Air Fryer Frozen Tater Tots

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This easy recipe for air fryer frozen tater tots is a game-changer for all the tater tot lovers out there. Say goodbye to the deep fryer and hello to your air fryer, which will give you the crispiest, golden brown tater tots you’ve ever tasted. It’s one of those air fryer recipes that will make you wonder why you ever used anything else!

These air fryer tater tots are not just incredibly tasty but also healthier than their deep-fried counterparts! Using an air fryer reduces the amount of oil needed, making these tots a great side dish for those wanting a guilt-free option to a classic! Plus, the air fryer basket ensures even cooking, so every single tot comes out perfectly crispy every time.

The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. All you need are your favorite frozen tater tots from the grocery store and your trusty air fryer. The hot air circulating in the air fryer cooks the tots to maximum crispness, giving them a delightful crunch with every bite.

These air fryer tots are versatile, too. Serve them as a side dish with your favorite dipping sauce, like barbecue sauce or sour cream, or use them as a base for tater tot nachos. Just sprinkle some cheddar cheese over the crispy tots, and you’ve got a delicious snack that the whole family will love.

The main ingredient, of course, are the frozen tater tots. These little potato puffs are transformed in the air fryer, becoming crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. And the best part? You can customize them with your favorite seasoning, making these tots truly your own.

These air fryer tater tots are the perfect side dish for any meal, or a snack on their own. They’re so easy to make, you’ll find yourself reaching for your air fryer basket more often. Whether we are making tater tot casserole, mini tater tots, tater tot nachos, or loaded tater tots, the options are infinite for this quick recipe.

👩🏽‍🍳 Why You’ll Love Air Fryer Frozen Tater Tots

• Plant-Based & Healthy: These air fryer tater tots are naturally vegan, made from simple, plant-based ingredients like potatoes. And because you’re not deep frying these tots, they’re a delicious and guilt-free snack that everyone can enjoy, regardless of dietary restrictions.
• Quick and Easy: With just a few simple steps and minimal ingredients, you can have these crispy tater tots ready in less than 30 minutes. It’s one of the easiest things you can do with your air fryer!
• Gluten-Free: Tater tots (or tater puffs) are just grated potatoes, making this recipe naturally gluten-free. It’s a great side dish or snack for those with gluten sensitivities or anyone looking for a tasty gluten-free option. 
• Versatile: These air fryer tater tots are not just a great side dish, but they can also be used in a variety of dishes like tater tot nachos. Or serve them with your favorite dipping sauce – ketchup, bbq sauce, sour cream, or even honey mustard. The possibilities are endless!
• Family-Friendly: These crispy tots are a hit with kids and adults alike. Serve them as a side dish with dinner, or as a snack during movie night. They’re a healthier alternative to traditional deep-fried tater tots, making them a great choice for a family-friendly meal.

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🥘 Ingredients

Creating the perfect frozen tater tots in an air fryer is easier than you think! The ingredients are simple and can be easily found at your local grocery store. 

• Tater Tots: Tater tots are the star of this air fryer recipe. Whether you opt for store-bought frozen tater tots or decide to make your homemade tater tots, they are the key to creating those crispy, golden brown bites we all love. Remember, for the best results, cook the tater tots frozen, directly from the freezer, do not defrost first.
• Spray Oil: A little bit of spray oil goes a long way in this recipe. It ensures that the frozen tots don’t stick together and helps to achieve that golden brown, crispy finish. Remember to ensure these potato bites are evenly coated in spray oil before air frying.
• Salt: While optional, a sprinkle of salt can add an extra layer of flavor to your air fryer tater tots. Feel free to play around with your favorite seasonings to create your own unique flavor profile.

🍲 Ingredient Substitutions

• Tater Tots: If you’re up for a bit of extra work, you can make your own homemade tater tots using plant-based ingredients. Alternatively, you can find a variety of types of tater tots in the frozen section of many grocery stores.
• Spray Oil: Any plant-based oil in a spray form will work for this recipe. Canola oil, olive oil, or avocado oil are all great options. If you don’t have a spray, you can lightly brush the oil onto the tater tots.
• Salt: While salt adds flavor, it’s not necessary for the recipe to work. You could experiment with other seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, or your favorite seasoning blend for a different flavor profile.

🔪 How To Make Air Fryer Frozen Tater Tots

Here’s your guide on how to cook tater tots in an air fryer! Follow these steps to making perfect, crispy, delicious air fryer tater tots every time. For more detailed instructions, see the steps below!

Preparation and Initial Cooking

Preheat Your Air Fryer: Start by preheating your air fryer for five minutes at 390°F or 200°C. This step is crucial to achieving maximum crispness.

Prepare The Tots: Next, place the frozen tater tots in a single layer in the basket of your air fryer. Lightly spray the tots with oil, toss them, and then respray to ensure all the tots are covered with oil.

Air Fry Tots: Put the air fryer basket into the air fryer, set the heat to 390°F or 200°C, and cook for ten minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the air fryer basket and toss the tater tots to prevent them from sticking together.

Final Cooking And Serving

Continue Cooking: Return the basket of tater tots in the air fryer, set the heat to 390°F/ 200°C, and cook for another 15 minutes. After 10 minutes, toss the air fried tots again and continue cooking until they are golden brown and crispy.

Serve Your Tots: Finally, remove the crispy air fryer tater tots from the basket and serve them in a serving bowl with your favorite dipping sauce. Whether it’s BBQ sauce, sour cream, or honey mustard, these tots make a great side dish for any meal. Enjoy!

💭 Expert Tips

• Preheat Your Air Fryer: Cooking tater tots in an air fryer is really easy, but you have to make sure to always preheat your air fryer for five minutes at 390°F or 200°C before cooking. This step is crucial to achieve the perfect golden brown and crispy tater tots. 
• Don’t Defrost The Tots: Cook your tater tots frozen, directly from the freezer. Defrosting first can lead to soggy tater tots, which is not what we want for this recipe.
• Use Spray Oil: To prevent the tater tots from sticking together and to ensure they turn a beautiful golden brown, make sure they’re evenly coated in spray oil. 
• Shake And Toss: After 10 minutes of air frying, remove the basket and toss the potato tots. Giving them a good shake ensures even cooking and helps to avoid any tots from sticking together.
• Adjust According To Your Air Fryer: Keep in mind that cooking times and air fryer settings may vary depending on the make and model of your air fryer. Different brands of air fryers might require different settings.
• Enjoy Warm: For the best results and maximum crispness, enjoy your air fryer tater tots warm right after cooking.

📖 Variations

If you’re looking to switch things up when making tater tots in an air fryer, then you’ll love these delicious variations:

• Tater Tot Nachos: Give your leftover tater tots a new life by transforming them into tater tot nachos! Just sprinkle cheddar cheese, black beans, jalapenos, and your favorite toppings on them. Pop them back in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for a few minutes until the cheese is melted. Don’t forget to serve with sour cream and guacamole!
• BBQ Tater Tots: If you’re a fan of BBQ, toss your crispy air fryer tater tots in your favorite BBQ sauce after they’re cooked. This adds a tangy, sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with the potato. This variation is perfect for a backyard BBQ or a game day snack.
• Sweet Potato Tots: For a healthier twist, try making sweet potato tots in your air fryer. Simply substitute your regular frozen tater tots with sweet potato tots from the grocery store. They’ll come out just as crispy and golden brown, but with an added boost of vitamins and fiber.
• Seasoned Tater Tots: You can easily change up the flavors of your tater tots by tossing them with your favorite seasoning before air frying. Taco seasoning, chili powder, spicy Cajun seasoning, smoky barbecue, zesty lemon pepper, or even curry powder would all taste great with these potato nuggets. These are an easy way to switch up the flavor and keep this side dish exciting.
• Loaded Tater Tots: Turn your crispy air fryer tater tots into a hearty meal by loading them up with toppings. After air frying, sprinkle with cooked bacon bits, cheddar cheese, and chopped green onions. Return to the air fryer for a few minutes to melt the cheese, then serve with a dollop of sour cream.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

Who doesn’t love crispy, golden brown tater tots straight from the air fryer? These frozen tater tots air fryer recipe are the perfect side dish or appetizer, and they pair beautifully with a wide variety of meals. Here are some serving suggestions to inspire you:

• Main Meals: These crispy tots make a great side dish for your main meals. Pair them with these high protein veggie burgers, vegan black bean tacos, or any other plant-based main course. They’re just as delicious with a simple salad like this tomato avocado cucumber salad or hearty vegan stewed red beans.
• Snacks And Appetizers: Potato tots in an air fryer are a hit at parties and gatherings. Serve them as an appetizer with your favorite dipping sauce, like vegan bbq sauce, mustard bbq sauce, creamy vegan ranch, ketchup (of course!) or vegan tartar sauce. For a fun twist, try making tater tot nachos by topping the tots with vegan cheddar cheese and your favorite nacho toppings.
• Sandwiches And Burgers: These air fryer tots are the perfect companion to any sandwich or burger. Whether you’re enjoying a classic sandwich like this Panera Mediterranean veggie sandwich, a plant-based burger like these black bean quinoa burgers, or a gourmet grilled cheese (like this grilled cheese with pickles!), these tots will take your meal to the next level.
• Unique Pairings: For a different take, use these crispy air fryer tater tots as a base for a unique side dish. Top them with vegan black bean chili and cheese for a delicious twist on chili cheese fries, or toss them in your favorite seasoning like this old el paso taco seasoning for a flavorful snack.

🙌 Dietary Adaptations

This air fry tater tots recipe is already naturally vegan and gluten-free, as it uses simple ingredients like frozen tater tots, cooking spray, and optional salt. However, always double-check the ingredients list on your chosen brand of frozen tater tots at the grocery store, as different brands may add ingredients that are not gluten-free or vegan. 

Low-Sodium Option: If you’re watching your sodium intake, you can choose to omit the optional salt in this recipe. Most frozen tater tots already contain some level of sodium, so removing the additional salt won’t sacrifice too much on flavor.

🫙 Storage Directions

• To Refrigerate: Store the leftover air fryer tater tots in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll stay fresh and tasty for up to five days.
• To Freeze: While freezing is a common method of storing leftovers, it’s not recommended for these crispy air fryer tater tots. Freezing can cause them to lose their perfect crispness and become soggy when reheated. Since they come frozen, you can quickly air fry them when you want in less than 30 minutes!
• To Reheat: Reheat the leftover tater tots directly from the fridge in the basket of your preheated air fryer. Set the temperature to 350 degrees F and heat for about 5-8 minutes until they’re golden brown and crispy again. This is the best way to enjoy leftover tater tots without sacrificing their wonderful texture and flavor.

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