How to Cook Tater Tots in an Air Fryer?

Air Fryer tater tots, to me, are without a competition better than deep-fried ones. It is tastier and healthier, and with the added advantage, you can prepare Air Fried tater tots in just about 15 minutes. It is just a fantastic cooking method tots; from its crispier texture to the fact you don’t need all the oil to cook it, you will find your love for cooking with the air dryer.

Tater Tots are traditionally made from grated potato that is then deep-fried. As a result, they are crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. They are indeed vegan and can be catered to specific diets such as gluten-free. I can assure you that at the end of reading this write-up, you’ll love cooking air-fried frozen tater tots so much you won’t ever cook tater tots any other way again. With a bit of spray oil and a pinch of salt, your crispy delicious tater tots will be ready in minutes.

Why Air Fry Tater Tots is better than Oven Baked

• There is no need to preheat the air fryer; some even preheated it automatically. However, preheating the oven adds about ten more minutes to the preparation of the tater tots.
• Food can be shaken in the air fryer during cooking, although you will need to keep a close watch to avoid burning.
• Although the oven can hold more tots at once, the air fryer tends to cook tots a bit faster with a crispier finish. It only takes about 15 minutes to cook the tater tots from frozen.
• The cleaning is easier after use is easier in the air fryer than an oven or any other cooking tater tots because of less oil.
• No extra oil is needed to be added because the frozen tater tots already have oil in them.
• Air-fried tater tots give an incredible crunch that the traditional oven doesn’t.
• Air fryer tater tots are healthier and delicious snacks and side dishes. They taste deep-fried but are so much healthier.

Factors that Affect Cooking Time of the Air Fried Tater Tots

From experience, I will suggest you take the air frying recipe more suggestive than religiously. I wouldn’t exactly say I got this recipe right once; I had to experiment a few times with my air fryer before I got precisely my desires consistency, timing, and temperature. During testing, for instance, I experimented with cooking the tots at 400F, as the oven directions state. I soon found that the tots browned too quickly, and I accidentally burn the tots. I prefer to cook my tater tots at about 350F in the air fryer, even if it means adding a few minutes to the cooking time. Some of the factors that cooking time include;

Size of the Air Fryer – the size of the air fryer determines how many tater tots the air fryer can accommodate without overcrowding. For smaller air fryers, about 1 pound is the max without overcrowding the air fryer. Also, the more you fill the basket, the more frequently you’ll want to shake the basket to help for a more even cook. However, for a more prominent air fryer, you should cook more so long as the basket isn’t filled more than 1/2 full.

Size of the Tater Tots- The size, thickness, and coating of the tots affect the cooking time. Bigger or thicker tater tats should be left in the air fryer longer than smaller ones for a more even cook on the inside. The coating on it also contributes significantly to its thickness, so it is paramount to factor this in your cooking time.

Type of Air Fryer- Air fryers are different in designs and functions; this is why it is essential to know your air fryer. Some cook hotter, while some have the preheating feature automatically enabled. Some air fryer uses the basket style while some uses tray, all this affect the time for cooking. But once you cook your first batch, you’ll know more of what works for your air fryer model and size of food.

How to Cook Air Fried Frozen Tater Tots

Equipment 

• An air fryer is the essential piece of equipment when cooking this recipe.
• You will need to set your timer to shake/flip/toss as directed in the recipe.
• The kitchen thermometer will help you check if the tater tots are well done after cooking.

Ingredient

• Frozen tater tots, one 32 ounce bag is enough for two rounds in the air fryer.
• Spray oil, while it is optional if you decide to use it, I will not recommend using a non-stick cooking spray in the air fryer.
• Saltsignificantly improves tastes, but if you are trying to reduce sodium intake, buy unseasoned frozen tater tots with potatoes as the only ingredient.
• Black pepper, you season to taste, especially if you are a fan of spicy food.
• Variety of topping, I find that topping adds a little extra sweetness to the tots. You can experiment with cheese, salsa, or guacamole.

Procedure

First and foremost, Pre-heat your air fryer to 350°F( if your air fryer doesn’t preheat automatically, you can leave it on for 3 to 5 minutes to attain the desires temperature). Next, you will place the put your frozen tater tots in a bowl and season them to taste. The cooking spray and salt help to crisp the tater tots, so don’t skip these ingredients.

Place the seasoned tat in the air fryer basket and spread out evenly. Oil spraying is not necessary. Air Fry at 350°F/205°C for 5-8 minutes. Shake and gently stir the tots in the basket about halfway through cooking. If cooking larger batches, try turning them multiple times. You can also add various toppings to your cooked tots; cheese, sriracha, salsa, and guacamole. Serve immediately

Notes

• Little or no oil is necessary when cooking with an air fryer.
• Cook the tater tats when frozen; you do not need to thaw first.
• Recipe timing is based on a preheated air fryer. If cooking in multiple batches, the cooking time could be adjusted because it will cook a little quicker.

Bottom Line

In conclusion, if you are all about healthy and quick snacking, I strongly recommend you get yourself an air fryer if you don’t already have one and try your hands on this tater tots recipe. It is tastier, healthy, and crispier than using an oven or deep fryer.