Tater Tot Fondue: A Comforting, Cheesy, And Crunchy Dish

Tater tot fondue is a fun and easy dish to make for a party or gathering. It involves making a tower out of slices of bread, pouring fondue into the centre, and then dipping pieces of the tower into the fondue. The fondue itself can be made with a variety of ingredients, such as butter, flour, chicken broth, beer, cream, cheese, and seasonings. The tater tots can be served on the side as dippers, or made into kebabs.

Tater Tot Fondue Recipe

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 12 slices of sandwich bread
• 3 cups of shredded cheddar
• Milk
• Eggs

Optional:

• Butter
• Flour
• Chicken broth
• Beer
• Cream
• Seasonings
• Worcestershire sauce

Steps:

Using a glass, press down on 11 slices of bread and cut out a circle from the center of each slice. Leave the last slice whole. Mix the milk and eggs, then dip all the bread slices in this mixture, similar to French toast. Lay the intact slice of bread on a parchment-lined sheet pan, then stack the slices to create a tower with a hole in the center. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 °F.

In a heavy-bottomed pot, bring some milk to a boil and add the cheese, stirring until smooth to create a fondue. Pour the fondue into the center of the bread tower and dip the bread circles and pieces of the tower into the cheese.

For a heartier dip, you can add some breakfast sausage. You can also serve the fondue with tater tots, onion rings, raw or roasted veggies, apples, pears, or bread cubes.

Tater Tot Fondue Ingredients

Tater Tot Fondue is a fun and creative dish that combines the crispy goodness of tater tots with the creamy richness of fondue. Here are the ingredients you'll need to create this delicious treat:

Tater Tots:

The star of this dish, tater tots, are a type of grated and deep-fried potato. You can use frozen tater tots, which are readily available in most supermarkets, or make your own from scratch.

Cheese:

Cheddar cheese is a popular choice for tater tot fondue. Shredding your own cheese will result in the most delicious, melty texture. You'll need approximately 3 cups of shredded cheddar for a fondue serving four people.

Bread:

Sandwich bread is another key ingredient. You'll need about 12 slices to create the fondue tower. Remove the crusts from 11 slices and cut out circles from the centre, leaving the last slice intact. This will serve as the base of your tower.

Milk and Eggs:

Milk and eggs are essential for creating a French toast-like coating for the bread. Dip the bread circles and tower base into the egg and milk mixture before frying.

Seasonings:

Don't skimp on the seasonings! Butter, flour, smoked paprika, and cracked black pepper will enhance the flavour of your fondue. You can also add additional spices like garlic powder or Italian seasoning to taste.

Additional Dippers:

While the bread and tater tots are the main stars, you can offer a variety of additional dippers on the side. Options include onion rings, raw or roasted vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower, or peppers), apples, pears, and bread cubes.

Optional Add-Ins:

For a heartier fondue, consider adding cooked breakfast sausage or bacon bits to the mix. You can also experiment with different types of cheese, such as Swiss or Monterey Jack, to create your own unique flavour profile.

With these ingredients and a bit of creativity, you'll be well on your way to making a delicious and memorable Tater Tot Fondue!

Tater Tot Fondue with Beer Cheese

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 12 slices of sandwich bread
• 3 cups of shredded cheddar
• 1 cup of milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup real unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
• 8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese grated
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup beer (e.g. Blue Moon Belgian Wheat)
• Heavy/thick cream
• Worcestershire sauce
• Frozen tater tots

Optional:

• Onion rings
• Raw or roasted veggies (e.g. broccoli, baked potatoes or skins, cauliflower fritters, steamed artichokes or artichoke hearts)
• Fruits (e.g. apple and pear slices)
• Bread (e.g. bread cubes, garlic breadsticks, pretzels, bagel chips)

Instructions:

First, make the French toast-style bread tower. Using a glass, press down on 11 slices of bread and remove a circle from the centre of each slice. Leave the last slice whole. Mix milk and eggs, then dip all the bread in this mixture. Lay the whole slice of bread on a parchment-lined sheet pan, and then stack the slices to create a tower with a hole in the centre. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 °F.

Next, make the beer cheese fondue. Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, forming a roux. Add the smoked paprika and black pepper. Then, add the chicken broth and beer, stirring to combine. Add the grated cheese and stir until melted. Finally, stir in the cream and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer over low heat until hot, stirring occasionally.

Pour the fondue into the centre of the bread tower and dip the bread circles and pieces of the tower into the cheese sauce. Serve with tater tots, onion rings, and any other dippers of your choice.

Tater Tot Fondue with Onion Rings

Ingredients

For the onion rings:

• 2 large sweet onions
• 1/2 cup flour (for coating onions)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

For the fondue:

• 12 slices of sandwich bread
• 3 cups of shredded cheddar
• Milk
• Eggs

Method

First, make the onion rings. Slice the onions and separate them into rings. Mix the egg, oil, and milk on low speed for 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Coat the onions in flour, then dip them in the batter. Fry in hot oil at 375°F until golden brown. Place on a paper towel-lined tray to absorb excess oil.

Now, it's time to make the fondue. Using a glass, press down on 11 slices of bread and remove a circle from the center of each slice. Leave the last slice intact. Mix milk and eggs, then dip all the bread in this mixture, as you would with French toast. Lay the intact slice of bread on a parchment-lined sheet pan, then stack the slices to create a tower with a hole in the middle. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.

In a heavy-bottomed pot, bring milk to a boil, then add the cheese, stirring until smooth to make a fondue. Pour the fondue into the center of the bread tower. Enjoy by dipping the onion rings and bread into the fondue.

Tater Tot Fondue with Bread

Ingredients:

• Sandwich bread (12 slices)
• Shredded cheddar cheese (3 cups)
• Milk
• Eggs

Optional Ingredients for a Heartier Fondue:

• Butter
• Flour
• Chicken broth
• Beer
• Cream
• Seasonings
• Breakfast sausage

Utensils:

• Glass
• Parchment-lined sheet pan
• Heavy-bottomed pot
• Fondue pot or chafing dish (optional)

Instructions:

• Using a glass, press down on 11 slices of bread to cut out circles, leaving the last slice intact. This will serve as the base of your bread tower.
• Mix milk and eggs in a bowl, then dip the bread slices in this mixture, similar to preparing French toast.
• Lay the intact slice of bread on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Stack the remaining slices to create a tower with a hole in the center.
• Bake the bread tower at 350 °F for about 15 minutes until it's toasted and crispy.
• While the bread is baking, prepare the fondue. In a heavy-bottomed pot, bring milk to a boil.
• Add shredded cheddar cheese to the boiling milk, stirring continuously until you have a smooth and creamy fondue. You can also add other cheeses of your choice to enhance the flavor.
• Once the bread tower is ready, carefully pour the fondue into the center hole.
• Serve the Tater Tot Fondue with Bread while it's still warm. Dip the bread circles and pieces of the bread tower into the fondue and enjoy the cheesy goodness!
• For a heartier fondue, you can add additional ingredients like butter, flour, chicken broth, beer, and cream. Simply melt the butter, add flour to create a roux, then stir in the remaining ingredients.
• To make it even more filling, consider adding browned breakfast sausage to the fondue mixture.
• Keep the fondue warm by serving it in a fondue pot or chafing dish. You can also serve it in individual cups for a unique presentation.
• Don't forget to prepare your tater tots! These can be baked or fried until golden brown and crispy. Serve them alongside the fondue for a complete and satisfying dish.

Frequently asked questions