15 Minute Air Fryer Tater Tots
These air fryer tater tots take less than 15 minutes to make and come out perfectly crisp for the perfect quick and easy weeknight side dish!
You Will Love This
- This air fryer side dish or snack is super simple.
- Quick and easy to throw together.
- The air fryer does all the work for you.
- They get crispier faster than if you bake them in the oven.
- No preheating the oven!
If you loved this tater tot recipe, be sure to check out my Tater Tot Casserole, Tater Tot Breakfast Bake, and my Tater Tot Nachos.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Frozen Tater Tots – You can typically purchase tater tots in the freezer section of your favorite grocery store. Use whichever brand of frozen tater tots you like. If you can find them already seasoned, those will work. If not, just season them yourself!
- Olive Oil Cooking Spray – I like using olive oil cooking spray for these tater tots because it helps them get extra golden brown and crispy. It also ensures that the tots don’t stick.
- Lawry’s Seasoned Salt – We love, love, love Lawry’s Seasoned Salt in my house, but you can also use Kosher salt or any other spice blend. Dried herbs are a fun addition as well.
Instructions
Spread tater tots in an even layer in the air fryer basket or tray. Spray with cooking spray and season with Lawry’s Seasoned Salt.
Cook for 15-20 minutes or until they reach your desired crispiness. Give them a shake every 5 minutes or so to prevent them from sticking and allow them to get golden brown on all sides.
Serve with ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!
Tips
- Don’t thaw the tater tots. Tater tots cook the best right from the freezer, so there’s no need to thaw them before throwing them in the air fryer.
- Cook them in batches if you’re cooking a lot of tots. The tater tots will cook best when they’re spread in a single layer, with a bit of space in between. If you pack the tray or basket too tightly with tots, they will steam instead of crisp. Spread them out a bit to get perfectly crispy air fryer tater tots.
- The cooking time may vary depending on what type of air fryer you’re using. I use the Instant Vortex and since I like my tots a little more on the crispy side, I usually cook them for the full 20 minutes.
- Use whatever seasonings you like for these air fryer tots! Tater tots are a blank canvas and while Lawry’s is our absolute favorite, you can use any blend of flavors you like to spice these air fryer tater tots up. Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, or taco seasoning are some of our other favorites.
- This air frying method will work with any tater tot or type of potato. Depending on what brand you get, they might be called potato puffs or potato crowns. You could also use any type of fry shape.
Favorite Dipping Sauces
Ketchup is classic, but don’t be afraid to switch it up! Some of our family’s favorite dips include:
- loaded baked potato dip
- whipped feta dip
- creamy taco dip
- homemade cheese sauce
- honey mustard dressing
- creamy avocado sauce
- barbecue sauce
- ranch dressing
- yellow mustard
- guacamole
FAQ
Tater tots usually take a total of 15-20 minutes in the air fryer. It is best to shake them every 5 minutes or so to make sure they don’t stick. This will give you tots that are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
You do not have to flip tater tots in when you’re making them in the air fryer. However, you can if you want to. I find that a quick shake does the trick.
Use the air fryer! While frozen tater tots are traditionally baked in the oven on a tray, the air fryer is a great way to quickly bake them in less time AND make them crispier than if you cook them in the oven.
Storage and Reheating
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
- Reheating: You can use the air fryer to reheat the tater tots. Add them to the basket or tray and air fry them at 300 degrees until warmed through.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
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Air Fryer Tater Tots
These air fryer tater tots take less than 15 minutes to make and come out perfectly crisp for the perfect quick and easy weeknight side dish!
- Prep Time: 0 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 16 oz. frozen tater tots
- olive oil cooking spray
- Lawry’s seasoned salt or just regular Kosher salt
Instructions
- Heat air fryer to 400 degrees.
- Spread tater tots in an even layer in the air fryer basket or tray.
- Spray with with a thin layer of olive oil cooking spray.
- Sprinkle with Lawry’s seasoned salt or Kosher salt and toss to coat evenly.
- Cook for 15-20 minutes or until they reach your desired crispiness. Shake them every 5 minutes or so to prevent sticking.
- Serve with ketchup and enjoy!
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
- Don’t thaw the tater tots. Tater tots cook best right from the freezer, so there’s no need to thaw them before throwing them in the air fryer.
- Cook them in batches if you’re cooking a lot of tots. The tater tots will cook best when they’re spread in a single layer, with a bit of space in between. If you pack the tray or basket too tightly with tots, they will steam instead of crisp. Spread them out a bit to get perfectly crispy air fryer tater tots.
- The cooking time may vary depending on what type of air fryer you’re using. I use the Instant Vortex and since I like my tots a little more on the crispy side, I usually cook them for the full 20 minutes.
- Use whatever seasonings you like for these air fryer tots! Tater tots are a blank canvas and while Lawry’s is our absolute favorite, you can use any blend of flavors you like to spice these air fryer tater tots up. Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, or taco seasoning are some of our other favorites.
- This air frying method will work with any tater tot or type of potato. Depending on what brand you get, they might be called potato puffs or potato crowns. You could also use any type of fry shape.
What temperature do you set your air fryer?
I like to set it at 400 for this recipe. But if I’m cooking something else in the air fryer I sometimes will set it anywhere from 350-425 degrees and just keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn. Can’t wait to hear what you think if you give them a try, Sandy!
I swear these are better than tater tots in the oven! They take less time to make and come out super crispy on the outside and tender on the inside!