Description
Air Fryer Cheesy Tater Tots are crispy, golden shredded potatoes mixed with sharp cheddar cheese and lightly seasoned, then formed into bite-sized tots and perfectly cooked in the air fryer for a delicious appetizer or snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Potatoes
- 4 medium russet potatoes, washed
Cheesy Tater Tot Mixture
- 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Boil Potatoes: Place the washed russet potatoes into a pot of cold salted water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes until a fork can pierce the potatoes but they still feel firm. Drain the potatoes and let them cool for about 15 minutes or until cool enough to handle.
- Grate Potatoes: Once cooled, grate the potatoes using a box grater or food processor and transfer them into a large mixing bowl.
- Mix Ingredients: Add the grated sharp cheddar cheese, all-purpose flour, kosher salt, and black pepper into the bowl with the grated potatoes. Mix everything thoroughly to evenly combine.
- Shape Tater Tots: Lay out a large sheet of parchment paper. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the potato mixture and shape it into a cylindrical tater tot shape. Place each shaped tot on the parchment paper. Repeat this process until all the mixture is used.
- Preheat Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 380°F. Lightly spray the basket with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Air Fry Tater Tots: Arrange the tater tots in a single layer inside the air fryer basket. You may need to cook in batches depending on your air fryer's capacity. Spray the tops of the tots lightly with cooking spray. Cook for 10 minutes, then flip each tot over and cook an additional 5 minutes until golden and crispy.
- Serve: Remove the tater tots from the air fryer and serve immediately while hot and melty.
Notes
- Make sure potatoes are cooled sufficiently before grating to avoid releasing too much moisture.
- If the mixture feels too wet, add a little more flour to help bind the tots.
- Use parchment paper when shaping to prevent sticking and for easier transferring.
- Spraying the tots lightly with oil helps achieve a golden crisp texture.
- These tots are best served fresh; however, leftover tots can be reheated in the air fryer for a few minutes to crisp up again.
- Sharp cheddar cheese offers a nice tangy flavor, but feel free to experiment with other cheeses like mozzarella or pepper jack.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 6 tots)
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
