These homemade tater tots are so quick and easy to make at home, that you will forget to buy frozen ones. These are indeed delicious vegan appetizers that are perfect to make for any parties or get-togethers etc.
Tater tots
Traditionally tater tots are grated potatoes that are shaped into tiny cylinders and are deep-fried. This is basically a small bite-sized potato appetizer and the term "tater tots" is a registered trademark of the company called Ore-lda, the American frozen food company but used as a generic term form for these potato bites. If you love tater tots check out my air fryer tater tots recipe here.
Crispy Homemade Tater Tots
Tater Tots are easy and quick potato appetizers. These are perfect vegan appetizers. These are delicious tots with a crunchy bite and soft inside. Serve them with any of these vegan dips and host an amazing party. These are kid-friendly as well. For variation, you can also make tots with broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini. Read my broccoli tater tots and cauliflower tater tots here.
How to make perfect tater tots at home?
Take parboiled potatoes. Let them cool down to room temperature completely. Peel off the skin and grate using the large hole side of a cheese grater.
Take a mixing bowl and add in grated potatoes, salt, chili flakes, herbs (or Italian seasoning), and flour. You can also add some onion powder and garlic powder.
Mix the ingredients gently. Don't mash the potatoes while mixing.
Grease your palm to shape the tots. Take out small portions and press lightly shaping them into small cylinders. Now refrigerate these shaped tots for 2 hours. Then remove and make your batch of tots.
You can freeze these tots now in a freezer-friendly box for future use. Take out some tots as and when required. cook them and serve them with any dips of choice.
Deep-fry the tater tots
Heat oil in a pan and drop all shaped tots into it. Don't overcrowd the pan. Make it in batches of 8 - 10 maximum in 1 batch for deep-frying.
Turn them once or twice and make sure it's equally fried to crispy and golden brown. Take out from oil and place it on a paper napkin to get rid of excess oil.
Air Fryer Tater Tots
Grease the air-fryer basket with a tsp of olive oil. Preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes. Place the shaped tots inside the basket and arrange in a single layer. Spray a little oil. Set the temperature at 400 F for 10 minutes and air-fry. Toss them once halfway through cooking at 7 minutes.
If you have store-bought tater tots or potato bites, you can air fry them at 400ยฐ F (200ยฐ C) for 15 minutes. Shake them halfways for equivalent cooking.
Oven-Baked Tater Tots
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Transfer the prepared tater tots to a baking sheet. Place the tray in the oven and bake for 25 - 30 minutes flipping them halfway through. Once they turn golden brown, remove from the oven and serve hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are tater tots similar to hash browns?
Classic tots are simply made with a minimal 3 - 4 ingredients only. This is easy but you just need to follow a few instructions for better crispier ones. Some of the differences are -
- Tots are small cylindrical bite-sized appetizers while hashbrown is larger and round or oval in shape.
- Tater tots are normally vegan (maximum times) but hashbrowns are made by mixing with egg unless you are planning for a vegan hash brown or egg-less hashbrown.
Which potatoes are the best for tater tots?
Russet potatoes or any starchy are the best as they hold the size properly.
Homemade Tater Tots
Homemade Crispy Tater Tots
Equipment
- Dutch oven/ pot
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes peeled
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp mixed herbs (oregano, dill, or any seasoning of choice)
- salt & pepper as required
- 1 cup vegetable oil for deep frying
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 1 tsp all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Peel off potatoes and put in dutch oven or large pot.
- Boil for 10 - 12 minutes or till its par-boiled.
- Remove from heat.
- Allow it to cool completely before mixing other ingredients.
- Keep in refrigerator for some 10 minutes to cool completely.
- Next grate potatoes using the large hole side of a cheese grater. (Don't mash them)
- Add flour, salt, chilli flakes, and herbs to the potatoes and Mix everything gently using a fork.
- Grease the palms before shaping the tots
- Take out small portion and press it lightly giving a cylinder shape.
- Make small cylindrical tots from mixture.
- Heat oil in a deep frying pan.
- When oil is hot enough drop tots into it.
- If oil is too hot then reduce it to medium flame. (else it will burn from out only)
- Make sure tots are equally getting cooked from all sides by turning tots once or twice.
- Remove from oil once these are golden and crisp.
- Place on paper napkin to soak excess oil.
- Serve hot with desired sauce or dip.
Air-Fryer Tater Tots
- Place the frozen tots inside the basket.
- air fry at 400 F for 15 minutes flipping them halfway through.
Baked Tater Tots
- Preheat the oven at 425 degree F.
- Place the tots and drizzle some oil or brush the tots with little oil.
- Place the tray in the oven and bake for 25 - 30 minutes, flipping once after 15 minutes.
- Remove when tots are crispy and golden brown.
Video
Notes
- Don't over boil potatoes as it will turn mushy and gummy. You need parboiled potatoes.
- If not convenient with a pressure cooker, use an open pot/ Dutch oven for boiling potato cubes and check with help of a fork.
- Never add flour to hot potatoes. It will turn sticky and gummy
- Also, use refrigerated boiled potatoes.
- To increase crispiness, instead of boiling deep-fry or roast pieces of potatoes in the oven. Then shred into smaller chunks and combine with flour/ starch.
- You can eliminate refined flour and add only cornstarch (2 tbsp) while mixing for gluten free tots.ย
Nutrition
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Traci
You had me at tater tots ๐ What a fun and easy recipe! Perfect for our game day eats. Thanks for sharing!
Beth
This looks so delicious and tasty! My kids are going to love this recipe!
Kristina Allori
Worth the time and effort! I'll never buy frozen tater tots again!
Rosemary
These look delicious. A favorite when having kids and groups over. I'm looking forward to trying this recipe soon.
Ipsa Faujdar
Thank you, dear.
Elaine
Such a good idea to make them at home instead of buying in packages! Love the flavors in these little bites!
Beth
Yummy! This is definitely my kids favorite! So delicious and easy! Canโt wait to make these again soon!
veenaazmanov
Best platter for a kids party. Crunchy, Crispy and yum. Easy and quick and yet so perfect.
Nicole Durham
It's funny because this afternoon I told myself I had to go shopping to buy tater tots.. and then I came across this recipe and realized how easy it is to make them at home. OMG Mind is blown!
Jeannette
Tater tots are one of my most favourite snacks and I just love all those amazing tips you have to make them perfect!
Beth
Why have I never thought of making these before now? We love tater tots in my home and now I'm super excited to be able to make them! This recipe looks simple and delicious - 2 of my favorite things about cooking!!