Classic, crispy tater tots come out perfect in the Air Fryer every time! With just one simple ingredient and 20 minutes, you’ll be ready to dig right into this nostalgic side dish.
Recipe Overview
All you need is a bag of frozen tater tots. These tots are crispy and golden brown on the outside and tender and hot inside. What could be better?
Thanks to the ingenuity of your trusted Air Fryer, there’s no need for oil or any other ingredients. Making frozen tater tots in the air fryer is super simple, fast, and healthier too.
For me, frozen tater tots are a staple when it comes to feeding my hungry kids. They go with everything and are always well-received by my family. You really can’t go wrong if you make air fryer tater tots with dinner.
If you are looking for more easy frozen air fryer potato recipes, check out my air fryer French fries and air fryer baked potato posts.
what you’ll need
You only need a bag of frozen tater tots! You do not need any added oil to get super crispy air fryer tater tots, as most frozen potato products have oil already added to them.
Maybe you call tater tots potato puffs? It doesn’t matter what you call them, you can make crispy potato puffs in the air fryer too!
You likely should not cook the whole bag of tots at one time though. Only use as many tater tots as you can fit in your air fryer basket in a single layer. Stacking them on top of each other won’t allow them to get crispy. I suggest using about 2 cups, but you may need less if your air fryer is smaller.
How to Make Them
- Measure out a couple of cups of frozen tater tots. No need to be too precise, but two cups is about the amount that fits in my air fryer basket.
- Place the tater tots into the basket of your air fryer in a single layer.
- Cook the tots at 400 degrees F for 18-20 minutes.
- Remove the basket 2-3 times while cooking and shake the tater tots around a bit to make sure that they cook evenly on all sides.
When your tater tots are done cooking, remove them from the basket and allow them to cool for a minute or two. You don’t want to burn your mouth!
Tips and Tricks
- Depending on the thickness and variety of potato, you may have to adjust your cooking time up or down to ensure that the potatoes are cooked through.
- Be sure to shake or stir your frozen tater tots or fries a few times while they are cooking in the air fryer. This allows them to get crispy all around.
- Be sure to leave a bit of room between each tater tot to keep them from sticking together. Shaking the air fryer basket a few times during cooking is important, and will also help to keep the tater tots from sticking together.
What to serve with tater tots
Serve with your favorite main dish like air fryer hamburgers or air fryer hot dogs and enjoy!
I haven’t met too many meals that aren’t made better with a side of crispy tots!
Serve air fryer tater tots with Unbreaded Air Fryer Chicken Tenders, Air Fryer Cube Steak, or Air Fryer Tilapia. Add a simple vegetable and you have a well-balanced dinner ready in no time.
Storing tater tots
Leftover cooked tater tots can be refrozen or stored in the fridge. To store any leftover air fryer tater tots in the freezer, place them into a zip lock freezer bag, then lay the bag flat on your countertop.
Gently shake the tots out so that they are in a flat, single layer, then press out all of the air before sealing.
Pop the air fryer tots into your freezer until you’re ready to use them again.
Add your leftover frozen tater tots to a Mexican Tater Tot Casserole or toss them back into your air fryer for a few minutes to crisp them up before serving again, maybe as Tater Tot Nachos.
FAQs
Making tater tots in the air fryer is healthier than deep frying them, because there is no need to add any extra oil or fat to get them crispy.
Yes! Potatoes are gluten-free, as are most minimally processed potato products like tater tots, french fries, or hashbrowns.
While this recipe gives you instructions for making super crispy tater tots, sweet potato tots typically do not crisp as much as standard potato tots so you may not get the same results.
You may need to play around with your air fryer settings until you get sweet potato tots to crisp well. Try adding a few extra minutes or increasing the heat.
Yes, you can, but you will want to reduce the amount of time in the air fryer. Mini tater tots should only need to air fry for about 8-15 minutes total, so shake them after 4 or 5 minutes, and watch to be sure they don’t overcook.
Air Fryer Tater Tots
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen tater tots
Instructions
- Measure out 2 cups of tater tots.
- Place the tater tots into the basket of your air fryer in a single layer.
- Air fry the tater tots at 400 degrees F/ 200°C for 18-20 minutes.
- Shake the tater tots in the air fryer basket 2-3 times while cooking to ensure that they cook evenly.
- Serve your air fryer tater tots and enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe is for white potato tater tots. Sweet potato tater tots will not get crispy enough using these directions.
- This recipe creates crispy, well-done tater tots. Keep in mind that cook times will vary based on the model of your air fryer. Increase or decrease time for more well done or less well done tater tots.
- Pro Tip:This recipe can be made in the air fryer unit with a basket or the air fryer oven. If you are using the air fryer oven, use the middle rack and select the “Air Fry” function.
- Pro Tip: Check your food as it cooks. Each air fryer runs a bit differently. Sometimes air frying is a trial and error process. Check your food as it cooks to learn your air fryer better! When cooking a new recipe or food items be sure to check your food often to help avoid over/under cooking.
Nutrition
Air Fryers can vary greatly. Please take the time to learn your specific air fryer. You may need to adjust times and temperatures based upon your air fryer. All though this website attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, the information should only be considered an estimate. Varying factors such as different product types, different brands, etc. can change nutritional information. It is your responsibility as a consumer to read all labels to make sure the ingredients fit your dietary needs as well as calculate your own nutritional information as a double check.
I’m still getting used to my air fryer and love all these tips! I’m going to try Tater Tots in my AF next!
Enjoy Jennifer, please come back and let us know how the air fryer tots turned out!
Ooooh I love these tator tots in the air fryer. They come out so crispy and not mushy at all!
Totally agree Shannon, the air fryer tater tots are our fav!!
Air fryers are amazing! I love how crispy your photos make these look! Having them soon with some sloppy joes I think!
Oh Haley, what a great idea! These air fryer tater tots would be perfect with some sloppy joes!
I’ve got a little compact air fryer — and I’m always so hesitant to use it! These tater tots turned out so crispy and delicious!
You have got to try these tots!
This looks soo good! I love how easy this recipe is…these tots would be perfect dipped in some ketchup. Yum!
Couldn’t agree more, these air fryer tots are delicious with ketchup!
Dude, hands off my tots! hahaha Loved that movie! Anyway, tots are SOOOOOO good heated in the air fryer. They get SOOOOOO crispy on the outside! love them!
hahaha, great movie! So glad you love the tots Alex!
I can’t believe how quickly they cook and how crispy they get. Super good!
Super quick and super crispy!!
The entire family loved how these tots came out of the air fryer! We had them with chili dogs last night! Thanks for the correct temp and time!
Hi Shanda, yay for tots! So glad your family liked them!
Made these for an afternoon snack! Delish!
Sounds like a yummy afternoon snack to me!
These turned out. Love how crispy they get.
Thank you, glad you liked the tots!
This worked perfect for an afternoon snack!
Hi Lanette, so glad these worked out well for you!
As a single Dad of twin “pre-teens”, deep fried Tater Tots were always on the menu…up ’til now! I saw this recipe and decided to try them in my basket air fryer, and the kids DIDN’T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE! I was expecting one of them to say something, but within moments we had empty plates and requests for seconds. Air Fried Tater Tots = Kid (and Dad!) approved!!! So tasty and no hassle. That’s a win win situation in my opinion.