Air Fryer Frozen Tater Tots: Quick, Easy, Crispy!

Tater tots are bite-sized potato snacks that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. They are usually deep-fried before being frozen and packaged. While they can be baked in an oven, an air fryer is a quicker and healthier way to cook them.

How to make frozen tater tots in an air fryer

Ingredients

• Frozen tater tots
• Cooking spray (optional)
• Salt or seasoning of choice

Method

• Preheat your air fryer to 400°F.
• Place the frozen tater tots into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Do not overcrowd the basket—cook in batches if necessary.
• Lightly spray the tater tots with cooking spray (if using).
• Air fry for 10 to 15 minutes, shaking the basket gently every few minutes to ensure even cooking. The tater tots are ready when they are crispy and golden brown.
• Sprinkle with salt or your chosen seasoning and serve. Allow to cool for a minute or two before serving as they will be very hot.

Tips

• No need to defrost the tater tots before cooking—they can go straight from the freezer into the air fryer.
• You don't need to flip each tater tot, but shaking the basket regularly will help them to crisp up on all sides.
• Preheating the air fryer will help the tater tots cook more quickly and become crunchier.
• For extra crispy tater tots, cook for a few minutes longer, checking regularly to avoid burning.
• For softer tater tots, reduce the cooking time by a minute or two.

How long to cook them for

The cooking time for frozen tater tots in an air fryer will depend on the level of crispiness you want to achieve. For a softer, less crispy tot, air fry for 10 to 11 minutes at 400°F. For the perfect balance of crunch and tenderness, air fry for 12 to 15 minutes at 400°F. If you prefer your tater tots to be extra crispy, cook them for a few minutes longer, checking every minute or so until they are a darker brown colour.

It is important to note that the cooking time may vary depending on the specific model of your air fryer, the size of your tater tots, and how full your air fryer basket is. For example, if you are cooking mini tater tots, they will take less time to cook, so check them around the 5-minute mark. Additionally, if you are cooking a large batch of tater tots, you may need to cook them in multiple batches to ensure even cooking.

To ensure even cooking and optimal crispiness, it is recommended to shake the air fryer basket every 3 to 5 minutes during the cooking process. This will ensure that the tater tots are evenly exposed to the hot air circulating in the air fryer.

Whether to preheat the air fryer

Preheating your air fryer is an important step in the cooking process. It ensures that your food cooks evenly and efficiently. Most air fryer recipes recommend preheating the appliance to around 400°F for about 5 minutes before adding your ingredients. This is especially important when cooking frozen foods such as tater tots, as it helps to achieve that desired crispy texture on the outside while keeping the inside fluffy.

When cooking tater tots in an air fryer, preheating the appliance is essential to achieving the perfect level of crispiness. By preheating the air fryer, you create a consistent temperature environment for the frozen tater tots to cook in. This helps to ensure that your tater tots are cooked evenly, with a crispy exterior and a soft, pillowy interior.

Additionally, preheating your air fryer can help reduce the overall cooking time. For example, when cooking tater tots in an oven, you typically need to preheat the oven beforehand, which can take several minutes. With an air fryer, you can simply place your frozen tater tots directly into the preheated appliance and have them ready to eat in as little as 7 to 15 minutes.

However, it's important to note that not all air fryers require preheating. Some models may have specific instructions or settings that eliminate the need for preheating. Always refer to your air fryer's user manual or instructions to determine if preheating is necessary and for any specific guidelines or recommendations provided by the manufacturer.

In conclusion, preheating your air fryer is generally recommended when cooking frozen tater tots. It helps ensure even cooking, achieves the desired texture, and can reduce overall cooking time. However, be sure to consult your air fryer's instructions to determine if preheating is necessary for your particular model.

Whether to use cooking spray

Some recipes for cooking frozen tater tots in an air fryer suggest using cooking spray, while others advise against it. Ultimately, it is a matter of personal preference, as the spray is not necessary for cooking the tater tots, but it can help to make them crispier.

If you want your tater tots to be as crispy as possible, you may want to try using a cooking spray. However, it is important to note that some sources recommend using a specific type of cooking spray. For example, non-aerosolised avocado oil, vegetable oil, or olive oil (not extra virgin) are suggested, as these oils have a higher smoke point and will not leave a bitter taste on the food.

On the other hand, if you are looking for a healthier option or want to avoid adding extra oil to your food, you can skip the cooking spray altogether. Frozen tater tots already contain oil from the deep frying process before they are frozen, so they will still cook up crispy in the air fryer without any additional oil.

If you decide to use cooking spray, the process is simple. First, place the frozen tater tots in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Then, spray them lightly with cooking spray and toss to coat. You can repeat this step for a second light coating of spray if desired. Finally, air fry the tater tots according to your desired level of crispness.

Whether you choose to use cooking spray or not, the key to getting crispy tater tots in the air fryer is to cook them in a single layer and shake the basket periodically during cooking to ensure even cooking.

What to serve with them

Tater tots are a versatile side dish that can be served with a variety of meals. Here are some ideas for what to serve with them:

Burgers

Tater tots are a great substitute for French fries, so they pair well with hamburgers or cheeseburgers. You can even add them to your burger for some extra crunch.

Grilled Cheese

Tater tots are a kid-friendly side dish that can be served with grilled cheese sandwiches. They can also be added to the sandwich for a melty, crunchy bite.

Breakfast

Tater tots can be served as a breakfast side dish with pancakes, bacon, or eggs. For a heartier breakfast, add them to a breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs, sausage, and avocado.

Chicken

Tater tots can be served as a side dish with grilled chicken or chicken tenders. They can also be added to a chicken sandwich for a crunchy twist.

Casseroles

Tater tots can be incorporated into casseroles, such as a cheesy bacon tater tot pie or a tater tot hot dish. They add a crispy element to the casserole and are a fun way to get kids to eat their vegetables.

Dips and Sauces

Tater tots are delicious on their own, but they can be taken to the next level with dips and sauces. Some popular options include Big Mac sauce, BBQ sauce, nacho cheese sauce, honey buffalo sauce, ketchup, or seasoned salt.

Other Ideas

• Fish sticks
• Pork loin
• Sloppy joes
• London broil
• Breakfast bowls with scrambled eggs, soyrizo, and salsa
• Nachos

Frequently asked questions