No need for frozen bags from the grocery store when you can make homemade tater tots using simple ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen! This easy homemade tater tots recipe has options for frying, baking or an air fryer too, so you can make these any way you prefer!
As a tater tot lover, I’ve bought my fair share of frozen tots from the grocery store. These simple, crispy potato gems are an absolute treat to snack on and the perfect side dish for so many of our meals. While I find it perfectly acceptable to take a shortcut with grocery store versions on occasion, once I realized how easy tater tots are to make at home, I was sold!
You truly can’t beat the freshness of a homemade tater tot. They’re crispier on the outside, fluffier on the inside, and made with ingredients we can feel good about. They are also great for meal prepping, so you can ditch the store-bought and have your own homemade version on hand instead.
This recipe includes instructions for 3 cooking methods. You can fry these homemade tater tots for a classic version, or take a healthier approach by baking them or air frying them.
I’m partial to the deep fried option as you really can’t beat the taste but if indulgence isn’t what you are looking for, the health-conscious cooking methods don’t disappoint either.
Why we love this recipe
- Tater tots are delicious! Kids and adults love them!
- They make a great snack or side dish for your meals.
- The dish is easy to make using only a handful of ingredients.
- This homemade version is made with simple ingredients and doesn’t require any questionable preservatives.
- You can easily change things up to suit your own tastes or ingredients you have on hand. You can add shredded veggies or even add cheese to make these extra tasty!
- You can freeze these so you have them on hand for quick meals.
Ingredients in Homemade Tater Tots
- Russet potatoes: Par-boiled and then shredded. Because of their starch content, russet potatoes are the best option for making tots. I would recommend avoiding waxy potatoes.
- Flour: All purpose flour.
- Seasoning: Paprika, onion powder, parsley flakes, dried oregano, salt and black pepper. Feel free to play around with the seasonings to suit your own tastes. You can add heat with cayenne, switch out the herbs for other favorites, etc.
- Cooking Oil: for spritzing or frying. I opt for a mild-flavored cooking oil that can withstand frying temperatures like vegetable oil or canola oil.
**Note: Ingredient quantities and full instructions are in the recipe card at the end of this post. **
How to make Homemade Tater Tots
- Par boil the potatoes. Peel the potatoes, chop them into quarters and place in a stock pot with enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook for 8 minutes. Drain the potatoes and lay them out on a baking sheet to cool.
- Grate the potatoes. Using a box grater or a food processor with the grater attachment in place, shred the potatoes. Place the grated potatoes in a clean tea towel and squeeze out excess water.
- Season and make the tots. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl and stir in the flour and seasonings. Form the potatoes into tots and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I like to use a cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) to keep them uniform in size. If the mixture is sticking to your hands, rub a bit of oil on your hands to prevent sticking.
- Cook tots.
- For baking: Spread tots out on the parchment lined baking sheet and spritz with oil or cooking spray. Bake in a preheated oven at 400F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
- For Frying: Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook tots in small batches until they are golden and crispy (about 4 minutes). Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel and repeat with remaining batches.
- For the air fryer: Spritz the tots with vegetable oil or cooking spray and cook in a preheated air fryer at 375F for 5 minutes. Shake or flip the tots and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until golden brown.
- For baking: Spread tots out on the parchment lined baking sheet and spritz with oil or cooking spray. Bake in a preheated oven at 400F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Recipe variations
We love these as they are but that doesn’t mean you can’t switch things up by adding in or swapping out some ingredients to make different versions of tots! Some possible variations include:
- Add shredded veggies. Shredded carrot and zucchini are just some options you can add to the shredded potatoes. This is a great way to sneak in more veggies for those picky eaters.
- Switch the seasonings: As mentioned above, you can add heat through cayenne pepper or just swap in your favorite dried herbs. In addition to these swaps, you can use seasoning mixes like ranch seasoning, for example.
Freezing Homemade Tater Tots
To freeze cooked tots, let them cool completely. Transfer them to a freezer safe container and freeze. When ready to consume, bake them at 400F until they are heated through.
These homemade tater tots are perfect for dipping, whether you go for a classic ketchup or get creative with any dip you heart desires. We hope you enjoy these tasty taters as much as we do!
You may also like these other potato side dishes:
Baked Potato Wedges
Greek Lemon Potatoes (Patates Lemonates Recipe)
Cheesy Baked Mashed Potatoes
Creamy Whipped Potatoes
Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes
Crispy Air Fryer Greek Potatoes
Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
Air Fryer Seasoned French Fries
Loaded Greek Feta Fries
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Homemade Tater Tots
Ingredients
- 2 lbs russet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons flour (all purpose or gf flour can be used)
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon parsley flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- Cooking oil, for spritzing or frying
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes, chop them into quarters and place in a stock pot with enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook for 8 minutes. Drain the potatoes and lay them out on a baking sheet to cool.
- Using a box grater or a food processor with the grater attachment in place, shred the potatoes. Place the grated potatoes in a clean tea towel and squeeze out excess water.
- Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl and stir in the flour and seasonings. Form the potatoes into tots and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I like to use a cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) to keep them uniform in size. If the mixture is sticking to your hands, rub a bit of oil on your hands to prevent sticking.
- For baking: Spread tots out on the parchment lined baking sheet and spritz with oil or cooking spray. Bake in a preheated oven at 400F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. For Frying: Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook tots in small batches until they are golden and crispy (about 4 minutes). Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel and repeat with remaining batches. For the air fryer: Spritz the tots with vegetable oil or cooking spray and cook in a preheated air fryer at 375F for 5 minutes. Shake or flip the tots and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until golden brown.
To freeze:
- To freeze cooked tots, let them cool completely. Transfer them to a freezer safe container and freeze. When ready to consume, bake them at 400F until they are heated through.
Notes
Note: Metric ingredient measurements are provided as a courtesy using a third-party calculator and are rounded to the nearest unit. The recipes provided on this site have not been tested with metric measurements and their accuracy cannot be verified.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is based on third-party calculations and is an estimate only. Accurate nutritional facts will vary based on the particular brands used, portion sizes, measurement accuracy and more.
