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Home » Air Fryer

Air Fryer Tater Tots

Published: Feb 14, 2020 by staysnatched · This post may contain affiliate links · 4 Comments

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Air Fryer Tater Tots is a quick and easy recipe for homemade tots. This post includes cook time and how to cook frozen tots, too! Pair these with your favorite dipping sauce.

air fryer tater tots in a red and white basket with ketchup and chipotle mayo

This post contains affiliate links. Please read my full disclosure here.

I grew up eating the frozen tots that came in a bag. We would often pop a batch into the oven. Later in my childhood, we got a deep fryer and would sometimes deep fry them too.....in vegetable oil.....of course.

Thank goodness for the ability to air fry tater tots! It cuts down on the amount of fat and gives you the ability to use a healthier monounsaturated fat option like avocado or olive oil.

I also make my own tots from scratch! It is incredibly easy to do! Trust me, you won't miss the processed, frozen tots a bit!

2 russet potatoes on a flat surface with flour and seasoning

Table of Contents

  • How to Make Tater Tots
  • What is Par Boiling? How to Par Boil
  • Air Fryer Temperature
  • How Long to Cook/Cook Time
  • How to Keep Them Crispy
  • Frozen Tater Tots
  • Recipe Tips
  • More Air Fryer Appetizer Recipes
  • Air Fryer Tater Tots
    • Ingredients
      • Optional Spices/Seasoning
    • Instructions
    • Video
    • Notes
    • Nutrition (displayed with net carbs)

How to Make Tater Tots

  1. Grab your russet potatoes and peel them. Russet potatoes work best for recipes like this and French fries.
  2. Add cold water to a saucepan (¾th of the way full) on medium-high heat.
  3. Add the potatoes and par boil for 6-10 minutes.
  4. Remove the potatoes and cool.
  5. Use a cheese grater and grate the potatoes.
  6. Add the potatoes to the bowl with seasonings. Use your hands to form tots.
  7.  Place the tots in the air fryer and spray with oil.
  8. Air fry.
collage photo of in process photos 2 parboiled potatoes, potatoes shredded on a cutting board, shredded potatoes seasoned in a bowl

What is Par Boiling? How to Par Boil

Potatoes take a very long time to cook. They are also really hard. Since you will need to use grated potatoes in this recipe, you will need to soften those potatoes up first by parboiling.

Potatoes are heavy in starch, which makes them take longer to cook. Parboiling helps with that. Add cold water to a pot or saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook from 6-12 minutes.

There's a wide window here because I have noticed the cooking time I need varies based on the type of pot I use. You can test if the potatoes are done by inserting a fork into the potatoes. You should be able to easily pierce the outside of the potato, but the inside should remain firm.

You can read more about How to Par Boil here.

potatoes boiling in a saucepan

Air Fryer Temperature

I recommend 400 degrees.

uncooked air fryer tater tots on a cutting board

How Long to Cook/Cook Time

The tater tots will take 15 minutes to cook. Add additional time if you like really crispy tots. Total cook time will vary as each air fryer brand cooks at different speeds.

uncooked air fryer tater tots

How to Keep Them Crispy

Spritz the potatoes with oil (I prefer olive). For really crunchy tots, give them a little extra cook time.

cooked air fryer tater tots

Frozen Tater Tots

You can cook these homemade tots from frozen in 3-5 minutes on 400 degrees.

If using frozen tots in a bag, cook the tots for 15-20 minutes on 400 degrees.

air fryer tater tots in a red and white basket with ketchup and chipotle mayo
person holding air fryer tater tot with ketchup

Recipe Tips

  • I highly recommend grating the potatoes as opposed to mashing them. The grated texture works a lot better when forming the tots.
  • Without proper salt and seasoning, these will be very bland. If you don't add enough salt prior to cooking these, you can add a little additional salt to your dipping sauce or you can spritz the cooked tots with oil and add additional salt then.

Pair these with my Chipotle Mayo Recipe.

person holding an air fryer tater tot with a bite taken out

More Air Fryer Appetizer Recipes

Air Fryer French Fries
Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
Air Fryer Onion Rings
Air Fryer Fried Pickles
Air Fryer Potato Chips
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

Air Fryer Croutons
Air Fryer Ravioli

air fryer tater tots in a red and white basket with ketchup and chipotle mayo
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Tater Tots

Air Fryer Tater Tots is a quick and easy recipe for homemade tots. This post includes cook time and how to cook frozen tots, too! Pair these with your favorite dipping sauce.
Save this recipe here. Saved!
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword air fryer tater tots, frozen tater tots in air fryer, tater tots in air fryer
Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes minutes
par boiled potatoes cooling time 10 minutes minutes
Total Time 45 minutes minutes
Servings 4
Calories 70kcal
Author Brandi Crawford
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes
  • 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
  • salt and pepper to taste At least 2 generous pinches.
  • cooking oil I use olive oil.

Optional Spices/Seasoning

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon thyme
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

  • Bring a saucepan or pot ¾ of the way full of cold water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Add enough water to cover the potatoes.
  • Add the potatoes and simmer for 6-12 minutes. You should be able to pierce the potatoes easily on the outside and tell that the inside of the potatoes are still firm.
  • Remove the potatoes from the water. Dry and allow them to cool. I wait about 10 minutes.
  • Once cooled, use the large area of a cheese grater to grate the potatoes. Squeeze out any excess water from the potatoes.
  • Place the grated potatoes in a bowl with the flour and seasonings. Russet potatoes are really bland. Be sure to salt to taste. Stir to combine.
  • Use your hands to form tots with the mixture. I like larger tots and made 16 tater tots. You can make smaller tots if you wish.
  • Spray both sides of the tots with cooking oil. Place the tots in the air fryer. Air fry for 10 minutes on 400 degrees.
  • Open the air fryer and flip the tots. Cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the tots have reached your desired crisp.

Video

Notes

  • I highly recommend grating the potatoes as opposed to mashing them. The grated texture works a lot better when forming the tots.
  • If you don't parboil the potatoes, they will be harder to grate and will require a longer cook time.
  • There’s a wide window for parboiling because I have noticed the cooking time I need varies based on the type of pot I use. You can test if the potatoes are done by inserting a fork into the potatoes. You should be able to easily pierce the outside of the potato, but the inside should remain firm.
  • Without proper salt and seasoning, these will be very bland. If you don't add enough salt prior to cooking these, you can add a little additional salt to your dipping sauce or you can spritz the cooked tots with oil and add additional salt then.
  • These tots can be frozen in sealable bags. You can cook these from frozen in 3-5 minutes on 400 degrees.
Recipe Tools Used in this RecipeAs an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Cosori Air Fryer
Cosori Air Fryer
Cheese Grater
Air Fryer Oil Spray Bottle
Air Fryer Oil Spray Bottle
Air Fryer Parchment Paper
Air Fryer Parchment Paper

Nutrition (displayed with net carbs)

Serving: 4large tots | Calories: 70kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g
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Nutrition DataMacros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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Comments

  1. Erin Lewis says

    December 29, 2020 at 7:50 pm

    5 stars
    I made this, along with the air fryer barbecue meatballs recipe, and it turned out great! These were delicious and absolutely hit the spot. The recipe and tips were clear and helpful, and it was easy to follow! The tip on seasonings was great in particular - we added plenty of salt, garlic, and smoked paprika as called for. We will definitely make this again. And it went great with the barbecue meatballs for anyone looking for a tasty meal idea!

    Reply
    • staysnatched says

      December 29, 2020 at 8:31 pm

      Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe.

      Reply
  2. Sandi says

    January 27, 2024 at 12:20 pm

    Can I grate potatoes using my food processor

    Reply
    • staysnatched says

      January 28, 2024 at 6:21 pm

      Maybe. I've never tried it.

      Reply
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Welcome!

Brandi currently lives in Kansas City, Missouri and is a self-taught cook and fitness enthusiast. She is the author of The Super Easy Air Fryer Cookbook and has been featured on Good Morning America and in Women's Health Magazine, Shape, Parade, Essence, Country Living, Southern Living, BuzzFeed, Delish, The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Spaces Magazine, Greatist, and more.

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