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After making frozen Tater tots in the Air Fryer you’ll never make them any other way! They taste like deep-fried and are crispy all around.
Who doesn’t love crispy tater tots?! Just like my frozen French Fries, making them in the Air Fryer instead of in the oven saves you time and makes them taste so much more delicious.
Evenly crispy on the outside and soft in the middle, these tots are just perfect and make an excellent appetizer, snack, or side dish that is on the table in no time!
After trying this method, you’ll never go back to making them in the oven!
Why I love this recipe
- No deep-frying necessary, making them in the Air Fryer makes them crispy all around without a need for a bucket of oil
- They cook much faster than in the oven! Less than 15 minutes cooking time and no need to preheat your oven or defrost them before cooking
- Less clean-up and no babysitting necessary. This way of cooking is perfect for busy moms and everyone else that doesn’t have much time.
Expert Tips
- I recommend preheating your Air Fryer, this way the cooking time is more accurate and the tater tots crisp up more evenly. If you don’t preheat, the cooking time will be 2–3 minutes longer depending on your Air Fryer.
- Don’t overfill the basket, you want the air to be able to circulate. The bigger your Air Fryer, the more tater tots you can make. I do not recommend lining the basket with foil for the best results.
- Spraying them with oil is optional but adds some extra crispiness.
- Don’t use non-stick cooking spray in your Air Fryer, always use pure oil spray like my favorite Avocado oil spray, which is perfect for high heat.
- Shaking the basket a few times during air frying, makes them cook evenly.
- Smaller Tater Tots will be done faster.
Recipe FAQs
About 12–14 minutes until they are crispy and golden brown. Every Air Fryer cooks a bit different so keep an eye on them and check on them during the last few minutes of cooking time.
This depends on the size of your Air Fryer basket. Larger models can cook about 16 oz in one batch, smaller models less. They don’t need to be in one single layer, but you don’t want to fill the basket higher than 1/3. Make sure to not overfill the basket, so the air can still circulate, and shake the basket a few times during frying.
The Air Fryer does a fantastic job at reheating leftover Tater Tots. Just air fry them for about 6 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until crispy and hot.
What to serve with Tater Tots
Tater Tots taste great as a snack or appetizer dipped into ketchup or my homemade Aioli sauce. They also make a kid-friendly potato side dish for meat-based dishes like schnitzel or pork chops.
More Air Fryer Recipes to try
Air Fryer
Air Fryer Hot Dogs
Air Fryer
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Air Fryer
Air Fryer Garlic Bread
Air Fryer
Air Fryer Meatloaf
Air Fryer Tater Tots
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz Frozen Tater Tots
- oil spray, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your Air Fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Put the frozen Tater Tots in the Air Fryer basket and optionally spray them with a little oil spray for extra crispiness. Don't overfill the Air Fryer basket.
- Cook them for 12–14 minutes, depending on how crispy you like them. Shake the basket every 5 minutes. Your Air Fryer might cook faster, so check on them in the last few minutes of cooking time.
- The Tater Tots are done when they are golden brown and crispy. Transfer them to a bowl and sprinkle some salt over them if desired.
Notes
- I recommend preheating your Air Fryer, this way the cooking time is more accurate and the Tater Tots crisp up more evenly. If you don’t preheat, the cooking time will be 2–3 minutes longer, depending on your Air Fryer.
- Don’t overfill the basket, you want the air to be able to circulate. The bigger your Air Fryer, the more Tater Tots you can make. Don’t line the basket with foil.
- Spraying them with oil is optional but adds some extra crispiness.
- Don’t use non-stick cooking spray in your Air Fryer, always use pure oil spray like my favorite Avocado oil spray, which is perfect for high heat.
- Shaking the basket a few times during air frying, makes them cook evenly.
- Smaller Tater Tots will be done faster.
