Hand-Formed Parmesan Tater Tots Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Why aren t my tater tots crispy? ›

For extra crispy tater tots, you can lightly spray them with cooking spray or drizzle some oil over them before baking. If you're short on time, you can increase the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C) and reduce the cooking time by a few minutes.

Preheat your air fryer for a few minutes before cooking the tater tots. Set the temperature at 400°F. Cook the tater tots for about 10 minutes until crispy, shaking the basket occasionally to ensure even cooking. No oil or fat is needed in an air fryer as it uses hot air circulation to crisp up the tater tots.

To the surprise of absolutely no one, air fryer tater tots are even better than oven-baked. They're ready in way less time, are supremely crispy and delicious, and are by far the best way to mimic deep-fried restaurant tots at home.

Heat oil in a deep fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lower potato nuggets carefully into the hot oil in batches, about 5 to 10 at a time. Fry until golden brown and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Yes, you can bake frozen tater tots without thawing them first. In fact, it's recommended to bake them from frozen to ensure they cook evenly and become crispy on the outside. What temperature should I bake frozen tater tots at? Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) before baking the frozen tater tots.

When you take a handful of tater tots and throw them into a fryer the oil is only crisping the exterior of the tots and heating them through. They're already cooked, remember? If you were to put some tater tots into a microwave they would become hot but never crispy. It takes hot fat to get them crispy.

We know that what keeps the Tater Tots stuck together is a combination of two pretty sticky things: moist starches and proteins. The more they come in contact with each other, the stickier they become, and the tighter/gummier the Tater Tots will be.

The formed tater tots are then pre-fried in vegetable oil to partially cook them and give them a crisp exterior. After pre-frying, the tater tots are quickly cooled using industrial coolers or freezers to maintain food safety standards and preserve the quality of the product.

I like to hang the basket with the food in it over the oil as the oil is heating. Then I give the basket a shake before it gets immersed. Wait a few seconds after you put the items in the oil and take a metal spoon and separate any that are stuck together. It's important to do this early in the frying process.

Why is my tater tot casserole soggy? ›

Overcrowding: If the tater tots and other ingredients are packed too tightly, they may steam rather than bake, leading to sogginess. Temperature: Cooking at too low a temperature may not allow the casserole to firm up, resulting in a soggy texture.

Preheat your air fryer to 400° for 1 minute. Then load the basket with frozen Tater Tots and cook for 7 minutes. Shake the basket well, then continue air-frying the Tater Tots for another 5-7 minutes until they've crisped up to your liking. Allow them to cool for about 2 minutes before serving.

Fry until they're golden brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally for even cooking.

The best indicator of doneness for tater tots isn't a precise time, but visual cues. You'll know the tots are done and ready when they have a deep golden-brown color with an outer crust that looks exceptionally crispy.

There's no need to add extra oil to frozen tater tots. They are already deep fried before freezing, so they will release plenty of oil to crisp up as they cook. What are tater tots? Tater tots are bite-sized little potatoey pillows made from shredded potatoes.