how to cook tater tots in the air fryer

JUMP TO RECIPE

TheseAir Fryer Tater Totsare crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle! Serve them plain with dipping sauces or turn them into Tatchos (loaded tater tot nachos!)

plate of air fryer tater tots with ketchup above

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!

JUMP TO RECIPE

If your tater tots are unseasoned, feel free to season them with a little salt and pepper, serve them next to your fave dipping sauces, and/or load 'em up with cheese and toppings!

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!

JUMP TO RECIPE

While your tots cook, whip up a dipping sauce like my homemade honey mustard!

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.

Different brands of tater tots may require slightly different cook times. I recommend starting with 15 then checking them to see if they're cooked to your liking! Add time as needed.

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.

plate of tatchos held one hand

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!

Feel free to play around with YOUR favorite taco fixings!

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!

JUMP TO RECIPE

What to serve with tater tots

Trying to bulk up your meal? These main dishes are delicious alongside a generous helping of tots. 😉

Chicken Sandwich
Portobello Mushroom Burger
Sloppy Joes
Crockpot Crack Chicken

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

(equipment shown are affiliate links)

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

Click to Keep Device on While Cooking

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.
Take 5 seconds to rate this recipe below. We greatly appreciate it!

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!
Take 5 seconds to rate this recipe below. We greatly appreciate it!

Reheat:Bake or air fry to warm and re-crisp

*Storage times may vary based on temperature and conditions

Nutrition information is just for tater tots. Not Tatchos.

Nutrition Facts

Air Fryer Tater Tots

Amount Per Serving (1 person)

Calories 401 Calories from Fat 171

% Daily Value*

Fat 19g 29%

Saturated Fat 3g 19%

Sodium 971mg 42%

Potassium 601mg 17%

Carbohydrates 57g 19%

Fiber 4g 17%

Sugar 1g 1%

Protein 4g 8%

Vitamin A 9IU 0%

Vitamin C 17mg 21%

Calcium 29mg 3%

Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.

Keywords: air fryer, crispy, tatchos

Reader Interactions