How to Make Air-Fryer Tater Tots

A bag of frozen Tater Tots is a great thing to have on hand. You can pair ’em with hot dogs for a kid-friendly meal, serve as a crowd-pleasing snack or whip up a batch of tot nachos. If made in the air fryer, Tater Tots are done in a flash.

Here’s what you need to know to make perfect air-fryer Tater Tots.

What Are Tater Tots?

Tater Tots are crispy, golden potato bites, made by grating skin-on potatoes into tiny pieces and mixing them with flour, salt and seasonings. The mixture is put into a machine that extrudes it into mini barrel-shaped pieces, which are deep-fried, flash-frozen and ready to be crisped up in your oven—or air fryer!

How to Make the Best Air-Fryer Tater Tots

The name “Tater Tots” is a registered trademark of the company that invented them: Ore-Ida. However, many brands make identical products, sold under names like Taters, Crispy Potato Puffs or Tater Bites. This method works for all tots.

You’ll Need:

1 package frozen Tater Tots
Cooking spray

Editor’s Tip: Don’t miss our list of essential air-fryer accessories.

Directions

For oven-style air fryers:

Preheat your air fryer to 400°F for 1 minute.

Gently spray the air fryer racks with nonstick cooking spray. Place the frozen Tater Tots in a single layer, gently shaking the rack to help spread them out. You’ll want to make sure there’s enough room between the Tater Tots for air to flow through; since air fryers cook by rushing hot air down onto the food, leaving space allows the hot air to circulate. This means you won’t have to flip the tater tots while they’re air-frying.

Air-fry the Tater Tots for 13 minutes. Allow them to cool for about 2 minutes before serving.

For basket-model air fryers:

Preheat your air fryer to 400°F for 1 minute. Then load the basket with frozen Tater Tots and cook for 7 minutes. Shake the basket well, then continue air-frying the Tater Tots for another 5-7 minutes until they’ve crisped up to your liking. Allow them to cool for about 2 minutes before serving.