Crab rangoon, the popular American-Chinese appetizer made with surimi, has beat out longtime game day snack essentials like chicken wings and pigs-in-a-blanket to become the most popular Super Bowl snack in two states, according to Coffeeness, which compiled the ranking from Google searches for recipes.

Surimi, also known as imitation crab, is typically made from Alaska pollock. And while buffalo chicken dip may hold the popular vote with 31 states, crab rangoon was the top search in two states, making it more popular than other game snack classics like deviled eggs, seven-layer dip and garlic knots.

“Crab rangoon, the crispy wonton filled with cream cheese and imitation crab, was the most-searched snack in both Arkansas and nearby Kansas,” Coffeness reports. “This Chinese-American appetizer’s popularity shows how fusion cuisine has permeated even traditional game day spreads.”

Super Bowl LX, set to take place this Sunday (Feb. 8), will feature the Seattle Seahawks facing the New England Patriots. The game represents an unofficial national holiday of snack foods in the US.

The imitation crab-based product’s rise in popularity is well-timed because the football franchises in the big game both have strong historical ties to seafood — specifically Alaska pollock — as pointed out by the Association of Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP),

“They’re home to the companies that process and sell the Alaska pollock brands consumers know and trust,” GAPP shared on LinkedIn.

Crab rangoon has experienced a “major resurgence” since 2021, according to GAPP, with online videos showcasing the versatility of the surimi-based filling in dishes such as pizza, pull-apart bread, dips, and spreads.

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