Air fryer Tater Tots

Make oil-free healthy tiny crispy tater tots in the air fryer in just 10 minutes. These vegan appetizers are perfect to serve at any party. No doubt these are absolute crowd-pleasers.

Tater tots are always my favorite appetizers. And these air fryer tater tots are one step ahead.

I can’t resist having the tiny tater tots, especially when we are on party mode. After all, I’m a potato lover ;). I love all vegetables, but potatoes have a special place in my heart. My taste buds love them.

Though potatoes have a bad reputation of being “unhealthy food” but research also says potatoes are not unhealthy until they are deep-fried. When deep-fried the carbohydrate increases and it becomes unhealthy. At the same time boiled or steamed potatoes have relatively lesser carbs (as compared to fried ones) and more fiber and protein along with other nutrients. But if you are on a low-carb diet then you must say no to potatoes in any form.

So trust me you can have a fist full of these tiny air fryer tater tots or even my potato wedges, both air fried, are perfect to satisfy the potato craving in a healthier way. Read other vegetarian air fryer recipes here.

Tater Tots

Traditionally tater tots are grated potatoes shaped into small cylinders and deep-fried. So this makes the tots crispy. Tater is a name for potatoes and tater tots is a registered trademark of Ore-Ida but also used as a generic name for such potato bites.

Why will you love these air fryer tater tots?

These air fryer tater tots are so delicious no one can resist not eating them. You will love them because:

• Easy to make

• Quick snacks

• Can make without oil (frozen ones already have oil in it)

• Less fat since no deep fry

• Vegan, plant-based

• Gluten-free (Check the label if it’s gluten-free or not.)

• Easy to serve the crowd

• Yummy, Crispy appetizer

• Kids-friendly snacks

Why air fryer tater tots are better than deep-fried?

Tater tots are generally deep-fried and hence naturally give you a lot of bad fat along with its delicious taste. But here the air fryer tater tots have the same crisp, taste and at the same time, these are oil-free. Yes completely oil-free. No oil spray is required while making the tots.

However, the frozen tater tots have some oil in them. But at least you won’t deep fry them in lots of oil. And that’s how these air fryer tater tots are anytime better than the fried ones.

However, you should check the nutrition label of the pack of tater tots while buying them and choose organic ones with lesser sodium.

Health Benefits of Potatoes

Do you know potatoes are healthy too!! Read my vegan potato recipes collection where I have mentioned the health benefits of potatoes.

Potatoes are carbohydrate-rich starchy vegetables. But the carbohydrate is released more when it comes in contact with direct oil in a lot. But when we use other methods of cooking potatoes like boiling, steaming, this is less carbohydrate and more other healthy vitamins, minerals, micronutrients along with protein and fibers.

The skin has more vitamins and minerals stored in it as compared to the fleshy part. So whenever possible, try to retain the skin of it.

What tater tots I can use to air-fry?

You can make the whole homemade tater tots from scratch or take out some frozen potato bites and put them in your air-fryer for said time and temperature. And you are done with your healthy potato snacks (No high sodium, preservatives).

Air fryer Tater Tots

You can make your tater tots from scratch and that is easy also. Or just air-fry the frozen tots for a quick result. Let us see both the ways to make our tater tots.

Homemade Tater Tots (from scratch)

Making the homemade tots in just 3 steps. Then you can freeze them in a freezer-friendly pouch for 2 – 3 months. But they don’t last so long. 😉

Step – 1 – Parboil potatoes (cooked up to 80 – 90%). Cooled down completely.

Step – 2 – Grate them using a cheese grater and add seasoning.

Step – 3 – Grease your palm and shape the grated potatoes into tiny cylinders.

Keep in a freezer-friendly bag for 1 hr. Next, remove and follow air-frying steps with frozen tater tots.

Temperature & time-

Preheat at 375 F for 5 minutes. Then air fry at same temperature for 10 minutes. Flip at around 5 minutes. To make it crispier, increase the temperature to 400 F for 3 – 5 minutes. Keep checking every 2 minutes for the doneness.

Frozen Tater Tots

Take out the air-fryer basket. Place the tater tots inside the basket. Careful not to overcrowd it. Place it in and set the temperature to 400F and for 8 minutes. In the midway (after 4 min) just remove the basket and shake it. Cook for rest 4 minutes.

Also, read Air Fryer Frozen Hash Browns, Air Fryer Frozen French Fries, Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes.

Some Tips for Crispy Air Fryer Tater Tots

All air fryers cook somehow differently. So there is no thumb rule of temperature and time. It may vary slightly. The time may vary depending on the size and type of the air fryer.

So you can adjust the time setting depending on the size of your air fryer. Again when you are cooking in batches, your second batch may need lesser time as it’s already pre-heated. Adjust time.

Recipe Card for Air Fryer Tater Tots

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