Air Fryer Ore-Ida Tater Tots: Quick, Crispy, Golden

Ore-Ida Tater Tots are a popular frozen food item that can be cooked in an air fryer. They are known for their crispy exterior and soft interior, making them a favourite among both children and adults. Cooking Ore-Ida Tater Tots in an air fryer is a quick and easy process, resulting in a crispy texture that is often preferred over oven-baked Tater Tots. By following specific instructions, such as preheating the air fryer, cooking in batches, and adding seasonings, individuals can enjoy perfectly cooked Ore-Ida Tater Tots as a side dish or snack.

Preheat the air fryer

Preheating your air fryer is an important step in the cooking process. It ensures your Ore-Ida tater tots cook evenly and efficiently. While some air fryers have a preheat setting, others require you to manually set the temperature to 400°F and let the air fryer heat up for 2-5 minutes. This is a crucial step if you want your tater tots to be crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

If your air fryer doesn't have a preheat setting, simply set it to 400°F and let it heat up for 5 minutes. This mimics the preheat function and ensures your air fryer is ready to cook your tater tots to crispy perfection.

Preheating your air fryer to the right temperature is essential for achieving the desired crispiness of your tater tots. By preheating, you create the optimal environment for the cooking process, ensuring your tater tots don't end up soggy or undercooked.

Additionally, preheating your air fryer can help reduce the overall cooking time. By starting with a preheated cooking environment, you can shorten the time needed to reach the desired doneness of your tater tots. This is especially useful when you're short on time or cooking in batches.

It's worth noting that the preheat time may vary slightly depending on your air fryer's model and brand. Some air fryers may take longer to reach the desired temperature of 400°F. Always refer to your air fryer's instruction manual for specific guidelines and recommendations.

Use olive oil spray

Ore-Ida Tater Tots can be cooked in an air fryer and come out crispy and tender in just 12 minutes. While it is not necessary to use oil or spray when cooking Ore-Ida Tater Tots in an air fryer, as they will naturally become crispy, you may lightly coat them with olive oil spray if desired.

To use olive oil spray, first, preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Then, add the tater tots to the air fryer basket and spray them with a few spritzes of olive oil spray. Shake the basket to evenly coat the tater tots with the oil. Next, cook the tater tots at 400°F for 10 minutes, then shake the basket and cook for an additional 5-8 minutes, or until they are as crispy as you like them. Finally, sprinkle the tater tots with salt and shake the basket again to distribute the seasoning. Serve immediately.

Using olive oil spray is a great way to cut down on the amount of olive oil you're using, while still achieving that desired crispiness. It is also a good way to help your salt and any seasonings stick to the tater tots better. Avocado oil or vegetable oil spray can be used as well, and will work just as effectively.

Add salt

Ore-Ida Tater Tots can be cooked in an air fryer and adding salt is a great way to enhance their flavour. While some frozen tater tots come pre-seasoned or pre-salted, many do not. Therefore, adding salt is an optional ingredient that can be added according to your taste preferences. If you decide to add salt, it is recommended to use regular fine-grain table salt as it will stick to the tater tots better than kosher salt.

Before adding salt, it is important to prepare the Ore-Ida Tater Tots for cooking in the air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F and place the frozen tater tots in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are in a single layer for even cooking. Cooking spray is optional, but a spritz of olive oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil can help the tater tots become extra crispy and allow the salt and other seasonings to adhere better.

Once the tater tots are cooked to your desired level of doneness, it's time to add the salt. Remove the tater tots from the air fryer and sprinkle them with salt. Give them a gentle shake to ensure an even coating of salt on all the tater tots. It is important to note that if you plan on dipping your tater tots into a salty or savoury sauce, you may want to skip the added salt or adjust the amount to your taste.

The amount of salt you add can be adjusted based on your personal preference and dietary considerations. If you are watching your sodium intake, you may want to use less salt or omit it altogether. On the other hand, if you enjoy a bolder flavour, you can be more generous with the salt or even try using seasoned salt or other seasonings in addition to plain salt.

When adding salt to your Ore-Ida Tater Tots cooked in an air fryer, it's important to taste as you season. Start with a small amount of salt and gradually add more until you achieve your desired level of saltiness. Remember, you can always add more salt, but it's difficult to remove it if you've added too much. Enjoy your crispy and flavourful tater tots!

Shake the basket halfway through

When cooking Ore-Ida Tater Tots in an air fryer, it is important to shake the basket halfway through for even cooking. This will ensure that the tots cook evenly and get crispy on all sides.

Shaking the basket halfway through allows the hot air to circulate around the tots, preventing them from getting soggy. It also helps to redistribute the oil and seasonings, so they coat the tots evenly. This is especially important if you are cooking a large batch of tots or if they are stacked on top of each other in the air fryer.

Depending on the size of your air fryer and the amount of tots you are cooking, you may need to shake the basket more than once during cooking. For example, if you are cooking a full bag of tots, it is best to shake the basket every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking. If you are cooking a smaller batch, you may only need to shake the basket once halfway through the cooking process.

Shaking the basket halfway through also gives you an opportunity to check on the progress of your tots and ensure they are not burning. This is important because air fryers can vary in terms of cooking time and temperature, so it is always a good idea to keep an eye on your tots to prevent overcooking.

By shaking the basket halfway through, you can also toss the tots with additional seasonings or spices to enhance their flavor. This is a great way to mix up your tater tot recipe and try new flavor combinations. Some popular seasonings to try include chili powder, garlic powder, ranch dressing mix, or even taco seasoning.

Reheat any leftovers

If you have any leftover Ore-Ida tater tots, you can easily reheat them in the air fryer. First, store any leftover tater tots in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days.

When you're ready to reheat, preheat your air fryer to 350°F. Place the tater tots in the air fryer basket in a single layer to ensure even cooking. Reheat for 3–5 minutes, or until warmed and crispy.

If you prefer your tater tots extra crispy, you can reheat them at 400°F for 2–3 minutes or until they reach your desired level of crispiness. It's important to keep an eye on them to ensure they don't burn.

Additionally, you can reheat frozen tater tots in the air fryer at 400°F for 12 minutes. If you're cooking at a lower temperature of 375°F, increase the cooking time to 15 minutes. Remember to pause the air fryer halfway through to toss the tots for even cooking.

Frequently asked questions