Air Fryer Tater Tots: Can You Make Them?

Tater tots are a popular snack and side dish, and they can be made in an air fryer! They're crispy, golden, and bite-sized—perfect for any occasion. The best part? They're incredibly easy to make and only take a few minutes to cook. All you need is a bag of frozen tater tots and an air fryer, and you're good to go. You can even add your favourite seasonings to give them an extra kick. So, if you're looking for a quick and delicious treat, air-fried tater tots are the way to go!

How to make tater tots in an air fryer

Ingredients and Tools:

• Frozen tater tots
• Air fryer
• Cooking spray (optional)
• Salt or other seasonings (optional)

Method:

First, preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Place the desired amount of frozen tater tots into the air fryer basket in a single layer. If your air fryer is not big enough, you may need to cook the tater tots in batches.

Next, spray the tater tots lightly with cooking spray (if using). Then, air fry the tater tots for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking the basket gently every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking. For extra crispy tots, cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

Finally, sprinkle the tater tots with salt or your desired seasoning, and serve! Note that the tater tots will be very hot right out of the air fryer, so be sure to wait a minute or two before digging in.

Tips:

• For softer tater tots with a bit of crispness, reduce the cooking time by a minute or so.
• Mini tater tots will take less time to cook, so check them around the 5-minute mark.
• You can serve your tater tots with ketchup, BBQ sauce, honey mustard, ranch, or any other dipping sauce.
• Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, simply place them back in the air fryer at 400°F for 2-5 minutes.

How to make homemade tater tots

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds of Russet Potatoes (about 4 medium-sized potatoes)
• 2 Tablespoons of grated onion (1 small onion, sweet or yellow)
• 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch
• 1½ teaspoons of fine-grain sea salt or kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch
• 1-2 Tablespoons of avocado oil or any neutral oil

Method

First, par-cook the potatoes. You can do this by pressure cooking them, microwaving them, or boiling them. The goal is to get the potatoes to start softening without falling apart.

Next, allow the potatoes to cool for at least 2 hours. You can do this step 1-2 days in advance. Once they are cool, peel the potatoes and grate them using a box grater or a food processor with a grating blade. Place the grated potatoes in a large bowl.

Then, cut and peel a small onion and grate it using the smaller holes on the grater. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible, and add 2 tablespoons of the grated onion to the potato mixture.

Now, mix the spices with the cornstarch and sprinkle them over the potato mixture. Toss gently with your hands until the cornstarch is combined.

To form the tater tots, scoop out 1 tablespoon of the potato mixture and form it into a cylinder in the palm of your hand. Press down on the top and bottom with your thumb and forefinger while rotating, creating a smooth tater tot.

Place each formed tater tot on a parchment-lined baking sheet. If you plan on freezing the tater tots before air-frying, using parchment paper is important.

Before air-frying or freezing, coat the tater tots with cornstarch and oil for the best results. To do this, put the formed tater tots into a gallon-sized bag and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Gently toss the bag to coat, then dump the tater tots back onto the baking sheet. Drizzle the oil over the tater tots and roll them to coat lightly.

Air-Frying

Whether you are air-frying the tater tots fresh or frozen, preheat your air fryer to 400°F for a full 10 minutes with the cooking surface inside.

For fresh tater tots, place them in a single layer and air-fry at 400°F for 6 minutes. Flip them and air-fry for an additional 4-6 minutes, or until golden brown.

For frozen tater tots, you can place them in more than a single layer, but they will cook better and break apart less if kept in a single layer. Air-fry at 375°F for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Do not try to flip or move them for at least 6 minutes, or they may stick.

Enjoy your homemade tater tots as a snack or side dish!

How to reheat tater tots in an air fryer

Tater tots are a great snack to have on hand, and they can be whipped up in a flash in an air fryer. But what about reheating them? Well, it's just as easy! Here's how to do it:

Firstly, you'll want to ensure your tater tots are cooled completely before storing them. Then, place them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for up to five days.

When you're ready to reheat your tater tots, take them out of the fridge and place them in the air fryer tray. You don't need to worry about arranging them in a single layer this time—feel free to stack them. Set your air fryer to 400°F and heat for 2-5 minutes. Give the basket a good shake halfway through to ensure even heating.

And that's it! Your tater tots will be warm and crispy, just like they were when they were first cooked.

If you're reheating a large batch of tots, you may need to add an extra minute or two to the heating time. But be sure to keep an eye on them, giving the basket an occasional shake, so they don't overcook. Enjoy!

What to serve with tater tots

Tater tots are a versatile side dish that can be served in many ways. Here are some ideas for what to serve with tater tots:

As a Side Dish

Tater tots can be served as a side dish alongside a variety of mains, such as burgers, chicken, hot dogs, grilled cheese, fish sticks, and pork loin. They can also be a substitute for French fries.

Breakfast Options

Tater tots can be a part of a hearty breakfast, paired with pancakes, bacon, or breakfast burritos. You can also get creative and make breakfast bowls with tots, scrambled eggs, soyrizo, salsa, cheese, and sour cream.

Casseroles and Bakes

Tater tots are a great addition to casseroles and bakes. Try a tater tot casserole with ground beef, onion, and cream of celery soup, or get creative and add your own ingredients. You can also make a breakfast bake with tater tots, eggs, and your favorite breakfast meats and veggies.

Dips and Sauces

Tater tots are perfect for dipping! Serve them with ketchup, BBQ sauce, honey mustard, ranch, or any other dipping sauce you prefer. For something extra special, try Big Mac sauce or nacho cheese sauce.

Loaded Tots

Take your tater tots to the next level by loading them up with toppings. Try adding cheese, sour cream, bacon, green onions, or Sriracha. You can even make loaded tater tot nachos, or "totchos," by piling on your favorite nacho toppings.

Creative Recipes

Tater tots can be incorporated into a variety of creative recipes. Try making tot sandwiches, adding them to grilled cheese or other melty sandwiches. You can also get creative with tater tot pizzas, combining tots with Canadian bacon and eggs for a unique and tasty dish.

How to season tater tots

Yes, you can make tater tots in an air fryer! They go from frozen to crunchy in 12-15 minutes. Here's how to season them:

Tater tots are delicious on their own, but adding some seasoning can take them to the next level. Here are some ideas for seasoning blends you can use:

• Garlic and herb seasoning: This blend adds a punch of flavour to your tater tots.
• Cajun seasoning: For a spicy kick, cajun seasoning is a great option.
• Taco seasoning: Bring a taste of Mexico to your tater tots with this seasoning blend.
• Old Bay seasoning: This classic seasoning blend can give your tater tots a unique flavour.
• Seasoned salt: A simple yet effective way to enhance the flavour of your tater tots.

To apply the seasoning, simply toss the frozen tater tots in your chosen seasoning blend before placing them in the air fryer. You can also sprinkle the seasoning on top of the tater tots after they are cooked.

Feel free to experiment with different seasoning blends to find your favourite! You can also try dipping sauces such as ketchup, BBQ sauce, honey mustard, or ranch dressing to further enhance the flavour of your tater tots.

Frequently asked questions