Tillie Doyle
Bacon-wrapped tater tots are a delicious snack that can be made in an air fryer. They are crispy, golden potato bites, wrapped in bacon and fried to perfection. This simple recipe is quick and easy to make with just three ingredients: bacon, tater tots, and cheddar cheese. You can also add extra toppings such as sour cream, chives, or brown sugar. The cook time will vary depending on your air fryer, but on average, bacon-wrapped tater tots will take around 15 minutes to cook.
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What You'll Learn
Choosing the right tater tots
When it comes to choosing the right tater tots for your air fryer, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, you can use either frozen or defrosted tater tots, but it is important to note that frozen tater tots are easier to handle when wrapping them in bacon as they tend to crumble less. If you opt for frozen tater tots, you can simply place them straight into the air fryer from the freezer – no need to defrost or pre-cook them.
Another factor to consider is the size of the tater tots. Regular-sized tater tots are ideal for this recipe, as they are easier to wrap with bacon. However, if you prefer mini tater tots, you can certainly use them, but keep in mind that their cooking time will be shorter.
Additionally, the brand of tater tots you choose is also a matter of preference. Popular brands like Ore-Ida, Alexia, and Great Value offer a variety of tater tot options. You can even find veggie tots or "potato puffs" from some brands, providing a range of choices to suit different dietary needs or preferences.
When selecting tater tots, it is also worth considering the desired level of crispiness. Air fryers are known for producing super crispy tater tots, but you can adjust the cooking time or temperature to achieve your desired level of crispness.
Lastly, while not directly related to choosing the right tater tots, it is important to remember that bacon-wrapped tater tots can be a versatile dish. You can experiment with different toppings, dips, and seasonings to create unique flavour profiles that cater to your taste buds.
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Preparing the bacon
Bacon-wrapped tater tots are a delicious snack that can be made in an air fryer. They are crispy, golden brown, and soft on the inside. The following steps will guide you through preparing the bacon for this mouth-watering treat.
Firstly, it is important to note that frozen tater tots are commonly used for this recipe as they are readily available and can be cooked straight from the freezer. If you choose to use defrosted tater tots, be cautious as the air frying time may need to be adjusted to prevent overcooking.
Now, let's talk about the bacon. Start by cutting the bacon slices into three even pieces. This will ensure each tater tot is adequately wrapped. Wrapping the bacon around the tater tots can be tricky, as frozen tater tots tend to crumble. Take your time with this step and try to handle the tots gently but firmly.
Once you have wrapped the bacon around each tot, it's time to place them in the air fryer basket or tray. Make sure they are placed in a single layer with some space between them to allow for even cooking. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook them in batches to ensure they get nice and crispy.
At this point, you can add some extra flavour by tossing the bacon-wrapped tots with brown sugar to coat them. This step is optional but will give your snacks a delicious glaze.
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Cooking times and temperatures
The cooking time and temperature for bacon-wrapped tater tots in an air fryer can vary depending on the desired level of crispness and the specific air fryer being used. It is recommended to keep a close eye on the tater tots while they are cooking to prevent burning.
For frozen tater tots, preheat your air fryer to 400°F for about a minute. Then, place the tater tots in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring they don't overlap, and spray them with a non-stick coating. Cook for 7 minutes, shake the basket, and then continue cooking for another 5 to 7 minutes, depending on your desired level of crispness.
If you are cooking bacon and tater tots together, place the frozen tater tots in an even layer in the air fryer basket and add the bacon on top. Air fry at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes, keeping an eye on the bacon to prevent burning. Once the bacon is cooked to your desired level of crispness, remove it from the air fryer and set it aside. Return the tater tots to the air fryer and increase the temperature to 400°F. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or so until the tater tots are golden brown.
For bacon-wrapped tater tots, it is recommended to cook at 400°F for 14 to 16 minutes. With 3 minutes left, top each bacon-wrapped tot with shredded cheddar cheese. Remove the tater tots from the air fryer with a spatula, being careful not to squish them, and serve warm or at room temperature.
It is important to note that cooking times may vary depending on the specific air fryer and the number of tater tots being cooked. Larger air fryers may cook the tater tots faster, so it is essential to monitor them closely during the cooking process.
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Adding cheese
Preparing the Tots:
Start by cutting each bacon strip into halves or thirds, depending on the size of your tater tots. You want to ensure you have enough bacon to wrap around each tot. Wrap the bacon strip around the tater tot, securing it with a toothpick if needed. This step is crucial to creating the perfect bacon-wrapped tot.
Cooking the Tots:
Place the wrapped tots in the air fryer basket, ensuring they don't overlap. Air fry at 350°F (180°C) for 12-16 minutes. Keep an eye on them to achieve your desired level of crispness. The tater tots should be cooked through, and the bacon should be crispy.
Adding the Cheesy Goodness:
Once the bacon is cooked to your liking, it's time to add the cheese. Remove the cooked bacon from the air fryer and set it aside. Place the tater tots back into the air fryer and sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Close the lid and let the residual heat melt the cheese, which should take 30-60 seconds. If you prefer a thicker layer of cheese, you can broil the tots for a few seconds to achieve a gooey, melted cheese topping.
Final Touches:
Chop or crumble the cooked bacon and sprinkle it on top of the cheesy tots. You can also add other toppings like sour cream, chives, or green onions. For an extra kick of flavour, mix in some ranch seasoning with the sour cream before adding it to the tots. Serve immediately while the cheese is still melted and enjoy the cheesy, crispy goodness!
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Serving suggestions
Bacon-wrapped tater tots are a great snack to serve at parties, game days, New Year's Eve, Christmas Eve, birthday parties, or movie nights. They can be served as a tasty appetizer or snack on their own, but they also work well as part of a larger meal. Here are some serving suggestions:
Sliders or Mini Sandwiches
You can serve bacon-wrapped tater tots with mini sliders or sandwiches as a main dish. These can be paired with drinks like juices and mocktails.
Salads
A fresh green salad can complement the salty and savory flavors of the bacon-wrapped tater tots. You can top the salad with some Parmesan cheese for an extra touch of flavor.
Vegetables
Roasted or grilled vegetables like asparagus, Brussels sprouts, or green beans can be a great side dish to accompany the bacon-wrapped tater tots.
Dips and Sauces
Bacon-wrapped tater tots pair well with a variety of dipping sauces. Some options include hot onion dip, ranch dressing, honey mustard, blue cheese dressing, sriracha aioli, ketchup, BBQ sauce, or even a spicy maple glaze.
Additional Toppings
You can also add some additional toppings to your bacon-wrapped tater tots. Try shredded cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, green onions, chives, or even a honey glaze.
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Frequently asked questions
It takes 12-16 minutes to cook bacon-wrapped tater tots in an air fryer.
Set your air fryer to 350-400°F.
To prevent burning, check on the bacon regularly as air fryers vary in cooking time.
For crispier tater tots, arrange them in a single layer in the air fryer basket and spray with cooking oil.
Toppings such as cheese, sour cream, chives, and honey mustard go well with bacon-wrapped tater tots.
