Crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside, these Air Fryer Tater Tots are a simple and delicious 1-ingredient side dish recipe!
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With just 1 ingredient and 15 minutes of cooking time, these air fryer tater tots are easy to make, don't have any extra oil, and satisfy those comfort food cravings!
There's something about tater tots-- the older I get, the more I love them!
And I even liked them as a child.
But now, as an adult, the joy of a hot and crunchy treat that I can whip up in less than 15 minutes and satisfies my comfort food cravings for little money or work?
Sign me up!!
And now you can sign up, too! These air fryer tater tots are -- for real-- so simple to make. All they take is just 1 ingredient, an air fryer (no other tools!), and 15 minutes your favorite childhood snack will be served.
These golden nugs are naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan. They're delicious with dinner but they're also very well received for movie nights, afternoon snacks, or even at fire pits with friends.
They may even become so popular that you start to stock up tater tots in the freezer (ask me how I know!).
So, heat up your air fryer, grab your tater tots, snag your favorite dipping sauce, and try this recipe out today! And if you like the recipe, please comment below or leave me a review by clicking the 5 stars on the recipe card. 🙂
Thanks much and enjoy!
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Table of contents
- These air fryer tater tots are...
- Recipe ingredients
- How to how to cook tater tots in the air fryer:
- Recipe pro-tips:
- Do you need to defrost tater tots before air frying them?
- Are tater tots gluten-free?
- Tater tot dipping sauces:
- Can you double or triple this recipe?
- How do you serve these tater tots?
- Storage tips:
- Tools needed to make this recipe:
- More easy air fryer recipes you'll love:
- Get all my new recipes as they drop. Sign up to receive new recipes each week.
These air fryer tater tots are...
- Crunchy on the outside
- Fluffy on the inside
- Ready in a snap
- Made with just one ingredient
- Gluten-free
- Vegetarian & vegan
- ... and DELICIOUS!
Make this recipe just once and you'll be wondering why you haven't been making tater tots this way all along!
Recipe ingredients
All you need for this recipe is tater tots! That's right -- no oils, seasonings, or anything else!
Because the tater tots will be front and center, buy your favorite brand and/or better quality of tater tots for this recipe. Ore-Ida, Alexia, and even Trader Joe's brand are all great!
How to how to cook tater tots in the air fryer:
- Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the tater tots to the basket of the air fryer and fry for 10-13 minutes, shaking every 2-3 minutes, or until the tater tots are golden brown and crunchy on the outside.
- Pour the tater tots into a serving dish and serve with your favorite dipping sauces. Enjoy!
Recipe pro-tips:
- Preheat the air fryer - this recipe works best when we start the tater tots off in a piping hot air fryer. Thankfully, we only need to preheat for 2-3 minutes, so don't skimp on that step!
- Shake the basket while cooking - this ensures that the tots cook and crisp up evenly.
- Don't overcrowd the air fryer - since air fryers cook by circulating hot air, the amount of tots that we cook at once makes a huge difference in how evenly the food cooks and how crispy it gets. Cook just one batch at a time and see my notes below on how to cook more than one batch!
Do you need to defrost tater tots before air frying them?
No, you do not need to defrost tater tots before air frying them. Just pour them into the air fry basket straight out of the freezer!
Are tater tots gluten-free?
Yes, most tater tot brands in the United States do not contain any wheat products so they are naturally gluten-free.
To be safe, however, double-check the ingredient list on your package of tots to make sure they don't have any hidden gluten in them.
Tater tot dipping sauces:
You can dip the tater tots in almost any dipping sauce you would dip french fries in. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Ketchup
- Ranch dressing
- Chipotle ranch dressing
- Aioli
- Sriracha mayonnaise
- Barbecue sauce
- Malt vinegar
- Buffalo sauce
- Buffalo ranch sauce
Can you double or triple this recipe?
Yes, you can double or triple this recipe, however, you will want to fry the batches separately.
Because the air fryer cooks by circulating hot air, the tater tots don't cook through thoroughly or evenly if the basket is over crowded and air cannot circulate.
If you are cooking in batches, however, you don't need to preheat the air fryer between batches as the appliance will already be hot!
How do you serve these tater tots?
There are so many ways to serve these tater tots. Here are a few recommended ways:
With...
- Hamburgers or turkey burgers
- Sloppy joes
- Grilled chicken
- Pulled pork sandwiches
- Shredded barbecue chicken
- Barbecue brisket, ribs, or smoked chicken
Storage tips:
These tater tots are best served fresh, so I don't recommend making more than you plan on eating immediately after cooking.
If you still need to store them, they can store covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days in a pinch. Just reheat in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes at 350 degrees heat. They won't be as crispy and crunchy as the first time around, but you'll still be eating tater tots. 🙂
If you want to prevent waste or leftovers, just cut the recipe in half. Cook 2 cups of the tater tots at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy!
Tools needed to make this recipe:
The only tool you will need for this recipe is an air fryer!
My two favorite air fryers are the Ninja Foodi Tendercrisp and the Cuisinart Air Fryer. You can find both on Amazon, at some Bed Bath and Beyond stores, and on their company websites!
More easy air fryer recipes:
- Air Fryer Zucchini
- Air Fryer Potato Skins
- Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
- Air Fryer Butternut Squash
- Air Fryer Green Beans
- Air Fryer Salmon
More tater tot recipes:
Air Fryer Tater Tots
Crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside, these Air Fryer Tater Tots are a simple and delicious 1-ingredient side dish recipe!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups frozen tater tots
- Tater tot dipping sauces: ranch dressing. ketchup barbecue sauce, sriracha mayonnaise, malt vinegar, etc.
Instructions
- Place the air fryer basket in the air fryer and preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Pour the tater tots in the air fryer basket and air fry for 10-13 minutes, shaking the basket every 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
- Serve the tater tots hot with your favorite dipping sauces and enjoy!
