airfryerveg.com

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe!
  • Resources
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Subscribe!
  • Resources
×
Home » Recipes

Air Fryer Frozen Tater Tots

Published: Jun 18, 2023 · Modified: Jun 29, 2023 by Julianne · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · Leave a Comment

25 shares
  • Facebook
  • Email
Jump to Recipe -
Air fryer tater tots pin.

Air Fryer Frozen Tater Tots make a crispy and delicious side dish or snack. This easy recipe takes less than 15 minutes and can be paired with your favorite dipping sauce!

Bowl of tater tots with a small bowl of ketchup.
Serve these air fryer tater tots as an easy side dish, snack, or appetizer.

If you're feeling nostalgic for these crispy staples of the lunchroom, but you don't want to deep fry them, then look no further than your handy air fryer.

Not only is Air Frying Tater Tots both quicker and lower in fat and calories than deep frying, but it's also superior to cooking them in the oven (which takes longer and can lead to soggy bottoms).

I love that I can cook tater tots in the air fryer in less than fifteen minutes. They're kid-friendly, vegan, and perfect as a side, snack, or even a party appetizer.

Pair Air Fried Tater Tots with your favorite dipping sauce like ketchup, BBQ sauce, or even this vegan chipotle mayo!

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Equipment
  • How to serve
  • Storage
  • Top tip
  • FAQ
  • Related recipe
  • Air Fryer Tater Tots
  • Air Fryer and food safety tips

Ingredients

Here's what you need for this recipe (hint--it's just one ingredient!).

Bowl of frozen tater tots.
You just need one ingredient for this recipe!
  • Frozen Tater Tots (like Ore-Ida or a similar brand)

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Here are step-by-step instructions with photos.

Frozen tater tots in air fryer.

Place the frozen tater tots directly in the air fryer basket. Set the cooking temperature to 400F or 200C and air fryer for 10 to 15 minutes. (No need to preheat!)

Cooked tater tots in air fryer basket.

About halfway through the cooking, stop the air fryer and shake the basket. Cook until they are golden brown and crispy!

Hint: Sometimes the frozen tater tots will stick together. When you shake the basket halfway, be sure to break apart any pairs. That way every single tot will be crispy all around!

Closeup of tater tots with a side of ketchup.
Crispy, crunchy air fryer tater tots are a nostalgic treat!

Equipment

For this recipe you just need an air fryer and any kind will do. I love my Ninja Foodi Grill & Air Fryer because it has a bigger capacity.

All of my favorite products and kitchen tools can be found in my Amazon shop

How to serve

We all know that tater tots make an excellent side dish, but they're also perfect for topping a casserole--you can even substitute them for the mashed potatoes in a Lentil Shepherd's Pie.

If you're craving tater tots in the morning, why not add them to a breakfast hash or a Vegan Breakfast Burrito?

Storage

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To reheat, simply warm in the air fryer again until cooked through (2 to 3 minutes).

Top tip

Tater tots are best when crispy and crunchy. When in doubt cook them for another minute or two!

Hand dipping a tater tot into ketchup surrounded by tater tots.
Pair your air fryer taters with ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce!

FAQ

What kind of Air Fryer should I use?

Choose the air fryer that best meets your needs. Consider things like price, size, and functionality. I personally love my Ninja Foodi 5-in-1 Grill and Air Fryer, because it has a bigger capacity, which better suits my family of four.

For more info, see my post What Air Fryer Should I Buy? or check out Good Housekeeping's review of the Best Air Fryers of 2023.

Related recipe

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

  • Air fryer banana bites on a cutting board.
    Air Fried Bananas (Just 4 Ingredients!)
  • Air fryer fajita veggies in a bowl.
    Air Fryer Fajita Veggies
  • Air fryer broccolini on a plate with two forks.
    Air Fryer Broccolini (Ready in 10 minutes!)
  • Closeup of air fryer romanesco.
    Air Fryer Romanesco
Hand dipping tater tot into ketchup.

Air Fryer Tater Tots

Air Fryer Tater Tots make a crispy and delicious side dish or snack. This simple dish takes less than 15 minutes and can be paired with your favorite dipping sauce!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 4 to 6 people

Equipment

air fryer

Ingredients
  

  • 16 oz frozen tater tots (rough estimation)
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions
 

  • Set the air fryer to 400F or 200C. Add the tots directly to the basket (no need to preheat!). Cook for 12 to 15 minutes.
  • About halfway through the cooking, stop the air fryer to give the basket a shake or move the tater tots around. Sometimes they stick together when they're frozen, so be sure to break up any pairs for maximum crispiness!
  • When the tater tots are crispy and nicely browned carefully remove them from the air fryer and serve right away!

Notes

  • Nutritional info can vary depending on the brand of tater tots you buy. 
  • I usually buy a 500g bag of tater tots and cook the whole thing. Leftovers make a great addition to a breakfast scramble.
Keyword air fryer frozen tater tots, air fryer tater tots
Tried this recipe?Mention @Air.Fryer.Veg or tag #airfryerveg!

Air Fryer and food safety tips

Here are a few safety tips for cooking with an air fryer.

  • Cook food to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
  • Use oils with a high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
  • Always use oven mitts or some protective hand covering when shaking the basket or removing food from the air fryer.
  • Hot air comes out the back of the air fryer. Try to keep the back of the air fryer at least a hands length away from the wall, other ingredients, or anything else that could be damaged by heat.

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

More Recipes

  • Air fryer BBQ sandwich on a plate.
    Air Fryer BBQ Jackfruit
  • Air fryer cubed sweet potatoes in a bowl.
    Air Fryer Cubed Sweet Potatoes
  • Air fryer cubed potatoes in a bowl.
    Air Fryer Cubed Potatoes
  • Closeup of air fryer spiced pecans.
    Air Fryer Spiced Pecans (Candy Pecans)
5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Photo of Julianne.

Hi, I'm Julianne! I've been a dedicated home chef for over 20 years. I got my first air fryer in 2020, and I haven't looked back! Join me in my quest to air fry every vegan food under the sun!

You can also find me at NoSweatVegan.com.

More about me →

Popular

  • Air fryer tofu cubes.
    Air Fryer Tofu Cubes
  • Closeup of sweet and spicy air fryer Brussels sprouts.
    Sweet and Spicy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
  • Air fryer apples in a bowl.
    Air Fryer Apples (Quick + Easy!)
  • Air fryer snow peas in a bowl.
    Air Fryer Snow Peas (2 Ways!)

Web Stories

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Web Stories

Contact

  • Contact
  • FAQ

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Air Fryer Veg on the Feast Plugin

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.