Air Fryer Tater Tots: How to Cook Them to Perfection
These easy Air Fryer Tater Tots are going to be a hit. Cooking tater tots in an air fryer is a simple way to get perfectly crispy tater tots every time!
Tater tots an awesome snack food/side dish loved by adults and children alike. These crispy little potato bites are a classic American staple, and the air fryer has revolutionized the way we can make them.
Cooking tater tots in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to make them crispy and delicious. By following these simple tips, you can perfectly cook tater tots in your air fryer every time.
Serve them along with your favorite sauces, seasonings, and toppings, or add them to a tater tot casserole!
They make an amazing addition to a weeknight dinner and they are perfect Super Bowl party food!
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Frozen tater tots – We used Ore Ida tater tots but you can use whatever brand you prefer.
More Air Fryer Potato Recipes:
Instructions for Crispy Air Fryer Tater Tots
Step 1 – Add Tater Tots. Place 16 ounces or half a bag of tater tots into the air fryer basket.
Step 2 – Cook. Lock your air fryer basket into the air fryer and set the temperature to 400°F (205°C) for 15 minutes. Start cooking.
Step 3 – Flip. After 7-8 minutes pause your air fryer and pull out the basket. Gently toss the basket to flip your tots or carefully use a spatula to flip them over.
Step 4 – Finish Cooking. Return the basket to the air fryer and continue cooking for the remaining time. If you want your tater tots a little crisper after that first 15 minutes is done add an additional 3 minutes and continue to cook.
Step 5 – Serve. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauces or toppings.
Tater Tot Dipping Sauces
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Ranch Dressing
- Barbecue sauce
- Sriracha
- Cheese Sauce
- Honey Mustard
- Big Mac Sauce
You can also use your crispy tots in place of tortilla chips for “tot-chos” topped with meat, cheese, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream!
More Ways to Enjoy Tater Tots
How Long Do I Cook Frozen Tater Tots in the Air Fryer?
Frozen tater tots are perfect for the air fryer because they don’t need to be thawed first. Simply preheat your air fryer to 400°F (205°C) and cook your tater tots for 15-18 minutes, depending on how crispy you like them. It’s essential to shake the basket or flip the tater tots halfway through cooking to ensure they cook evenly.
What Temperature Do You Cook Tater Tots in an Air Fryer?
The best temperature for cooking tater tots in an air fryer is 400°F (205°C). This high temperature ensures that the tater tots get crispy on the outside while staying tender on the inside.
How Long Do You Cook Half a Bag of Tater Tots?
You cook a half bag (16 ounces) of tater tots for 15-18 minutes, shaking the basket or flipping the tater tots halfway through cooking.
Unless you have a very large air fryer we suggest cooking no more than 16 ounces (typically half a nag) of frozen tater tots in one batch. In our 5qt Cosori 16 ounces of tater tots fills up the air fryer basket nicely leaving enough room at the top to toss the tots halfway through cooking.
Can You Put a Whole Bag of Tater Tots in the Air Fryer?
You can put a whole bag of tater tots in the air fryer if you have a very large model. You don’t want o to overcrowd the air fryer basket and you want there to be enough room left in it to easily toss and flip the tots halfway through the cook time.
Overcrowding the basket will prevent the tater tots from getting crispy and will result in uneven cooking. Instead, cook the tater tots in batches, cooking them for 15-18 minutes per batch.
Are Air Fryer Tater Tots Healthy?
Air fryer tater tots are healthier than traditional deep-fried tater tots because they require less oil to cook. Some air fryer tater tots can be cooked with no oil at all!
This means that they have fewer calories and less fat than their deep-fried counterparts. However, it’s important to note that while air frying tater tots is a healthier way to make them they are still processed food and should be enjoyed in moderation.
What Are the Health Benefits of Cooking with an Electric Air Fryer versus a Traditional Oven or Stove Top Method of Frying Foods like French Fries, Tater Tots, etc.?
The main health benefit of cooking with an electric air fryer versus a traditional oven or stovetop method of frying foods is that it requires less oil. Traditional frying methods require a lot of oil, which can be high in calories and unhealthy fats. Air fryers use hot air for cooking food, resulting in crispy and delicious results with little to no oil. This makes air fryers a healthier option for cooking fried foods like tater tots.
How Do You Re-heat Tater Tots in an Air Fryer?
If you have any leftovers reheating tater tots in an air fryer is a great way to bring them back to their crispy glory.
Start by storing your tots in an airtight container after you’ve eaten your fill. When Simply preheat your air fryer to 400°F (205°C) and cook the tater tots for 7-10 minutes, shaking the basket and flipping the tater tots halfway through cooking. This will bring them back to their original crispy texture, and they’ll be ready to enjoy again.
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Air Fryer Tater Tots
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Frozen Tater Tots
Instructions
- Place 16 ounces of tater tots in the air fryer basket.
- Lock the basket into the air fryer and set temperature to 400 degrees F and the time to 15 minutes.
- After 7-8 minutes (halfway through) pause the air fryer and remove the basket. Carefully toss the tater tots in the basket or use a spatula to flip them so that the bottom layer circulates to the top.
- Place the basket back in the air fryer and continue to cook until the timer goes off. If they aren't quite to your desires level of crispness you can continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Once done cooking remove from the basket and serve with your favorite sauces, seasonings, and toppings.
Nutrition
