Ella Walter
Sweet potato puffs, also known as tater tots, are a tasty snack or side dish that can be made in an air fryer. They are a healthier alternative to deep-fried versions and can be made with minimal ingredients. The best potatoes for this recipe are those with lots of starch, such as russets, which are characterised by a very low water content and a high starch content. This recipe is also a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes.
How to cook sweet potato puffs in an air fryer
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of food | Snack or side dish |
| Ingredients | Sweet potatoes, olive oil spray, sea salt, Cajun seasoning |
| Equipment | Air fryer |
| Preparation | Grate sweet potatoes, mix in seasoning, form into tot-shaped cylinders |
| Air fryer temperature | 400°F (200°C) |
| Air fryer cook time | 16 minutes (2x 8 minutes, turning halfway) |
| Serving suggestions | Ketchup, ranch, guacamole, chipotle mayo |
| Storage | Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or up to 5 days |
| Reheating | Preheat the air fryer to 375°F and air fry for 2-3 minutes |
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What You'll Learn
Grating and seasoning sweet potatoes
Grating sweet potatoes is a simple process. First, peel your sweet potatoes. Then, place a grater over a bowl or plate and hold the potato firmly while moving it along the grater from top to bottom. As the potato becomes smaller, use caution to avoid cutting your fingers.
Once you have your grated sweet potatoes, you can season them in a variety of ways. For sweet potato tots, you can mix in Cajun seasoning and form the mixture into tot-shaped cylinders. You can also add a pinch of sea salt. Another option is to add garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
If you're feeling creative, you can experiment with different seasonings like cinnamon, vanilla extract, allspice, nutmeg, or cloves. You can also try adding in other ingredients like onion, coconut oil, ghee, or non-dairy butter.
When you're ready to cook your sweet potato puffs in the air fryer, preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-5 minutes. Then, spread your seasoned potato mixture in a single layer on the air fryer basket or tray. Set the cook time for 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket or tray halfway through to ensure even frying. Your sweet potato puffs will be crispy and delicious!
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Shaping the mixture into tot-sized cylinders
To shape the mixture into tot-sized cylinders, start by grating the sweet potatoes into a bowl using a box grater. You can then carefully mix in your chosen seasoning, such as Cajun seasoning or sea salt. Next, form the mixture into tot-shaped cylinders using your hands or a cookie scoop. Aim for a size of around 1 tablespoon per tot. Place the shaped tots on a plate or baking sheet, ensuring they are not touching each other, and spray them with olive oil or another type of cooking spray.
It is important to shape the mixture into tot-sized cylinders that are relatively uniform in size. This will help ensure even cooking in the air fryer. If the cylinders are different sizes, some may cook faster than others, leading to an unevenly cooked batch.
When shaping the mixture, try to avoid making the cylinders too thick or too thin. If they are too thick, they may not cook evenly, resulting in a crispy exterior but a still-raw interior. On the other hand, if they are too thin, they may burn or dry out too quickly. Aim for a thickness that is similar to that of a typical tater tot or potato puff.
You can use your hands or a cookie scoop to shape the mixture into cylinders. If using your hands, try to handle the mixture as lightly as possible to avoid compacting it too much. This will help ensure the tots remain light and airy, resulting in a better texture when cooked.
Once you have shaped the mixture into tot-sized cylinders, you can proceed to cook them in your air fryer. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you may need to cook the tots in batches to avoid overcrowding the basket.
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Spraying the air fryer basket with oil
When preparing to cook sweet potato puffs in an air fryer, it is recommended to use an oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado oil, peanut oil, or extra light olive oil. These oils have a higher smoke point than regular olive oil and can withstand the high temperatures of the air fryer without burning or smoking.
To spray the air fryer basket with oil, first, ensure that the basket is clean and dry. Fill an oil sprayer with your chosen oil and evenly coat the bottom and sides of the basket with a light layer of oil. You don't need to use a lot of oil; a thin, even coating is sufficient. This step should be done before adding the sweet potato puffs to the basket to ensure that the oil is distributed properly and does not come into direct contact with the food.
If you don't have an oil sprayer, you can use alternative methods such as brushing the oil onto the basket with a pastry brush or pouring a small amount of oil into the basket and tilting it to coat the surface evenly. However, spraying or brushing the oil is generally recommended over pouring to prevent using too much oil, which can make your food greasy.
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Cooking the sweet potato puffs
Sweet potato puffs, also known as tater tots, are a tasty snack or side dish that can be cooked in an air fryer. They are a healthier alternative to deep-fried sweet potato tots, and can be made with minimal ingredients. The air fryer cooks food quickly, using hot air to crisp it up without the need for deep frying in oil.
To make sweet potato puffs, you will need to grate sweet potatoes into a bowl using a box grater. You can then mix in Cajun seasoning to add a kick of spice. Form the mixture into tot-shaped cylinders, or small cylindrical shapes. If you have leftover mashed potatoes, you can mould them into balls to make potato puffs. For crispier puffs, you can add cornstarch to the mixture.
Before placing the tots in the air fryer, spray the air fryer basket with olive oil spray or cooking spray. Place the tots in a single layer in the basket, ensuring they do not touch each other or the sides of the basket. Spray the tots with olive oil spray and sprinkle with sea salt.
Heat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). The cooking time may vary depending on your air fryer, but generally, the tots will need to cook for 8 minutes. Turn the tots, spray with more olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt again. Cook for another 8 minutes or until both sides are crispy and golden but not burnt. For smaller air fryers, you may need to cook the tots in batches. Shake the basket or flip the tots halfway through cooking to ensure even frying.
Sweet potato puffs are best served immediately after cooking to maintain their crispiness. You can enjoy them with your favourite dipping sauce, such as ketchup, ranch, or guacamole.
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Storing and reheating the puffs
Storing your sweet potato puffs is essential for keeping them fresh and crispy. Here are some detailed instructions on how to store and reheat them:
Storing the Puffs:
- Allow the puffs to cool completely before storing. This step is crucial to prevent sogginess.
- Use an airtight container to store the leftover puffs.
- Refrigerate the container for up to 3-4 days.
- If you wish to freeze the puffs for later use, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze them.
- Once frozen solid, transfer the puffs to a freezer bag or container.
- Squeeze out as much air as possible from the freezer bag before sealing.
- Frozen puffs can be stored for up to 4-6 months.
Reheating the Puffs:
- When ready to enjoy your frozen puffs again, start by thawing them.
- Preheat your air fryer to 350°F - 375°F.
- Place the thawed puffs in the air fryer and heat them for 2-3 minutes.
- Keep a close eye on them as they can brown quickly.
- You can also add a little oil or cooking spray to the puffs before reheating for extra crispness.
- Alternatively, you can reheat them in an oven at 375°F for about 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
- It is best to reheat only the amount you plan to consume, as reheating multiple times is not recommended.
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Frequently asked questions
First, preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 3-5 minutes. Next, grate your sweet potatoes into a bowl and mix in Cajun seasoning. Form the mixture into tot-shaped cylinders. Place the tots in the air fryer basket in a single layer and spray with olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt. Cook for 8 minutes, then flip the tots, spray with more oil, and sprinkle with more salt. Cook for another 8 minutes.
For fresh sweet potato puffs, cook for a total of 16 minutes, flipping the puffs halfway through. For frozen sweet potato puffs, cook for a total of 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
To ensure crispiness, shake or flip the puffs halfway through cooking to ensure even frying. You can also spray the puffs with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt before cooking. Make sure not to overcrowd the air fryer basket so that air can circulate.
Allow the puffs to cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F and cook for 2-3 minutes.
