Cooking frozen tater tots in the air fryer is a game changer. It is a straightforward cooking process that yields a delicious, crispy, and golden result.
It doesn't matter whether you are cooking the famous Ore Ida tater tots or other brands in your air fryer. You will always get a great and pleasing result cooking these tiny spuds in your air fryer.
Serve with these crispy and delicious lemon pepper chicken drumsticks.
Why you will love this air fryer frozen tater tots
Quick and easy: There is no fussing around cooking these air fryer tater tots. It is foolproof a child could make it. All you need to do is get your favorite brand from the store, and you can have this on the table in less than 15 minutes.
This dish is perfect as a side dish for a busy family, especially when served with a healthy protein.
Delicious: You will get the best and crispiest tater tots when cooking it in the air fryer. You get that golden brown color and crunchy texture on the outside but with an irresistible, fluffy inside.
It tastes deep-fried, but you don't need excessive oil to get this result.
Versatile: I like to serve these frozen air fried mini hash browns as an appetizer with a quick homemade dipping sauce or as a part of a meal.
It is perfect with chicken tenders or chicken strips. The kids gobble them up with some sauteed green peas on the side.
Perfect for you if you are starting out to use your air fryer: Cooking frozen foods in the air fryer is a great way to get accustomed to your air fryer.
It is one of the safest things you can do, and it will help you learn how to use and understand your air fryer quickly.
Related posts: air fryer potato croquettes, air fryer baby potatoes, and air fryer frozen roast potatoes.
What you will need
Frozen tater tots: Use any favorite frozen store bought of you prefer.
Garlic herb seasoning or cajun seasoning: This is optional. However, most of these store-bought tater tots are underseasoned or somewhat bland.
I season it with salt or my homemade cajun seasoning or ground beef seasoning while it is still hot so the seasoning can adhere to it more.
Oil spray
How to cook frozen tater tots in the air fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit /200C for 3-5 minutes.
Spray the air fryer basket with a cooking oil spray
Add the frozen tater tots to the air fryer basket, spray with cooking oil, and toss to combine. Air fry for 12-15 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes.
Check the tater tots to see if they are done on the inside or crispy enough to your liking. If you would like them crispier, cook for 2-3 minutes.
Season the tater tots with salt or any other seasoning blend you prefer. Serve immediately with ketchup, fry sauce, or any favorite dipping sauce.
How to store
Like french fries, tater tots are best served immediately after cooking in the air fryer.
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container or zip-top bag and place it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat the tater tots in the air fryer at 350F/180C until heated through and crispy for best results. Enjoy! Check my how-to-reheat french fries in the air fryer for more tips.
Tips
- Preheat the air fryer before adding the tater tots. This will give a crispier result when cooking them.
- Season the tater tots while it is still hot for flavor.
- Cook the mini hash browns in a single layer, preferably to allow for even cooking.
FAQs
What is the difference between tater tots and hash browns
Tater tots or mini hash browns bite are smaller versions of hash browns. It is made from shredded potatoes formed into a small cylindrical shape. Hash browns, on the other hand, are flatter and shaped into triangles or rectangles.
Can I cook frozen tater tots in an oven
Yes, you can cook them in the oven following the simple steps. Preheat the oven to 400F/200C and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
Add the tater tots to the baking sheet in a single layer and spray lightly with oil.
Cook them in the oven for 20-25 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cooking time.
How long to cook frozen tater tots in air fryer
It usually takes 10-12 minutes to cook frozen tater tots in an air fryer. However, it is best to check the tater tots for doneness at about 10 minutes and add a few more minutes if needed. It all depends on how crispy or golden brown you want them.
Also, while this is not mentioned often, the wattage of your air fryer may affect the cooking time, so it is best to bear that in mind.
More easy air fryer recipes
- Air fryer chicken leg quarters via cheapchickenrecipes.com
- Air fryer thin baked chicken breast
- Air fryer frozen chicken thighs
- Air fryer frozen dino nuggets
- Air fryer chicken nuggets
- Air fryer fish sticks
- Air fryer french fries
- Air fryer steak bites or pork steaks
- Air fryer beef burger or turkey burger
Air Fryer Frozen Tater Tots (Mini Hash Browns)
Ingredients
- 16 ounces frozen tater tots about 450g
- oil spray
- salt to season
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit /200C for 3-5 minutes.
- Spray the air fryer basket with a cooking oil spray.
- Add the frozen tater tots to the air fryer basket, spray with cooking oil (optional), and toss to combine. Air fry for 12-15 minutes, shaking the basket every 5 minutes.16 ounces frozen tater tots, oil spray
- Check the tater tots to see if they are done on the inside or crispy enough to your liking. If you would like them crispier, cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Season the tater tots with salt or any other seasoning blend you prefer. Serve immediately with ketchup, fry sauce, or any favorite dipping sauce.salt
Nutrition
Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circumstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.
And there you have it, a simple and delicious air fryer frozen recipe you can make at home in 15 minutes. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 stars and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and save it to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox.
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