6 Simple Ways to Keep Tater Tots Crispy

Many people like tater tots because they are quick and simple to prepare. They also complement a wide range of foods. However, getting your tots to be as crispy as you want them might be challenging at times.

It’s really lot easy than you think to make golden-brown, crispy potato tots, however certain approaches work better than others. This article will explain how to make your tater tots crispy and tasty regardless of the cooking technique you choose, whether it’s a microwave, a toaster oven, or anything in between.

Continue reading to find out how to create crispy tater tots every time. Also, look for the recipe at the conclusion of the post for a dinner concept that includes those crispy, golden tots.

1 – Conventional Oven

If you’re making tater tots in a standard oven, there are a few tricks you may use to get them crispy. To begin, add an additional five minutes to the cooking time specified on the package. This will make them more crunchier and more golden-brown.

Another method for cooking tater tots in the oven is to use bacon fat, or any grease for that matter. Put some of the fat on the baking sheet you want to use and melt it in the oven while it preheats.

Once the fat has liquified, roll the tater tots in it to coat them, and then sprinkle some salt on top. Also, turn your tater tots halfway through the baking time. Taking these methods will provide crispy tots that are also tasty.

2 – Toaster Oven

If you want to cook frozen tater tots in a toaster oven, the trick to having them crispy instead of mushy and soggy is to elevate them by putting them on a baking rack inside the toaster oven.

Also, if your toaster oven has a convection fan, you should definitely utilize it since it will make your tater tots much crispier. If you use convection, place your baking rack in the center of the toaster oven and reduce the baking temperature by 25 degrees Fahrenheit. You may also not need to bake them for as long if you use the convection technique.

3 – Skillet

Making your tots in a pan over the stovetop is one technique to guarantee they become crispy without using a deep fryer or air fryer. Simply add a quarter-inch of oil to the pan and heat it over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is heated, gently add the frozen tots to the pan, being careful not to splash hot oil. To avoid burning, keep moving the tater tots as they get crispy and golden.

Remove them as they finish cooking and place them on a dish lined with a paper towel.

4 – Microwave

while it comes to making food crispy and crunchy, it might be tough to achieve while cooking it in the microwave. However, there is a way for getting those tiny potato nuggets nice and crispy using tater tots, however you will need a microwave grilled cheese machine.

Grilled cheese manufacturers utilize grilling plates to crisp up food, and they work great for making your tater tots somewhat crunchy rather than mushy.

All you have to do is spray the grilled cheese maker with cooking spray or vegetable oil and season your tots. With your microwave set to high, they should be done in about five or six minutes.

5 – Air Fryer

Air fryers are fantastic for getting a crispy outer shell on those tots without all the fat. Allow your air fryer to fully heat up before adding your tater tots to ensure they come out crispy.

If you want to make sure your tater tots are crispy, spray them with cooking spray and season them with salt. To ensure that all sides of your tots are uniformly crispy, turn the basket holding them halfway through their cooking period.

Cook your tater tots for 15 to 20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit to make them nice and crispy.

6 – Deep Fryer

If you happen to have a deep fryer, you can really get some crispy (as well as unhealthy) tots. Fill the fryer approximately half full with oil, then fill the frying basket half full with tater tots.

Once the oil is heated, carefully slide the basket of tater tots into it and let them to crisp up for approximately three or four minutes. After removing the frying basket, place the tots on a paper towel to cool for a few minutes since they will be boiling hot.

Buffalo Chicken Tater Tots

If you want to transform those plain old tater tots, as good as they are, into something more meal-worthy and you adore buffalo chicken, this recipe is for you.

Here are the ingredients you will need:

• 32-ounce bag frozen tater tots
• 2 pounds chicken breast, cubed
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
• 2/3 cup buffalo sauce
• 1/2 cup ranch
• 1-1/2 tablespoons celery seeds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

To begin, preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and distribute the frozen tots onto a baking sheet, which you may oil if necessary to avoid sticking. Bake your potato nuggets for around 25 minutes, or until golden and crispy.

While your tater tots are baking, toss the chicken pieces in a dish with the olive oil and celery seeds. Then, in a heated skillet over medium-high heat, sauté them until done before pouring on the buffalo sauce and blending them all.

Set your oven’s broiler to low and position an oven rack six inches away from the heat. Serve the tater tots with the chicken and buffalo sauce from the pan, topped with Monterey Jack cheese. Place it in the broiler for about five minutes, or until the cheese has melted, and then drizzle with ranch dressing.

Final Thoughts

Tater tots are quite versatile. They make an excellent side dish for a variety of dinners, and as you have seen, they may even be the lead element in certain delectable dishes.

Now that you know how to create crispy, golden-brown tater tots in a variety of ways, you’ll most likely be stockpiling bags of frozen tots and experimenting with every technique suggested in this article to discover your favorite way to cook them.