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

5 Ingredients or Fewer

by: CamillaMMann

November18,2013

4

2 Ratings

  • Serves 4

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

For a reason I can't talk about here -- envision four men loose in San Francisco at a friend's bachelor party! -- I've been thinking about tater tots.

Recipes I found varied from using mashed potatoes rolled in potato chips (ummm...no thanks!) to using shredded potatoes.

Then I received a 5-pound bag of freshly-dug red potatoes from BlackGold Farms as a thank you for participating in a week-long event that involved over 30 bloggers and 115 recipes. So, I took it as a sign to get cooking...and experimenting with homemade tater tots. —CamillaMMann

Test Kitchen Notes

The parmesan and garlic make for a tasty take on tater tots. I mashed up the roasted garlic to make a paste that would more easily distribute in the potato mixture, and I found that a quick spritz of olive oil from the oil mister helped to brown the tots (but they taste great either way). This would be a great project to do with kids, who would have fun shaping their very own tater tots. I sure did! —vvvanessa

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 3 large red potatoes (1 1/2 pounds)
  • 2 cloves of roasted garlic
  • 1/2 cupshredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1 dashfreshly ground sea salt
  • Olive oil for greasing pan
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
  2. Scrub the potatoes clean and roast until they are fork tender. Cool them rapidly by plunging them in ice water. Change the water, and repeat, until the potatoes are cool.
  3. Shred the potatoes on the large holes of a box grater. You can peel them first; I didn't.
  4. Place the other ingredients into the bowl with the grated potatoes and use a fork to fully combine everything.
  5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and rub it with a layer of olive oil.
  6. Preheat oven to 425° F.
  7. Using about a teaspoon of the potato mixture, form it into a cylinder about 1 inch long. Place on baking sheet and repeat until all the tots are made.
  8. Bake about 35 to 40 minutes, turning once about 20 minutes into the cooking time.
  9. Serve hot with ketchup.

Tags:

  • American
  • Potato
  • Parmesan
  • 5 Ingredients or Fewer
  • Fall
  • Vegetarian
  • Breakfast
Contest Entries
  • Your Best Recipe with Potatoes

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • RavensFeast

  • Buzz

  • randyrmarks

  • Ladystiles

  • Kim Steffen

53 Reviews

RavensFeast November 16, 2018

Absolutely delicious! A bit painstaking in preparation but given a lazy Sunday, a fun and very tasty project.

Buzz October 16, 2017

have made these using re-hydrated hash browns---works great--even have mixed in some sharp cheddar on occasion

randyrmarks March 30, 2017

Really great. I used mashed garlic confit and they were luscious. Thanks.

Ladystiles December 17, 2015

These are really wonderful. Simple and delicious.

Kim S. August 10, 2015

Another Food52 masterpiece. I used russets and Pecorino Romano because it's what I had. They were fun to make and cooked perfectly. My co-workers are going to demand them every week. Sigh. :)

Douglas B. February 16, 2015

Like candy !

Douglas B. January 1, 2015

these were super yummy. I failed to oil the wax paper. They stuck so be sure to oil under theses tots !!!

pennyolsen October 23, 2014

What about panko crumbs? Thanks.

chez_mere October 23, 2014

That should work as a binder, but you might want to add a pinch more salt to make up for the lack of cheese. I'd also start out with only 1/3 c. of panko and see how it holds together (the full 1/2 c. may make it too dry). Hope it works out!

pennyolsen October 23, 2014

Love to make these without parmesan.......need a dairy free substitute. Please suggest. Thanks.

chez_mere October 23, 2014

I'd use nutritional yeast! It will add the same type of savory note and should help bind the mixture as well. I suppose you could look for a soy-based parmesan cheese as well, but I've never tried any and can't speak for their flavor

mlsparks May 6, 2014

These are wonderful!! Made them tonight, I had some chicken wings baking as well, and so I roasted the tots for the same amount of time as those (approx 45 min) and they were so crunchy and delicious. YUM!! Great Recipe, Thank you!!!

cathymartin March 19, 2014

I think the choice of reds over russets is correct; the russets are mealy and would fall apart instead of shredding. Reds and Yukon golds have a more waxy texture and hold their shape better! Just a guess--I'll have to experiment to see if my premise holds up!

Cindy A. March 16, 2014

Made these tonight- delicious! The only changes I made were boiling and then mashing the potatoes instead of roasting, and I baked them at 375 rather than 400 because they were with other dishes in the oven. Fluffy, nicely browned, and very tasty! I froze half of the little unbaked tots, and then bagged them for next time.

charles H. January 11, 2014

lol I cut up raw potatoes and bake the in olive oil salt pepper and garlic and a couple of other spices makes an excellent side dish for my Charlie's chicken

Karen O. January 11, 2014

OH, these really look good...could eat a whole bunch RIGHT NOW

tim January 11, 2014

about how long do you roast the potatoes ?

Debby January 11, 2014

Wait. I get it now. 400 to bake the potatoes and 425 for the tater tots. Sorry....Senior moment.

CamillaMMann January 11, 2014

Yes, you got it!

Debby January 11, 2014

These sound great & I want to try them, but see items #1 and #6 in this recipe. Should the oven be at 400 or 425? Thanks.

Samuel N. January 11, 2014

This is perfect! I could make all the apps for a football game, but these take center stage

Carmen January 6, 2014

These are so so good. These are a new addition to our side dishes. Love that my kiddos are able and interested to help make these.
Great recipe...thanks!

Millie |. December 25, 2013

They look delicious! Will definitely make these :)

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

FAQs

How do I get the crispiest tater tots? ›

A slightly longer cook time makes the most delicious difference in both the taste and texture of tater tots. A longer cook time will cause the tots to shrink and dry out a little, which makes them even crispier all around on the outside with a potato-y center that's more dense and creamy.

Why aren't my tater tots getting crispy? ›

You want them crispy, tater tots need to be cooked at a high temperature for this to happen. 375-400F is great, I find 375F the sweet spot to get them crispy but to also cook the inside before the outside burns.

How do they get tater tots to stick together? ›

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.

How do you keep tater tots from sticking to the pan? ›

This is a dang good tasting tater tot, if I say so myself: -Buy a bag of ore-ida tots from the store. -Line a pan with parchment paper and pour the tots in a single layer. -Spray the tots evenly with Pam cooking spray or any other vegetable or canola spray.

What to season tater tots with? ›

In a small bowl, thoroughly combine garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper. Pour the spice mix over the Tater Tots, and toss gently to coat with seasonings. Arrange coated Tater Tots on baking sheet in a single layer. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

What to put on top of tater tots? ›

Best Loaded Tater Tot Toppings
  1. Cheddar, sour cream, and chives.
  2. Jack cheese, canned black beans (well-drained), and salsa.
  3. Chicken breast (grilled and chopped), sliced celery, blue cheese dressing, and hot sauce.
  4. BBQ pulled pork (or chicken), pickled onions, cilantro.
  5. Feta, thinly sliced sweet onion, oregano.
Oct 28, 2021

Should you salt tater tots before or after cooking? ›

Olive Oil: Substitute for a neutral oil, like avocado or vegetable oil. Salt: Omit if the tots have salt added already. You can always salt them when they come out of the oven if needed.

Should you flip tater tots in the oven? ›

2Drizzle the tops of tater tots with the remaining oil, then bake until golden brown on the bottom, about 12 minutes. 3Carefully flip each tater tot — using two forks helps to wiggle any tots that are more stuck than others — then bake until the second side is golden brown, another 12 to 15 minutes.

What temperature to cook tater tots in the oven? ›

Convection: 425 °F cooking time: 8 to 12 minutes. Deep fry: 350 °F cooking time: 2-1/2 to 3 minutes. Convection oven from frozen: preheat oven to 425° F.

Why are my homemade tater tots falling apart? ›

Make sure you're tossing the basket gently to prevent the tater tots from falling apart. If you toss the basket too roughly while the tater tots are halfway cooked, they might start to break apart.

What is the best way to cook frozen tater tots? ›

To bake frozen tater tots in the oven, preheat it to 425°F (220°C). Spread the tots in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes, flipping them halfway through.

Do tater tots need to be flipped? ›

Step 8: How to bake tater tots

Carefully arrange the tots in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy. Flip the tots at the halfway mark to ensure even browning on both sides. They should be golden and crisp.

How do you make tater tots crispy again? ›

Revive your tater tots to crispy perfection. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Arrange the tater tots on a baking sheet, ensuring they're spaced out evenly. Pop them in the oven for 15-20 minutes, turning them once for even browning.

How do you know if tater tots are done? ›

Frozen tater tots are fully cooked when they are golden brown and crispy on the outside. You can also test for doneness by cutting one open to ensure the inside is hot and fluffy.

Should you thaw tater tots before baking? ›

Tater tots – Use frozen tater tots straight from the freezer without thawing first, this stops them from overcooking in the oven. Sour cream – I love adding sour cream for extra tang and flavor it's the perfect combination with scallions, cheese and potato.

Are crispy crowns the same as tater tots? ›

No, crispy crowns are different than tater tots. Crispy crowns are made from real potatoes that have been shredded and formed into a patty shape, while tater tots are usually made from mashed potatoes mixed with other ingredients.

Should you deep fry tater tots? ›

Tater tots should be deep fried for approximately 3-4 minutes. This timing allows the tater tots to become golden brown and crispy on the outside while ensuring that the inside is fully cooked.

How long should you air fry tater tots? ›

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.

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