Description
These Crispy Seafood Poppers are delightful bite-sized appetizers featuring crispy baked wonton cups filled with a creamy mixture of shrimp, crab meat, mozzarella, and cream cheese, accented with green onions and garlic powder. Perfect for parties or as a savory snack, they offer a delicious contrast of crunchy exterior and gooey seafood filling.
Ingredients
Scale
Wonton Cups
- 24 wonton wrappers
- Olive oil spray or 2 tablespoons melted butter
Seafood Filling
- 1 cup cooked shrimp, chopped
- 1 cup cooked crab meat (or imitation crab), shredded
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Prep the Wonton Cups: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Press each wonton wrapper gently into the cups of a mini muffin tin, allowing for slight crinkles. Lightly spray or brush each wonton cup with olive oil or melted butter. Bake for 7-8 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Watch closely to avoid burning.
- Make the Creamy Seafood Mix: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the chopped cooked shrimp, shredded crab meat, 3/4 cup of shredded mozzarella, and softened cream cheese. Add the chopped green onions and garlic powder. Season with salt and black pepper, then mix thoroughly until well combined and creamy.
- Stuff and Top the Cups: Once the wonton cups have cooled slightly, spoon the creamy seafood mixture evenly into each crispy cup, filling them generously. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese on top of each filled popper for extra cheesiness.
- Bake to Melty Goodness: Return the filled wonton cups to the oven and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes, until the cheese topping is bubbly and golden brown. Keep an eye on them to prevent overcooking.
- Garnish and Serve Hot: Remove from oven and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley for color and freshness. Serve warm as an appetizer or finger food, and enjoy the delicious crispy and creamy seafood poppers!
Notes
- Use fresh wonton wrappers for the best texture; avoid frozen or overly dry wrappers.
- Don’t overfill the wonton cups to allow cheese to melt properly on top.
- Try substituting with other seafood options like scallops or lobster for a gourmet variation.
- Add a dash of hot sauce to the filling for a spicy twist.
- Prepare the poppers ahead of time and bake just before serving for convenience.
- If you don’t have a mini muffin tin, a regular muffin tin can be used but the poppers will be larger.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: seafood poppers, crispy appetizer, wonton cups, shrimp crab cheese bites, party finger food, baked seafood snacks
