Air Fryer Tater Tots Crispy and Quick

Crispy air fryer tater tots are simply the best! Enjoy them for breakfast, a snack, or as a side dish. Made with quality frozen tots, and a touch of oil, the air fryer creates tot perfection in minutes!

Jump to:

• 💗 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• 🥣 Ingredients and Notes
• 🛠 Key Equipment
• 👩🏻‍🍳 How to Make Air Fryer Tater Tots
• 📝 Expert Tips
• ❓Recipe FAQS
• Seasoning Suggestions
• 🍴 How to Serve
• ❄️ How to Store
• More Air Fryer Potato Recipes!
• Recipe

If you’re a fan of the classic comfort food but looking for a healthier and fuss-free alternative, then you’re in for a treat. These golden tots are incredibly easy to make, requiring just a handful of ingredients and minimal effort. With the magic of the air fryer, you can achieve that perfect crunch on the outside while keeping the insides tender and fluffy. Whether you’re serving them as a snack, a side dish, or even as a party appetizer, these Air Fryer Tater Tots are sure to be a hit with everyone. These tots make for an easy vegan appetizer, side dish, or snack!

💗 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Crispy Texture: The air fryer’s circulating hot air creates a crisp exterior on the tater tots, giving them a satisfying crunch. This texture is often preferred over the softer texture achieved through other cooking methods like baking or microwaving.

Even Cooking: Air fryers provide consistent heat distribution, ensuring that the tater tots cook evenly. This helps to avoid any undercooked or burnt spots, resulting in a more enjoyable eating experience.

Reduced Oil Usage: Compared to deep frying, air frying requires significantly less oil. Air fryer tater tots are typically cooked with just a light coating of oil or even without oil, making them a healthier alternative to traditionally fried tater tots.

Efficient and Convenient: Air fryers cook tater tots quickly, usually in just 10-15 minutes. This makes them a convenient option for busy individuals who want a quick snack or side dish without spending too much time in the kitchen.

🥣 Ingredients and Notes

Frozen Bag of Tater Tots: You’ll need a standard-size bag of organic tater tots. I prefer the Alexia brand. Their Organic Yukon Select Puffs have a few simple ingredients including potatoes, vegetable oil, sea salt, and apple juice (for browning).

Olive Oil: A touch of olive oil is helpful to keep the tots from sticking together and to make them extra crispy! If you don’t have olive oil you can also use cooking spray.

🛠 Key Equipment

You’ll need your Air Fryer to make this recipe. If you don’t have one already there is a lot to choose from on the market today. I have a compact Dash Air Fryer which is great for small jobs, but not ideal for larger recipes. If I’m making a large batch then I use my Ninja Foodi which has a larger capacity.

👩🏻‍🍳 How to Make Air Fryer Tater Tots

1. Using paper towels and 1 teaspoon of olive oil, wipe the air fryer basket with oil.
2. Fill the air fryer basket with the frozen tater tots in a single layer for best results.
3. Set the air frying temperature to 400 F, and a cook time of 15 minutes.
4. Toss the tater tots at the half way point, about 7 ½ minutes through cooking time.
5. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce.

Chef’s Tip: Don’t overcrowd the basket. It’s important to give the tater tots enough space in the air fryer basket to allow hot air circulation. Overcrowding can lead to uneven cooking and a less crispy texture. Cook in batches if necessary.

📝 Expert Tips

• Use quality tater tots.
• Bake at a higher temperature for a crispy texture!
• Look for tots with a few simple whole food ingredients. I purchase the Alexia brand french fries and tater tots.
• Moderately coat the air fryer basket with olive oil or avocado oil. In a pinch, you can use cooking spray.
• Some air fryers need to be preheated. Preheat your air fryer if needed.
• Shaking the air fryer halfway through the cooking time guarantees an even fry.
• Use aluminum foil in the air fryer for easy clean-up.

❓Recipe FAQS

Seasoning Suggestions

While your tater tots don’t need any additional seasoning you can amp up the flavor by using the following:

• Taco Seasoning
• Onion Powder
• Black Pepper
• Cayenne
• Paprika
• Chili Powder
• Seasoned Salt

🍴 How to Serve

Ketchup is of course the most popular way to serve these tots, but you can really get creative. Try serving with vegan sour cream and a sprinkle of green onions, or dip into barbecue sauce. These also taste great dipped in vegan honey mustard. Make as a side dish to serve with carrot dogs or veggie burgers instead of fries. You can also create your own tater tot casserole with vegan cheese. Or how about tater tot nachos with diced peppers, guacamole, and salsa!

❄️ How to Store

It’s best to make these when you’re ready to serve them. They are best enjoyed fresh. If you have leftovers transfer them to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to enjoy them again, transfer back to the air fryer to crisp back up for 5-8 minutes.

More Air Fryer Potato Recipes!

Recipe