Crispy Air Fryer Tater Tots (Frozen)

Name: Air Fryer Tater Tots
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 8 min
Ingredients: 16 oz *package frozen tater tots; non-aerosol, propellant-free avocado oil ((can use non-aerosol, propellant-free olive oil if preferred)); sea salt to taste; freshly ground black pepper to taste

These air fryer tater tots are perfectly crispy and ready in about half the time it takes to make them in the oven! Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce for a quick and easy side dish any day of the week!

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tater tots seasoned with salt and pepper on a white serving plate with a cup of ketchup

Why you’ll love them

Super easy to make using frozen tater tots and ready in about 10 minutes!
No waiting for the oven to preheat and NO HOT OVEN heating up the house!
A favorite among all eaters - vegans, vegetarians, omnis…and totally kid-friendly!
Perfect with your favorite dipping sauces such as ketchup, BBQ sauce, vegan ranch, smoky maple mustard sauce, vegan honey mustard, vegan cheese sauce and more!
They’re great with so many mains, there are endless serving options! We love them with our ranch chickpea burgers, Buffalo chickpea veggie burgers, tofu bites, BBQ tofu and vegan BLT sandwiches made with our tempeh bacon.
Because potatoes…um, I mean CRISPY potatoes! 😉

tater tots seasoned with salt and pepper on a white serving plate with three cups of dipping sauces

Frequently asked questions

How long do you cook tater tots in an air fryer?

The tater tots take approximately 8-10 minutes in a 5.5-quart air fryer. If you are using a larger capacity air fryer, they may take 1-2 minutes less. If you are using a smaller capacity air fryer, they may take a few extra minutes.

At what temperature do you air fry tater tots?

I found that the tater tots came out perfectly when cooked at 400° F. However, not all air fryers are created equal, and you may find that this is too hot for your model of air fryer. If you prefer the tots to be less browned, I suggest cooking them between 375° and 390° F.

Ingredients you’ll need

16 oz. Package of Frozen Tater Tots (aka tater puffs, potato puffs, potato tots, spud puppies, etc.) - I recommend using an organic brand such as 365, Cascadian Farms or Alexia. Be sure to check the label for gluten/non-vegan ingredients if needed.
Avocado or Olive Oil Spray - Be sure to use the non-aerosol, propellant-free kind.
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper

potato puffs on a white plate with a cup of ketchup

How to make frozen tater tots in an air fryer

If your air fryer has a separate elevated crisping tray or plate, be sure to insert it.

For example, my Ninja air fryer comes with a crisper plate that fits right into the basket.

Lightly grease the crisper plate or bottom of the air fryer basket with non-aerosol, propellant-free avocado or olive oil spray.

Add the tater tots to the air fryer basket.

Shake to distribute evenly.

frozen tater tots in air fryer before cooking

Air fry at 400° for 5 minutes and then shake the basket to toss the tots.

Continue to air fry for 3-5 more minutes until the potato puffs are browned to your liking.

If you’d like them even crispier, continue to air fry for 2-5 more minutes until desired crispiness is reached.

Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving, if desired.

potato puffs seasoned with salt and pepper on a white serving plate with dipping sauces in the background

Tips

Keep the tots frozen until ready to use. Do not thaw.
Be sure to use a non-aerosol, propellant-free oil spray to avoid damaging your air fryer's non-stick finish. You can also use a spritzer bottle and fill it with your own oil.
To reheat the tater tots, air fry at 350° F for a few minutes until warmed throughout. Be sure to check on them so that they don’t burn.

More air fryer potato recipes

close-up overhead of tater tots on white plate with ketchup

Print Recipe Save Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Air Fryer Tater Tots

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Gluten-Free, Vegan

Keyword air fryer, gluten free, potatoes, vegan, vegetarian

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 8 minutes

Servings

Calories 200kcal

Author Sherri Hall

Ingredients

16 oz *package frozen tater tots
non-aerosol, propellant-free avocado oil (can use non-aerosol, propellant-free olive oil if preferred)
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

If your air fryer has a separate elevated crisping tray or plate, be sure to insert it. Lightly grease the crisper plate or bottom of the air fryer basket with the avocado or olive oil spray.
Add the tater tots to the air fryer. Shake to distribute evenly.
Air fry at 400° for 5 minutes and then shake the basket to toss the tots.
Continue to air fry for 3-5 more minutes until the potato puffs are browned to your liking. If you’d like them even crispier, continue to air fry for 2-5 more minutes until desired crispiness is reached.
Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving, if desired.

(Please refer to the post above for instructional photographs for this recipe)

Suggested Equipment/Tools

Air Fryer

Notes

*I recommend an organic brand such as Cascadian Farms, Alexia or 365. Check labels to ensure ingredients are vegan and gluten-free if needed.

Keep the tots frozen until ready to use. Do not thaw.

Be sure to use a non-aerosol, propellant-free oil spray to avoid damaging your air fryer's non-stick finish. You can also use a spritzer bottle and fill it with your own oil.

To reheat the tater tots, air fry at 350° F for a few minutes until warmed throughout. Be sure to check on them so that they don’t burn.

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. Accuracy is not guaranteed. Information shown should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. Oil to grease the air fryer was not included in the nutrition calculation.

Nutrition

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