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These Air Fryer Tater Tots turn out perfectly golden and crispy every. single. time. Once you make frozen tater tots in the air fryer, you will never want to make them any other way!
The BEST Way to Cook Tater Tots
When I bought my first air fryer, the very first thing I cooked was tater tots. Honestly until I got the hang of it, tater tots were pretty much the only thing I made in my air fryer! They turn out way better than coking them in the oven and you completely avoid the hassle and mess of deep frying them (even though they taste just as good as if they were deep fried).
Tater tots are an excellent side dish, but they are also great when served as a main dish! Use these crispy tots in our Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole, Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole, or to make Totchos (nachos but with tots, one of my favorite Walt Disney World copycat recipes)! What’s your favorite way to serve tater tots? Let me know in the comments below!
🩷 Erica
Key Ingredients & Equipment
- Air fryer: Any kind/brand of air fryer works great. You can even use a convection oven (tips on using a convection oven below).
- Tater tots: Again, any brand works fine. Whether you use the “tater gems” that are more flat or regular tots, the cook time will be the same.
- Seasoning salt: You don’t need much, just a sprinkle over all the tots. Check out more of my favorite seasoning ideas below. If you want the seasoning salt to stick better, you can spray the tater tots with cooking spray and then season.
How to Cook Tater Tots in the Air Fryer
- Lightly coat your air fryer basket with cooking spray. Spread the frozen tater tots evenly in a single layer.
- Mist the tops of the tots with more spray, then sprinkle them with seasoning salt.
- Cook in the air fryer at 400°F for 13–15 minutes, or until they’re as crispy as you like..
- Serve hot on their own, or dip in ketchup, fry sauce, or ranch.
Using a Convection Oven
If you’re making tater tots in a convection oven (which is basically just a giant air fryer) there are a few things to keep in mind. Always preheat the oven first so the tots start crisping as soon as they go in (basket air fryers don’t need to preheat because they are smaller and they can heat quickly). Spread the tots out in a single layer on a baking sheet and avoid overcrowding, or they’ll steam instead of crisp up. About halfway through the cook time, flip the tots so they brown evenly on all sides. You can still use the same air fryer times as mentioned below, possibly a minute or two more depending on the size and efficiency of your convection oven.
Seasoning Variations
If you want to keep things super simple, you can always grab pre-seasoned tater tots, but honestly, I don’t think they taste quite as good. I like having control over the seasonings and how much goes on the tots. Most of the time I stick with regular salt or seasoning salt, but every now and then I like to mix it up. Ranch seasoning is an easy option, just a sprinkle of dry ranch mix gives them a tangy twist. If you’re in the mood for something with a little heat, Cajun seasoning (like Tony Chachere’s) adds a spicy kick. Or go the Mexican route with some taco seasoning. I love doing this and then piling on taco meat and toppings to make “Totchos” or Mexican-style potato bowls. Seriously, so good!
Best Tater Tot Dipping Sauces
I am unapologetically a sauce girl. I can’t have tots, fries, wings, chips, you name it, without sauce. I am what I am. When it comes to tots, ketchup is a solid choice, but why stop there? Here are some of my very favorite dipping sauces for tater tots:
- Fry sauce – This has got to be at the top of my list for tot dips.
- Ranch dressing – And not just any ranch dressing. It must be my restaurant style ranch dressing.
- Chick-Fil-A sauce – No need to get it from the restaurant. You can make this homemade Chick-Fil-A sauce recipe right in your own kitchen.
- Cheddar cheese sauce – Also a strong choice, especially with Totchos.
Frequently Asked Questions
While not always necessary, preheating the air fryer can help the tater tots cook more evenly and get crispier. Most air fryers don’t need to be preheated.
Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket. Cook in a single layer for best results; overcrowding can lead to uneven cooking. If you’re making a large batch, cook in batches.
Tater tots are often pre-oiled, so additional oil isn’t required. However, a light spray of cooking oil can make them extra crispy.
This can happen if the air fryer is overcrowded or if the tots aren’t cooked long enough. Make sure to shake the basket and extend the cooking time slightly if needed.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
Have you tried these Air Fryer Tater Tots? I’d love to hear what you think! Drop a comment below and let me know how you liked them. And don’t forget to take a pic and tag us on Instagram @favoritefamilyrecipes! 📸🥔
Air Fryer Tater Tots
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen tater tots (unseasoned)
- cooking spray
- seasoning salt
Instructions
- Spray air fryer with cooking spray and place frozen tater tots in a single layer in the bottom of the air fryer. You may need to do this in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
- Spray over the top of the tater tots and sprinkle with seasoning salt.
- Air fry at 400℉ for 13-15 minutes or until you reach your desired crispiness.
- Serve hot as-is or with ketchup, fry sauce, or ranch dressing.
