Frying Tater Tots: Air Fryer Time And Temperature Guide

Tater tots are a popular side dish and snack that can be cooked in an air fryer in a matter of minutes. They are made by grating skin-on potatoes into tiny pieces and mixing them with flour, salt, and seasonings. This paragraph will discuss how long it takes to fry tater tots in an air fryer, as well as provide step-by-step instructions for achieving the perfect crispy texture.

Preheat the air fryer

Preheating your air fryer is an important step in achieving crispy tater tots. The ideal temperature to preheat your air fryer to is 400°F, which usually takes about 4 to 5 minutes. However, if you're using an oven-style air fryer, preheat it to 400°F for just 1 minute.

For basket-model air fryers, load the basket with frozen tater tots and cook for 7 minutes after preheating. Then, shake the basket well and continue cooking for another 5 to 7 minutes.

If you're using an oven-style air fryer, gently spray the air fryer racks with non-stick cooking spray after preheating. Place the frozen tater tots in a single layer, shaking the rack gently to spread them out evenly. Ensure there's enough space between the tater tots for air to circulate, so they cook evenly without needing to be flipped.

Preheating your air fryer ensures your tater tots cook evenly and efficiently, resulting in the desired crispiness.

Use cooking spray

Using Cooking Spray to Fry Tater Tots in an Air Fryer

Using cooking spray is a great way to get your tater tots extra crispy. While it is not necessary, as tater tots already contain oil, a light coating of cooking spray will give them a more deep-fried texture.

First, preheat your air fryer to 400°F/205°C. This step is important for achieving the desired crispiness. Then, place your frozen tater tots into the air fryer basket, ensuring they are in a single layer with no overlapping or stacking. Spray them lightly with cooking spray, and sprinkle with coarse salt or your desired seasonings. Toss the tater tots gently to ensure they are evenly coated.

Next, "fry" your tater tots for 5 minutes, then shake the basket and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Shaking the basket is crucial to prevent the tater tots from sticking together and to ensure even crisping. Check if they have reached your desired level of crispiness. If not, continue cooking for another minute at a time until they are perfect!

Finally, serve your tater tots with your favourite dipping sauce. They go well with ketchup, ranch, barbecue sauce, or even blue cheese dressing. Enjoy!

Shake the basket

Shaking the basket is an important step when making tater tots in the air fryer. This is done to ensure that the tater tots cook evenly and achieve the desired level of crispiness. By shaking the basket, the tater tots are tossed and can be repositioned so that they are in a single layer, not overlapping or stacking. This allows hot air to circulate around each tot, crisping them up nicely.

Depending on the quantity of tater tots and the desired level of crispiness, the basket may need to be shaken more than once during the cooking process. For example, if cooking a full batch of tater tots, it is recommended to shake the basket halfway through the cooking time, and then continue cooking for the remaining time. However, if cooking mini tater tots, it is advisable to check on them earlier, around the 5-minute mark, and give the basket a shake if needed.

It is important to note that when shaking the basket, the tater tots can easily break apart, especially if they have already started to thaw. Therefore, it is recommended to shake the basket gently and avoid using a spatula to flip them.

Additionally, shaking the basket can help prevent the tater tots from sticking together, ensuring that each one cooks evenly and has a consistent texture. This is especially important if cooking a large batch of tater tots, as the hot air needs to reach all surfaces of each tot for even cooking.

In summary, shaking the basket during the cooking process is a crucial step to ensure that tater tots come out crispy and delicious. By doing so, hot air can circulate effectively, and the tater tots can be repositioned to cook evenly. Just remember to shake gently to avoid breaking them apart and adjust the timing based on the quantity and size of the tater tots being cooked.

Reheat in the air fryer

If you have any leftover tater tots, you can reheat them in an air fryer to restore their crispiness. Place them in the air fryer tray and set the temperature to 350-400°F for 2-5 minutes. Unlike when cooking them for the first time, it is fine to stack the tater tots when reheating. However, if you have a large quantity, you may need to add a minute or two to the cooking time and give the basket a shake halfway through to ensure even heating.

For best results, reheat in batches so that the tater tots are in a single layer. This will ensure they heat up evenly. You can store leftover tater tots in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.

Seasonings

Tater tots are delicious on their own, but you can switch things up by adding seasonings to your air-fried tater tots. Here are some seasoning suggestions:

• Old Bay Seasoning: Perfect when serving with seafood.
• Montreal Steak Seasoning: Great with steaks or burgers.
• Smoked Paprika
• Jerk Seasoning
• Taco Seasoning: You can also serve them with tacos.
• Aleppo Pepper
• Italian Seasoning: Dip in marinara.
• Seasoned Salt
• Garlic Powder: Add a little to any of the above seasonings for an extra flavor boost.

You can also shower your tater tots with seasoned salt, such as Lawry's, for an easy one-ingredient upgrade.

Frequently asked questions