A bag of frozen Tater Tots is a great thing to have on hand. For crispy, tasty tots, learn how to make air-fryer Tater Tots.
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A bag of frozen Tater Tots is a great thing to have on hand. You can pair ’em with hot dogs for a kid-friendly meal, serve them as a crowd-pleasing snack or whip up a batch of tot nachos. If made in the air fryer, Tater Tots are done in a flash.
Here’s what you need to know to make perfect air-fryer Tater Tots.
What Are Tater Tots, Anyway?
Tater Tots are crispy, golden potato bites, made by grating skin-on potatoes into tiny pieces and mixing them with flour, salt and seasonings. The mixture is put into a machine that extrudes it into mini barrel-shaped pieces, which are deep-fried, flash-frozen and ready to be crisped up in your oven—or air fryer! Level up your everyday tot with sweet potato Tater Tots.
How to Make Crispy Air-Fryer Tater Tots
The name “Tater Tots” is a registered trademark of Ore-Ida, the company that invented them. However, many brands make identical products, sold under names like Taters, Crispy Potato Puffs or Tater Bites. This method works for all tots.
Preheat your air fryer to 400° for 1 minute. Then load the basket with frozen Tater Tots and cook for 7 minutes. Shake the basket well, then continue air-frying the Tater Tots for another 5-7 minutes until they’ve crisped up to your liking. Allow them to cool for about 2 minutes before serving.
For oven-style air fryers:
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Preheat your air fryer to 400°F for 1 minute.
Gently spray the air fryer racks with nonstick cooking spray. Place the frozen Tater Tots in a single layer, gently shaking the rack to help spread them out. You’ll want to make sure there’s enough room between the Tater Tots for air to flow through; since air fryers cook by rushing hot air down onto the food, leaving space allows the hot air to circulate. This means you won’t have to flip the tater tots while they’re air-frying.
Air-fry the Tater Tots for 13 minutes. Allow them to cool for about 2 minutes before serving.
Psst! Want to maximize your air fryer’s cooking space? These stackable racks are just what you need.
Tips for Making Air-Fryer Tater Tots
How long do you cook air-fryer Tater Tots?
In a basket-style air fryer, cook Tater Tots for 7 minutes. Shake the basket, then continue air-frying for another 5-7 minutes.
How do you get the crispiest air-fryer Tater Tots?
Use this air fryer trick for golden, crispy food: a quick spritz of cooking spray on the frozen Tater Tots.
What seasonings can you add to air-fryer Tater Tots?
For Tater Tots with a little extra zhuzh, put the hot tots into a large bowl after air-frying, then sprinkle with your favorite spice blend. Toss well to coat. Taco seasoning or chili lime seasoning would be good choices, but you can experiment until you find your favorite.
How can you serve air-fryer Tater Tots?
To keep things simple, serve your air-fried Tater Tots with small bowls of ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce or other condiments for dipping. Served this way, they would go perfectly with a burger or any one of these fun hot dog recipes.
On the flip side, there are plenty of ways you can dress up your tots: Make loaded nacho tots with sour cream, cheddar cheese and seasoned ground beef for Tater Tot-chos. If you’re a casserole or hot dish lover, try your hand at a quick, cheesy air-fryer Tater Tots bake or a hearty air-fryer cowboy casserole with ground beef, corn and cream of chicken soup.
No matter the time of day, you could make your whole meal in the air fryer by making one of these air-fryer dinner recipes to go along with your air-fried Tater Tots, like chicken tenders or fish. Check our guide to air-fryer cooking times for a quick cheat sheet on how long to cook all of your favorite foods in the air fryer.
How should you store air-fryer Tater Tots?
Since air-fryer Tater Tots are so easy and quick to make, you can whip up a fresh, crispy batch every time you’re craving them. Trust us, it’s worth it!
If you have any leftovers, though, keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Heat them back up in the air fryer when you’re ready for more.
Our Best Tater Tot Recipes
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Taste of Home
Chicken Tater Bake
You'll please everyone in the family with this inviting and filling frozen Tater Tots recipe. It tastes like a chicken potpie topped with Tater Tots. —Fran Allen, St Louis, Missouri
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Tater Tot CasserolesGround beef, sausage and cheese make this frozen Tater Tot casserole with green beans a crowd-pleaser. Cayenne pepper and hot Italian sausage give it a pleasant kick. —Ryan Jones, Chillicothe, Illinois
Nacho TotsThis is an easy, versatile party appetizer that everyone loves. If you can't find chorizo, ground beef or ground chicken are wonderful, too. Top this recipe using frozen Tater Tots with anything you like! —Connie Krupp, Racine, Wisconsin
Pioneer Woman's Tater Tot Casserole
This Ree Drummond's cheesy version of a frozen Tater Tots casserole will feed the whole family. Filled with breakfast sausage, bell peppers, cheddar and jack cheese, onions and plenty of seasonings, this dish will leave everyone with a satisfied stomach. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Tater-Topped CasseroleI grew up enjoying this recipe using frozen Tater Tots. My mother always saw smiles around the table whenever she served it!—Victoria Mitchell, Salem, Virginia
Sweet Potato Tater Tots
For a healthier twist on your favorite frozen Tater Tots recipe, try these sweet potato Tater Tots that are kid-friendly and nutrient dense. Simply bake some sweet potatoes, smash and shape them and then toss them in the oven for a school cafeteria nostalgic snack. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Pizza Tater Tot CasseroleFor a spin on a classic frozen Tater Tots recipe, try this easy casserole. For a fun twist, just add your family’s favorite pizza toppings! —Sharon Skildum, Maple Grove, Minnesota
Jalapeno Popper Chicken CasseroleThis Jalapeno Popper Chicken Casserole is super comforting. It's rich and cheesy, and it has just a bit of heat from the jalapenos. It's a perfect recipe using frozen Tater Tots. —Kerry Whitaker, Carthage, Texas
Air-Fryer Tater Tots
Tossing frozen Tater Tots in the air-fryer will leave you with a crispy side dish you won't be able to keep your hands off. Depending on the type of air-fryer you have, you'll have these crunchy treats ready in 5-7 minutes. Pair them with your favorite hot dogs or load them up for tot nachos. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Slow-Cooker Tater Tot CasseroleWhat's not to love about classic Tater Tot casserole—especially when it's made in the slow cooker? You'll want to add this family-pleasing frozen Tater Tots recipe to your regular rotation. —Nick Iverson, Denver, Colorado
Makeover Tater-Topped CasseroleI love Tater Tot casserole, but wanted a lighter version of the recipe. The Taste of Home Test Kitchen slashed the fat in this classic dish, while keeping all the tots my family loves. Who know you could have healthy Tater Tots?! —Scott Woodward, Shullsburg, Wisconsin
Homemade Tater Tots
Give your favorite frozen potato snack a fresh taste by making Tater Tots from scratch. Simply fry some russet potatoes in oil, place them in the food processor with seasonings to your liking, shape them into a tot form and then bake! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Air-Fryer Cowboy CasseroleWhen it starts to get cold, I love to make this quick and creamy Tater Tot bake. It's a delightful homey dinner that's easy to put together. I make it ahead of time and keep it in the refrigerator. Then I just pop it into the air fryer when I get home. —Donna Donhauser, Remsen, New York
Minnesota Hot Dish
This casserole or, as Minnesotans like to call it, hot dish uses ground beef, mushroom soup, frozen Tater Tots and cheese for its charming taste. It's a must-try Midwestern recipe that's simple, easy and filling. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole
If you like placing your french fries on your cheeseburger, this recipe using frozen Tater Tots will give you that same satisfaction in casserole form. Calling for less than ten ingredients, this crowd-pleasing meal will be ready on the table in no time. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Sloppy Joe Tater Tot CasseroleThis recipe using frozen Tater Tots is an easy dinner for both you and the kids. Serve with carrot and celery sticks for a fuss-free feast. You can also stir in some spicy brown mustard if the adults want more zing. —Laura Wilhelm, West Hollywood, California
Tater Taco CasseroleOur family lives and works on a ranch. I like to fix this nicely seasoned taco Tater Tot casserole ahead of time and freeze it for later use. It's good with a tossed salad or nacho chips and dip. —Ronna Lewis, Plains, Kansas
Tater Tot Breakfast CasseroleI keep frozen spuds on hand for meals like this Tater Tot breakfast casserole. It’s a super brunch, breakfast or side dish for kids of all ages. —Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada
Shepherd’s Inn Breakfast PieRunning a bed-and-breakfast keeps us busy. Once in a while I get creative and try to improve on an already good dish. That's how I came up with this frozen Tater Tots recipe. It's a favorite among our guests. —Ellen Berdan, Salkum, Washington
Loaded Tater TotsPlaying with food is loads of fun when you have loaded Tater Tots. Let kids build their own for smiles all around. —Eleanor Mielke, Mitchell, South Dakota. If you're looking for more casserole recipes, try our favorite Tater Tot hot dish.
Bacon-Wrapped Tater TotsIndulge in just one of these bacon-wrapped Tater Tots and you’ll taste why they’re a hit with kids of all ages. They’ll go fast, so you may want to double the recipe! —Joni Hilton, Rocklin, California
Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot BakeThis bacon cheeseburger Tater Tot casserole is the perfect dish to bribe your kids; homework, chores, piano practice—consider them done! —Deanna Zewen, Union Grove, Wisconsin
Matt Robicelli is a recipe developer and professional air fryer tester. A graduate of the French Culinary Institute and former chef/owner of a renowned New York City bakery, Matt has coauthored several cookbooks, including The Back to the Future Cookbook. He lives in Baltimore with his wife, recipe developer and author Allison Robicelli.
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Updated: May 25, 2023
