These Air Fryer Tater Tots are crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle! Serve them plain with dipping sauces or turn them into Tatchos (loaded tater tot nachos!)
Before I made them in the air fryer, I honestly was not a fan of tater tots! They tend to be greasy and not crispy at ALL. I have to say, after making them in the air fryer, I’m officially a tater tot lover! They’re crispy, not greasy, and perfect as a base for loaded tater tot nachos. 😉
Can you cook frozen tater tots in an air fryer?
Yes! And bonus, the air fryer might just be the best way to cook your frozen tater tots. They’re crispier than when made in the oven AND they take less time to cook! Win!
Ingredients
You need ONE ingredient for your air fryer tots…and I bet you can guess what it is. 😉
- Frozen Tater Tots – use your favorite variety! Anything works!
How to make
Making your frozen tater tots in the air fryer is so quick and so easy!
- Place frozen tater tots in your air fryer; preheated to 400ºF.
- Air fry for 15-25 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
- Serve as desired and enjoy!
How long to cook
Tater tots will cook in a preheated 400 degrees F air fryer for 15-25 minutes depending on how crispy you like them! The longer you cook them, the crispier they’ll be.
Do you need to thaw frozen tater tots before air frying?
Do not thaw frozen tater tots before air frying — dump the fully frozen tots right in the air fryer basket and cook.
Do you have to stir?
Not necessarily, but I recommend giving a quick stir or giving the basket a little shake about halfway through the cook time to check on doneness. Shaking the basket also rotates the tater tots slightly to ensure that they’re browning evenly all the way around.
How to serve
Plain tater tots are delicious served with your favorite dipping sauces. I love ketchup and honey mustard, fry sauce, Chick Fil A Sauce, or ranch!
If you feel like getting creative, take your tater tots to a whole new level by whipping up a batch of Tatchos (tater tot nachos):
Ingredients
- Taco Meat – I love to use the taco meat from my ground beef taco recipe!
- Shredded Cheese – use a Mexican blend for the best ooey gooey texture and cheesy flavor.
- Queso – use your favorite jarred variety or whip up a homemade batch!
- Green Onions, Sour Cream, Feta, Cilantro, Pico, and Guacamole – for serving, if desired!
How to make
- Spread the air fried tater tots in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat and top with shredded cheese.
- Bake at 350ºF for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted then top with taco meat, queso, green onions, sour cream, feta, cilantro, pico, and guac!
What to serve with tater tots
Trying to bulk up your meal? These main dishes are delicious alongside a generous helping of tots. 😉
How to store
Leftover tater tots will keep in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
To reheat, bake in the oven or place back in the air-fryer. You can also reheat in the microwave but the tater tots won’t be crispy.
Can you reheat tater tots in the air fryer?
Yes! Already cooked tots can be reheated in the air fryer set to 350ºF for 6-8 minutes or until the outsides have crisped back up.
– Jennifer
Air Fryer Tater Tots
Equipment for this recipe
Ingredients
Air Fryer Tater Tots
- 1 (32 oz) bag frozen tater tots
Optional - Tatchos
- Cook tater tots from above
- Crockpot taco meat use as much or as little as you like. Should be heated.
- Mexican blend shredded cheese to taste
- Jarred queso heated and drizzled on, to taste
- Green onions, sour cream, crumbled feta, cilantro, pico de gallo, guacamole etc. for serving
Recipe Video
Instructions
Air Fryer Tater Tots
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Dump tater tots into air fryer basket.
- Close and air fry for 15-25 minutes, gently shaking the basket halfway through.
Optional - Tatchos
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
- Spread air fried tater tots into an even layer, then top with cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
- Top tater tots with warmed taco meat, then drizzle with warm queso.
- Top with Green onions, sour cream, crumbled feta, cilantro, pico de gallo, guacamole, etc and enjoy!
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Notes
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Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.