Air Fryer Tater Tots
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Why you’ll love air fryer tater tots
- Super easy recipe 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!
- No deep fryer necessary!
- A favorite among all eaters - vegans, vegetarians, omnis…and totally kid-friendly!
- Perfect with your favorite dipping sauces such as ketchup, barbecue sauce, vegan ranch, smoky maple mustard sauce, vegan honey mustard, vegan cheese sauce and more!
- They’re great with so many mains and make an easy quick snack! There are endless serving options! We love them with our ranch chickpea burgers, Buffalo chickpea veggie burgers, tofu nuggets, BBQ tofu and vegan BLT sandwiches made with our tempeh bacon.
- Because potatoes…um, I mean CRISPY potatoes! 😉
Ingredients you’ll need to air fryer tater tots
- 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 Oil or Olive Oil Spray - Be sure to use the non-aerosol, propellant-free kind.
- Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
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.
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.
The cook time may vary by make, model, and your desired level of crispiness.
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 the crispy tater tots with your favorite sauce.
Tips for the best crispy air fryer tater tots
- Keep the tots frozen until ready to use. Do not thaw.
- Always place the tater tots in the air fryer basket in a single layer so everything cooks evenly and the air fryer has room to circulate the hot air around.
- 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.
- Feel free to add any of your favorite seasonings to add some more flavor to these homemade tater tots.
- To reheat the best air fryer 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.
- Don't forget that these Air Fryer frozen tater tots can be used in tater tot breakfasts too, along with just about any main course.
- I recommend air frying in batches so you end up with perfect tater tots every time. It may take a little bit longer but your tots will all cook evenly and end up with that crispy exterior if in small batches with enough room, especially if you have a smaller air fryer.
Frequently asked questions
These tasty 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.
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.
Any leftover tater tots can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They may become soggy tater tots if you store them when they're still hot, so be sure to let them cool. They will most likely need to be reheated to get nice and crispy again. I recommend using the air fryer to reheat them and bring them back to the crispiest tater tots with that incredible crunch that you know and love!
More air fryer potato side dish recipes
Air Fryer Tater Tots
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 and other helpful information for this recipe)
Suggested Equipment/Tools
Notes
Nutrition
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