in about a minute in an inch or two of hot oil. You can add minced crab, shrimp, or lobster for a special occasion, or just add some scallion or chili peppers to the cheese.
The wonton wrappers have a wonderful pliable texture which makes them simple to work with. Just place a small amount of filling in the center, and run a wet finger around the edges of the wrapper. Then fold it over, corner to corner and press the edges to seal. The moisture binds the seal.
Then just bring up the two ends and overlap them, sealing with a another dab of water.
I made mine the day before and stored them in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- vegetable oil for frying
- wonton wrappers
- goat cheese (or cream cheese)
- 2 parts soy sauce (I always buy Tamari soy sauce)
- 1 part rice wine vinegar
- 1 part sesame oil
- 1/2 part hot chili sauce
- 1/2 part honey
- sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- First make the sauce by mixing all the sauce ingredients together with a whisk. Refrigerate until needed.
- Heat two inches of oil in a 2 qt saucepan to about 350 degrees.
- Put a small dab of goat cheese in the center of each wonton wrapper. Run a wet finger around the edge and fold the wonton in half diagonally. Press with your fingers to seal the dough.
- Bring the two outer corners up and overlap them, sealing with a bit of water. You can also leave the wontons in a triangle shape, if you prefer.
- Drop the wontons in the hot oil and let fry for about a minute to a minute and a half, just until they are golden and crispy. Flip them halfway through. Drain on a paper towel.
- Serve hot with the dipping sauce on the side.
34 Comments
Ali
September 7, 2016 at 8:40 pmLoved this idea. I did half cream cheese and half goat cheese. The sauce felt totally overwhelmed by the sesame oil, for my tastes I’d add just a few drops. I added minced ginger which I felt added a nice flavor. For something different, I drizzled a few with just honey and it was delicious that way, part savory and part sweet. Thanks for the recipe!
Sue
September 8, 2016 at 8:58 amYou’re welcome, and thanks for the ideas, too!
herbivoresheaven
August 27, 2012 at 5:21 amWhat a delicious little snack! I bet they’re addictive!
Mary
August 27, 2012 at 3:00 amThese are beautiful. Now, you just need to STOP tempting me to fry more foods!! I recommend nothing but salad posts for at least a week. :P Those mushrooms were so fantastic, I’m wishing I had more tonight. (That is dangerous!)
Enjoy the trip. I haven’t visited my family in NC in several years and now I’m missing them even more!
Sue/the view from great island
August 26, 2012 at 3:31 pmOh my gosh, never thought of Nutella! Why did you have to mention that??!!
From Beyond My Kitchen Window
August 25, 2012 at 11:40 pmWe make these with imitation crab meat mixed into the cream cheese. Your typical crag rangoon. Filled with nutella is another way we love to eat won tons.
Averie @ Averie Cooks
August 25, 2012 at 6:51 pmgoat cheese…mmm! I bet the bite into the center, with a squish of goat cheese, is just divine. Love wontons.
And that chili sauce — yes, I will take extras of the extra. Love my sauces!
Sue/the view from great island
August 26, 2012 at 3:32 pmI really love that chili sauce, I could slather it on everything.
Amy
August 25, 2012 at 5:17 pmI’ve made mini nachos using wonton wrappers in mini muffin tins so it’s possible that baking might work. I spray the muffin tin with cooking spray and then put the wonton wrapper inside. Fill with seasoned cooked ground beef and top with cheese and bake for about 8 minutes. The difference is, those are open at the top and these wontons are closed. However .. the wonton wrappers get nice and crispy from baking. I don’t much care for the idea of frying .. not just because of all the oil but more because of the mess. I feel pretty sure that this could be done in the oven. I will try it and report back!
Sue/the view from great island
August 25, 2012 at 10:21 pmWow, that would be so much easier, too, especially if the wontons get crisp, which was the main thing I was worried about. I’ll try that. Those little wonton wrappers would fit perfectly in the muffin tin!
Bites from life with the barking lot
August 24, 2012 at 2:34 amWhat a great idea, and I bet a good way to use up some left over things. Creamy cheese and deep fried, can’t be much better than that. Hope you have a wonderful trip!!! Going to make your chocolate cake tomorrow….
Sue/the view from great island
August 24, 2012 at 2:47 pmThanks, and be sure to report back about the cake…hope you like it.
Eileen
August 23, 2012 at 6:02 pmWow, these wontons sound great! Have a great time in NC–my family lives there too. Eat some barbecue! :)
Sue/the view from great island
August 24, 2012 at 2:46 pmYes! They usually have barbecue waiting for us when we arrive!!! Where does your family live?
Sulpicia (III)
August 23, 2012 at 5:48 pmThese look amazing! I agree with the question above: might there be a way to bake them instead?
Sue/the view from great island
August 24, 2012 at 2:45 pmMaybe, we’ll have to experiment.
Anonymous
August 23, 2012 at 5:14 pmI wonder if I could bake them, rather than deep fry? Anyone?
Sue/the view from great island
August 24, 2012 at 2:44 pmI don’t think it would work to bake them, but not sure, I’ll have to try. I wonder, though, if you could pan fry them in a little oil in a frying pan, and then finish off with a little water to steam them, like dumplings.
Stephanie
August 23, 2012 at 4:30 pmHow clever and easy! These would be a great thing to whip up for friends.
Sue/the view from great island
August 24, 2012 at 2:42 pmAnd, I used a saucepan this time for the frying, so the oil heated up really fast, and not a lot of waste.
belleau kitchen
August 23, 2012 at 9:10 amI just think these look sublime… so delicate!… I can imagine the crunch and the soft creamy cheese melting through… inspired!
Sue/the view from great island
August 24, 2012 at 2:36 pmThanks Dom, I think that’s why I like them, and look forward to doing more with these wrappers, they came out surprisingly delicate.
Tricia @ saving room for dessert
August 23, 2012 at 3:50 pmI need you to come to my next party! You make the best bite sized snacks. I love these but never tried making my own. Good one!
Sue/the view from great island
August 24, 2012 at 2:39 pmIt’s funny because I don’t entertain all that often, but it’s my favorite way to eat. I think I need to throw more parties to justify making lots of these ;)
The Café Sucré Farine
August 23, 2012 at 2:33 amSue, I’m not real big on frying but I’m thinking for these I could change my mind! They look fabulous! I’m sure the goat cheese is a tasty alternative to cream cheese!
Sue/the view from great island
August 24, 2012 at 2:35 pmI know, I’ve been frying quite a bit lately, I think because I’ve only just discovered how easy it can be. I think these aren’t for everyday, but would be great for party appetizers.
Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti
August 23, 2012 at 12:27 amI’ve never tried cheese wontons but I’m sure they taste very tasty, especially dipped in that sauce!
Thanks so much for your gluten free cake recipe post prior to this post Sue. I’m pinning it to my Gluten Free pinterest folder. My daughter-in-law eats gluten free and I’m always looking for recipes to make for her.
Have a wonderful time in NC!
Sue/the view from great island
August 24, 2012 at 2:28 pmI hope your daughter in law likes the cake,it’s nice because it’s not as heavy as some.
l o v e l y t h i n g s
August 23, 2012 at 1:30 amSue,
These look amazing! I’ve never even purchased wonton wrappers…why? I know we would love these and they look pretty easy. I think I could in fact make a dinner out of these.
Have a great trip…I remember when you wrote about your visit last year.
xo
annie
Sue/the view from great island
August 24, 2012 at 2:33 pmI’d never bought them either—which is why I didn’t want to throw them away before trying them. I’m really looking forward to using them again, they were fun to use. I’m already regretting not bring my camera along on this visit…nice to know I have long time readers who remember that far back!
Thyme (Sarah)
August 23, 2012 at 1:01 amI absolutely adore wontons and we used to order them too when we did Asian takeout. But…you’ve raised the bar with the goat cheese. How deliciously delicious. Have a wonderful visit with your Dad and stepmom!
Sue/the view from great island
August 24, 2012 at 2:30 pmThanks Sarah—have a fabulous time dropping your daughter off at college, can’t wait to read all about it.
Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes
August 22, 2012 at 9:37 pmSue, these look absolutely delicious! I like the idea of using goat cheese, I might even add a little chive to the cheese ~ yum! Your sauce looks really good too!
Enjoy your vacation!
Sue/the view from great island
August 24, 2012 at 2:25 pmI would have added something like chives, too, but I was clearing out the fridge and using what I had!