Description
If you love the creamy, savory filling inside crab rangoon, this casserole version takes everything up a notch. It’s rich, cheesy, loaded with crab, and baked until bubbly with a golden, crunchy topping. Think takeout favorite… but transformed into a scoopable, crowd-feeding comfort dish.
Here’s how to make it from scratch.
Ingredients
Scale
For the casserole filling:
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 30 ounces imitation crab (or fresh crab meat if preferred), chopped
- 1/4 cup green onions, finely sliced
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 16 ounces egg noodles or penne, cooked and drained
For the cream sauce:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups milk
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the crunchy topping:
- 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons softened butter
Instructions
- Prepare the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package directions. Once tender, drain thoroughly and set aside.
- Make the Creamy Crab Mixture
- In a large mixing bowl, combine:
- Softened cream cheese
- Chopped crab meat
- Green onions
- Worcestershire sauce
- Minced garlic
- Salt
- Stir until everything is evenly blended and smooth. The mixture should be creamy and well distributed.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine:
- Create the White Sauce
- Place a medium saucepan over low heat and melt the butter.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly to eliminate any raw flour taste.
- Gradually pour in the milk, whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens into a smooth, velvety consistency.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat once thickened.
- Assemble the Casserole
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Spread half of the cooked noodles evenly across the bottom of the dish.
- Layer half of the cream cheese crab mixture over the noodles, spreading it gently to cover.
- Pour a portion of the prepared sauce over that layer.
- Repeat with the remaining noodles, crab mixture, and sauce, finishing with the sauce on top.
- Bake Until Heated Through
- Cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Bake for 30 minutes, allowing everything to heat through and meld together.
- Prepare the Topping
- While the casserole bakes, mix together the Parmesan cheese, panko breadcrumbs, and softened butter in a small bowl. Use a fork to combine until crumbly.
- Add the Golden Crunch
- Remove the casserole from the oven and take off the foil.
- Sprinkle the topping evenly across the surface.
- Switch the oven to broil and return the dish to the oven for 2–3 minutes, or until the top turns golden brown and crisp.
- Keep a close eye on it—broiling happens quickly.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
Nutrition
- Calories: 352
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 871 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 93 mg