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How Long do you Cook Tater Tots in an Air fryer?

How Long do you Cook Tater Tots in an Air fryer?

Tater Tots are forms of popular side dishes at parties and barbecues. In America, they are one of the most known or popular fried foods.

Tater Tots are made from grated potato that is traditionally deep-fried then. As a result, they are crispy on the outside. They are natural for people who eat less or no food that comes from animal products and you can get varieties of similar meals that cater to the specific diet that is free from gluten. You can decide to add any desired toppings to your homemade tater tots; cheese, sriracha, salsa, and guacamole to it while serving as all work amazingly well.

In 1953, an American frozen food company named Ore-Ida invented the tater tots. Nephi Grigg and Golden Grigg founded this company. They discovered this great snack invention when they were trying to decide whether to dispose of leftovers of cut-up potatoes or not. So they instead tentatively provided the solution to their problem and invented a delicious snack by chopping up the potatoes, adding seasoning and flour, and then slicing off the pieces of the extruding mixture by pushing it through the holes. Through this, the popular Tater Tots came into existence. In 1956, it was first sold commercially as a product in stores.

The Ore-Ida company registered the name “Tater Tot” as their registered trademark — though controlled and managed by Heinz since 1965—but has, despite that, become widely associated with the dish that it is accepted.

How to make Homemade Tater Tots in an Air Fryer

  1. Two pounds russet potatoes, cooking spray, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 ½ teaspoon of kosher salt divided.
  2. After getting all the required ingredients in one fold, Peel the potatoes and put them in a medium pan. Ensure to boil for 7 to 9 minutes on medium heat and cover the potatoes with water; boil them until they are partially cooked. Bring out and drain them and let the potatoes cool for about 13 to 15 minutes.
  3. Then, reduce the potatoes into smaller particles by grating them into a bowl. While in the bowl, mix the grated potatoes with 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, one teaspoon of kosher salt, the garlic and onion powders.
  4. Spoon about one tablespoon of the mixed potato and shape it into tot. If it’s sticking to your hand, try shaping with water, and once shaped, place them on parchment paper. Repeat these steps till you have nothing left of your mixed potato and allow them to dry for five minutes.
  5. Spray the air fryer’s basket with some cooking spray and line about half of the tater tots in the basket, make sure they are not touching, and then respray them. Set the temperature of your air fryer to 375°F and let them cook for 15 minutes. Ensure you shake the basket halfway in every 5 minutes while cooking.
  6. Repeat this step for the remaining tater tots. Serve and enjoy.

Why are Tater Tots so Good when made with an Air Fryer?

  • It is a healthier way of making snacks and side dishes.
  • It only takes 20 minutes to prepare, 20 minutes to cool and dry, and 15 minutes to cook the tater tots.

How to Reheat Leftovers of Tater Tots in an Air Fryer?

  • Air fryers are the perfect appliance for reheating leftover or frozen tater tots. Follow these steps to reheat tater tot in an air fryer:
  • Place the tater tots in your air fryer’s basket and set the temperature to 360° F. Then cook for 10 to 12 minutes until they are all warmed.
  • Make sure to keep checking to avoid overlooking it. And when they’re evenly cooked, shake off the basket to dispose of excess oil.

How to Store Tater Tots made with an Air Fryer?

The most brilliant idea for storing leftover tater tots is to put them in an enclosed container lined with parchment paper to avoid getting soaked before eating them.

You can store leftovers of cooked tater tot in your refrigerator for up to one week till it’s time to reheat. Whenever you are ready to reheat, ensure heating 400°F in the air fryer.

If you want to eat all of your tater tots at once, it is helpful to freeze them. And you can do this by placing the tater tots —whether cooked or leftover— into a container that is airtight and lined with a paper towel, then place them into another container that is filled with water. Seal the tater tots tight, then write on the container the date you are freezing it. It’s also best to store your homemade tater tots in the fridge because bacteria will grow more slowly at a low temperature, and this means they will last longer.

Freezing can aid the extension of its freshness as it can be stored for up to 3 months.

How to know if your Frozen Tater Tots are Bad?

  • The best way is to monitor the tater tots’ smell regularly. If it develops a sour taste, becomes musty, or presents a bad odor, then it is the best time to dispose of them and cook new ones.
  • Another excellent way to know if your tater tots are bad is by observing the color. If they turned black or dark brown by any chance, then some bacteria are likely to have acted upon them, and the best thing to do is throw them out.
  • If either of these ways doesn’t work well for you, or perhaps you want a more vivid and clear answer, then take one out and cut through with a sharp knife. Good ones will cut cleanly while the bad ones will get sticky inside.
  • Feel free to dispose of tater tots if they have been out for a long time or the smell and color reflect that they are bad.

Bottom Line

Tater tots are delicious side dishes or appetizers; that being said, they need carefulness to reheat. To make a tater tots dish that is not only healthy but also delicious and crispy, use an air fryer and ensure you follow all we’ve written about in this article.


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