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air fryer tater tots in a red and white basket with ketchup and chipotle mayo
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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.
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
Cook Time 15 minutes
par boiled potatoes cooling time 10 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 70kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 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

Instructions

  • Bring a saucepan or pot 3/4 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 4large tots | Calories: 70kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g