Prepare the Air Fryer Basket

Place 8-12 ounces of frozen tater tots in a single layer in your air fryer basket or on your air fryer tray. It’s crucial not to overcrowd the basket. Overlapping tots will steam instead of crisp, leading to a soggy result. If you need to cook a larger batch, work in multiple batches to maintain a single layer.

Air Fry to Golden Perfection

Air fry the tater tots at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes. There’s no need to preheat your air fryer for this recipe, which saves you time and energy. After 7 minutes, pause the air fryer and give the basket a good shake. This ensures all sides of the tater tots are exposed to the circulating hot air, promoting even browning and crispiness. Continue cooking for the remaining 8 minutes, or until they reach your desired level of crispness.

Adjusting to Your Air Fryer Model

Different air fryer models can vary in cooking power and efficiency. For example, smaller air fryers might cook an 8 oz batch of tater tots thoroughly in just 7 minutes, sometimes without even needing a flip! On the other hand, larger air fryer ovens, like a Ninja Foodi or Kalorik, often benefit from the full 15 minutes to achieve optimal crispiness.

If you’re using an air fryer oven, always place the tray on the top rack, closest to the heating element, for the best results. For larger batches (16-24 ounces), you might use two air fryer trays. In this case, air fry for 24-26 minutes at 400°F, remembering to switch the positions of the trays and flip the tots every 5-8 minutes to ensure even cooking across both layers.

🌡️ What Temperature Do You Cook Ore-Ida Tater Tots In The Air Fryer?

I highly recommend air frying Ore-Ida tater tots at 400°F (200°C). This is typically the highest temperature most air fryers can reach, and it’s key to achieving that desirable crispy texture quickly. The intense heat circulates rapidly, ensuring the exterior crisps up beautifully without drying out the interior. This method offers the best balance for both speed and texture, making 400°F the go-to temperature for all your air-fried tater tot needs.

👑 How to Cook Ore-Ida Golden Crispy Crowns in Air Fryer?

If you prefer the flatter, disc-shaped Ore-Ida Golden Crispy Crowns, the air fryer is still the optimal cooking method for maximum crunch. Crispy Crowns benefit from their increased surface area, allowing them to get extra golden and crunchy. To make an Ore-Ida Crispy Crowns air fryer recipe, cook them for 12-15 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Remember to flip the crispy crowns halfway through the cooking time to ensure even browning and a consistent crispy texture on both sides.

🥔 Calories in Air Fryer Tater Tots

Understanding the nutritional profile of your food is always helpful. For this air fryer recipe, one 3-ounce serving (approximately 86 grams or 9 tater tots) of Ore-Ida Golden Tater Tots contains around 130 calories. This serving also provides about 13 grams of net carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, and 2 grams of protein.

It’s important to note that the calorie count for air-fried tater tots is generally lower than deep-fried versions because you don’t add additional oil during the cooking process. They typically have a similar calorie count to oven-baked tater tots for the same reason. The air fryer utilizes the existing oils and seasonings on the frozen tots to create a crispy finish, making it a healthier alternative to deep-frying without compromising on taste or texture.

FAQs: Your Top Tater Tot Questions Answered

Are Crispy Crowns and Tater Tots the same?

No, while both are delicious potato products from Ore-Ida, Crispy Crowns and classic Golden Tater Tots are not exactly the same. Crispy Crowns are round and significantly flatter than the traditional cylinder-shaped tater tots. This design gives them more surface area, resulting in an even crispier outside with less fluffy interior, which is perfect for those who prioritize crunch!

What’s the secret to crispy tater tots?

The ultimate secret to achieving the crispiest tater tots without a deep fryer is the air fryer! The high heat and powerful fan circulate hot air around each tot, mimicking the effects of frying. The key to success is to ensure your tater tots are always arranged in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Overcrowding is the enemy of crispiness, as it prevents proper air circulation and can lead to steaming, resulting in soggy tots. Always cook in batches if necessary.

How to make Ore-Ida Mini Tater Tots (air fryer)?

Air fryer mini tater tots cook faster due to their smaller size. For best results, air fry mini tater tots in a single layer at 400°F (200°C) for 8-13 minutes. Make sure to shake the basket halfway through the cooking time to ensure even crisping. Add additional cooking time in 1-2 minute increments if they aren’t as crispy as you’d like.

How to make homemade cheesy tater tots (air fryer)?

Transform your tater tots into a cheesy delight with this simple trick: 1-2 minutes before the total cooking time is complete, open your air fryer and sprinkle your favorite shredded cheese over the hot tots. Return them to the air fryer and finish cooking until the cheese is perfectly melted and gooey. Serve immediately for maximum cheesy goodness!

How to reheat tater tots in the air fryer?

The air fryer is fantastic for reheating leftovers, especially fried foods like tater tots! To reheat refrigerated tater tots, first store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to reheat, preheat your air fryer to 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes. Then, place the cold tots in a single layer in the air fryer basket and air fry for 3-5 minutes at 350°F, or until they are thoroughly warm and have regained their original crispiness.

What’s the best dipping sauce for tater tots?

While ketchup remains the classic and most popular choice for tater tots, there’s a world of delicious dipping sauces to explore! Consider serving them with tangy barbecue sauce, rich cheese sauce, creamy Ranch dressing, fresh guacamole, spicy Buffalo sauce, or even savory marinara sauce. For a more adventurous and indulgent treat, you could create a “tater tot poutine” by topping your crispy tots with hot gravy and cheese curds, or incorporate them into a hearty tater tot casserole.

👩🏻‍🍳 Other Air Fryer Frozen Potato Recipes

If you’ve mastered Ore-Ida tater tots in the air fryer and are looking for more easy air fryer recipes, try these other frozen potato favorites:

• Waffle Fries in Air Fryer (includes sweet potato fries directions!)
• Frozen Diced Hash Browns in Air Fryer
• Air Fryer Frozen Shredded Hash Browns
• Air Fryer Frozen French Fries

You may also enjoy exploring our guide to the Best Frozen Foods for the Air Fryer for more quick meal and snack ideas.

Ore Ida Tater Tots Air Fryer Recipe (Crispy Crowns, Mini, & More)

By Summer Yule

How do you cook Ore Ida tater tots in an air fryer? Learn how here!

Ingredients

• 8-12 ounces Ore-Ida tater tots (golden tater tots, crispy crowns, mini tater tots, etc.)
• Dipping sauce (optional)

Instructions

1. Place tater tots in a single layer in your air fryer basket or on an air fryer tray.
2. Air fry for 7 minutes at 400°F (200°C), shake the basket, and air fry for 8 more minutes at 400°F (200°C). Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Notes

• Some small air fryers may cook tater tots in 7 minutes, no flipping needed.
• Crispy crowns typically take 12-15 minutes total.
• Mini tater tots typically take 8-13 minutes total.
• Use the top rack position if cooking in an air fryer oven.

Equipment

• Air Fryer

Expert Tips from Dietitian Summer Yule

This is a level 3 recipe (suitable for weight maintenance and active lifestyles). Are tater tots in an air fryer healthy? While air frying is a healthier alternative to deep frying, tater tots themselves are not the most nutrient-dense potato option. They are typically fried during processing and contain various additives, classifying them as ultra-processed foods.

As an energy-dense side dish, tater tots are not ideal if your primary goal is weight loss, as the combination of fat and carbs with minimal protein may not be very filling. This can easily lead to consuming a high-calorie portion.

However, tater tots do retain some of the nutritional benefits of baked potatoes, offering potassium and vitamin C. Despite their processed nature, they are still made from a vegetable. Most people enjoy tater tots for their convenience and deliciousness rather than for health reasons, and that’s perfectly fine in moderation!

Please note: The Ore-Ida tater tots nutrition information listed is for one 3-ounce serving (86 grams or 9 tater tots). Actual nutrition info will vary based on your portion size and the specific tater tot brand you use.

Nutrition

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