Air Fryer Tater Tots: Quick, Crispy, Golden Treats

Tater tots are a popular snack and side dish, and cooking them in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to achieve a crispy texture without the need for deep frying. This method also reduces the amount of oil used, making it a healthier option. Air fryer tater tots can be made from scratch or using frozen store-bought ones, and the cooking time is generally around 15 minutes for a crispy, golden-brown finish.

Preheat the air fryer

Preheating your air fryer is an important step in making tater tots as it helps to start the crisping process and prevents the tots from sticking to the basket or cooking surface. The length of time it takes to preheat an air fryer can vary depending on the model, but it is usually around 4-5 minutes for smaller air fryers and up to 10 minutes for larger ones.

It is recommended that you preheat your air fryer to a high temperature, typically between 350-400°F (175-200°C). This is the temperature you will also cook your tater tots at. Most air fryers will have a preheat function, but if yours does not, simply set the temperature to the desired level and allow it to heat up for a few minutes before adding your food.

While your air fryer is preheating, you can prepare your tater tots. If you are making them from scratch, you will need to grate your potatoes and mix them with seasonings and cornstarch. Form the mixture into small cylinders and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. You can then coat the tater tots with a light layer of oil or cooking spray, which will help them to crisp up.

If you are using frozen tater tots, simply place them in the air fryer basket or tray in a single layer. Make sure they are not overlapping or stacked, as this will affect how evenly they cook. You can coat them with a light layer of cooking spray if you like, but this is not necessary as frozen tater tots usually already contain oil.

Once your air fryer is preheated, you can place your tater tots inside and set the timer. Depending on the size of your air fryer and the number of tater tots you are cooking, you may need to cook them in batches. For fresh tater tots, cook them for 6-10 minutes, flipping them halfway through. For frozen tater tots, cook for 12-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.

Use frozen tater tots

Using frozen tater tots in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to get crispy, golden brown tater tots. They make a tasty snack or side dish and are ready in just a few minutes. Here's how to do it:

First, preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Place the frozen tater tots into the air fryer basket in a single layer. If your air fryer is on the smaller side, you may need to cook the tater tots in batches. For reference, a large air fryer should fit enough tater tots for four people at once.

Next, spray the tater tots lightly with cooking spray. You can use non-aerosolized avocado oil or vegetable oil spray, as these hold up to higher heat well without leaving a funky flavour. Then, toss the tater tots in the basket and spray them again.

Now, air fry the tater tots for 12 to 15 minutes. Shake the basket gently every 5 minutes to ensure even cooking. The tater tots are ready when they are crispy and golden brown. If you prefer your tater tots extra crispy, cook them for a few more minutes, checking every minute or so. For softer tater tots, reduce the cooking time by a minute or so.

Finally, sprinkle the tater tots with salt or your preferred seasoning blend and serve. It's best to wait a minute or two before serving as they will be very hot straight out of the air fryer!

Some tasty seasoning suggestions include Old Bay Seasoning, Montreal Steak Seasoning, Smoked Paprika, Jerk Seasoning, Taco Seasoning, Aleppo Pepper, Italian Seasoning, and Seasoned Salt. You can also add some garlic powder for an extra flavour boost.

Enjoy your crispy, golden tater tots!

Cook for 15 minutes

Now that your air fryer is preheated and your tater tots are seasoned, it's time to cook them! Place the tater tots in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring they aren't stacked or overlapped. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook them in batches. Close the air fryer and set the timer for 15 minutes.

While the tater tots are cooking, you can prepare a dipping sauce. A simple sauce of mayo, ketchup, BBQ sauce, Dijon mustard, and hot sauce is a great option. You can also experiment with other sauces like honey mustard, ranch, or Big Mac sauce.

After about 5 minutes, open the air fryer and shake the basket to ensure the tater tots cook evenly. Close the air fryer and let them continue cooking for the remaining 10 minutes.

Once the timer goes off, check on your tater tots. They should be crispy and golden brown. If you prefer them crispier, you can add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.

Remove the tater tots from the air fryer and serve them hot! They go well as a side dish with burgers, chicken, or fish sticks. Enjoy the crispy, delicious treat you've made!

Use cooking spray

Using cooking spray is an important step in making air fryer tater tots, as it helps to ensure that your tater tots come out crispy and golden brown. Firstly, preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Then, coat the frozen tater tots with a light layer of cooking spray. You can use avocado oil or another cooking spray of your choice. This step will help the salt to stick to the tater tots, so don't skip it!

After coating the tater tots with cooking spray, sprinkle them with salt and toss them to coat evenly. Place the tater tots in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they are not overlapping or stacked. If you are cooking a large batch, you may need to cook the tater tots in batches to ensure even cooking.

Cook the tater tots for 15-20 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes or so to ensure even cooking and to prevent sticking. For the crispiest tater tots, add extra cooking time as needed.

Finally, remove the tater tots from the air fryer and serve them hot. You can also prepare a dipping sauce, such as a mixture of mayo, ketchup, BBQ sauce, Dijon mustard, and hot sauce, to serve on the side. Enjoy!

Flip halfway through

Flipping your tater tots halfway through cooking is an essential step in ensuring that they cook evenly and achieve the desired level of crispiness on all sides. While it may seem like a tedious task, especially for smaller items like tater tots, it is worth the effort for the best results.

When cooking tater tots in an air fryer, it is recommended to flip them every 4 to 5 minutes to ensure even cooking and browning. This is because air fryers cook food by circulating hot air around it, and flipping the food items ensures that all sides are exposed to the hot air flow.

However, flipping tater tots can be challenging due to their small size. They tend to roll around instead of flipping, and it can be difficult to keep track of each individual piece. Additionally, the time taken to flip them can cause the tater tots to cool down, affecting the cooking process.

To overcome this challenge, some people prefer to use a wire rack or shake the pan to ensure the tater tots don't stick to the surface. Others choose to cook their tater tots on a baking tray in the oven, which allows for more even cooking without the need for constant flipping.

Ultimately, the decision to flip tater tots halfway through cooking depends on your preference for crispiness and the method of cooking you choose.

Frequently asked questions