Published: Last Updated: by Marye 1540 words. | About 8 minutes to read this article.
This homemade tater tot recipe is crispy on the outside and light and delicate on the inside. When you make them from scratch you can create endless varieties from cheese and bacon tots to jalapeno tots!
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Jump to Recipe
These crunchy bites of goodness are called potato gems in my vintage cookbooks but most of us know them as tater tots! Making these crispy, salty mouthfulls of goodness is easier than you might think.
Table of Contents
- they were perfect, didn't fall apart
- 🗝️ Key takeaways
- 🧾 Ingredients
- 📖Variations
- 🔪 Instructions
- 🍴 Equipment
- 🥫 How to store leftovers
- Marye's Tip
- 💭 Things to know
- 👩🍳 FAQs
- 📚 Related recipes
- 📞 The last word
- 📖 Recipe
- Pin this recipe
- 💬 Comments
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
they were perfect, didn't fall apart
This is a great "blank canvas" recipe. You can do so much with these to personalize them. I followed the recipe exactly and they were perfect, didn't fall apart. Thanks for sharing.
Giovanna
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Homemade tater tots are easy to make with simple ingredients and are even better than the store-bought kind.
- Perfect side dish with hamburgers or fried fish.
- Once you get the hang of it there are thousands of variations you can make - enjoy!
So why would anyone go to all of the trouble of making tater tots from scratch?
Well, because they are so easy, you can create endless variations (bacon tots, anyone?), and they even freeze well!
Best of all - you'll love the flavor! I LOVE them with this Jezebel Sauce or Red Robin copycat campfire sauce instead of catsup.
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full recipe in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖Variations
*You can use vegetable oil instead of peanut oil. Peanut oil is my preference and we don't have allergies.
Not only is this homemade tater tot recipe easy but you can tweak it to your heart's content. Make sure whatever you add is chopped finely.
For example, you can add:
- Cheddar cheese
- Onion
- Jalapeno
- Poblano
- Habenero
- Cilantro
- Chives
- Cheese (really any kind you like)
- Ranch dressing mix (the powdered kind)
- Add a little garlic powder or onion powder
- Taco seasoning
- Bacon
- Crab
- Shrimp
- Chopped BBQ (very small amounts)
- Make them with sweet potatoes or yams for sweet potato tots
OK — You get what I am saying, right? Experiment with your homemade version, y'all. How can you go wrong with potatoes as the base?
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.
Parboil the potatoes.
Shred potatoes and add all-purpose flour, salt, black pepper, and onions.
Form shredded potatoes mixture into tater tot shapes and add to hot oil.
Fry until golden then place on a baking tray or sheet pan covered with paper towels to drain excess oil.
🤫 My tips for shaping tater tots -
If there is any trick at all to make these tater tots it is in the shaping.
You can coarsely rough chop the potatoes in your food processor or grate them on the big holes in your grater.
I think the grater works better and gives the texture I like but try both to see what you want to do.
If you mash the mixture together too firmly you end up with the wrong texture.
If it is not shaped firmly enough you end up with something that is flat or crumbles.
I found that gently shaping about 1 ½ teaspoons of the mixture into a log was just about right.
It took me about 5 tries to get the hang of it so be patient.
🍴 Equipment
- deep fryer or large pot
- instant-read thermometer
- box grater or food processor with a grating plate
- large bowl for mixing
- slotted spoon for removing your tots from the hot oil
You can find these and more at Restless Chipotle Kitchen Basics Shop on Amazon.
🥫 How to store leftovers
These easy homemade tater tots are best when they are fresh out of the deep fryer! If you have leftovers, let cool to room temperature before refrigerating in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap.
Like their commercial counterparts, tater tots freeze well for several months when stored in an airtight container or freezer bag. I prefer to fry them before freezing but freezing them uncooked would likely be fine.
To reheat:
You can reheat frozen tots in a 400F degree oven for about 10 minutes. Watch them carefully!
Marye's Tip
Important: Once you put the tots in the oil don't move them around until they start to get golden brown. If they are jostled too much before they've had a chance to cook they will fall apart.
💭 Things to know
This homemade tater-tots recipe is one of our favorites. It's so easy to make and I love creating as many variations as I can think up!
Here are some tips that will help ensure your success.
- Use russet potatoes - they have more starch and will stick together better.
- Don't forget to parboil the potatoes but don't overcook them. You want them slightly softened but still very firm.
- Grate them gently after you parboil them - you don't want them mushy.
- If you are adding other ingredients, do so sparingly - 1 tablespoon per cup of potatoes is about right.
- You can use flour, cornstarch, or potato starch as a binder, but go easy on it.
- Chill the tater tots in the freezer for 15-30 minutes before frying if you have time.
- Use peanut oil unless someone has an allergy - it just fries better.
- Make sure your oil is new and not rancid, and definitely don't reuse oil more than once.
- Use an electric deep fryer to keep the temperature even.
- Don't overcrowd the fryer. It brings the temperature of the oil down too low. Try to keep the oil at a constant 355F-360F.
- If they seem too wet you might try making them with powdered dried onion or powdered garlic instead of fresh.
👩🍳 FAQs
Do you freeze them before or after frying?
Either should be fine. I always freeze them after frying.
What type of potato is best?
Russets, hands down! You want a very starchy potato.
My totally fell apart! Any tips on how to avoid this?
Add a little more flour and let them stand a little longer until they are gluey.... you might also chill them for awhile after shaping but before frying.
Have you ever tried grating raw potatoes then boil, then season and shape?
It makes them too mushy and doesn't work as well.
Can the mixture be refrigerated?
It can be refrigerated for 24 hours but you run the risk of the potatoes turning blackish. I don't recommend it.
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📞 The last word
I love this homemade tater tots recipe more than French fries - and if you know me you know that's saying a lot! It's an easy recipe that's perfect with just a little seasoned salt and your favorite dip on the side.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
4.57 from 72 votes
Homemade Tater Tots
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This homemade tater tot recipe is crispy on the outside and light and delicate on the inside. When you make them from scratch you can create endless varieties from cheese and bacon tots to jalapeno tots!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Amercian Heritage
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Servings:8 servings/5 tots each
Calories:68
Author:Marye Audet-White
Ingredients
- 2 pounds potatoes
- ½ tablespoon flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Pinch of pepper
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped onions
- Oil for frying, (I prefer peanut oil)
Instructions
Cut the potatoes in fourths and parboil them in a generous amount of water to cover.
Allow to cool, at least to the point you can handle them.
Grate them on the big holes of your grater.
Gently place them in a bowl.
Add the flour, salt, pepper, and onion and mix gently.
Let stand for about 5 minutes.
Heat the oil up to 355-360F
Use 1 ½ teaspoons potato mixture for each tot.
Shape the potato mixture gently until it is in the shape of a tater tot.
Fry, a few at a time, in the hot oil just until they are golden brown.
Drain on absorbent paper.
Air Fryer
Be sure to chill them first. You can also cook them from frozen.
Spray lightly with olive oil.
Preheat air fryer to 400℉.
Place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer so that the sides don't touch.
Cook for about 10 minutes or until golden, gently turning after about 6 minutes.
Notes
Bake: You can also bake them at 400F. Sweet Potatoes work well, too.
Make them gluten free: Substitute gluten free baking mix but you'll also want to add a little egg to help bind it.
Storage:
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for up to 4 days. Freeze for 3 to 4 months.
Tips:
- Grate them gently after you parboil them - you don't want them mushy.
- If you are adding other ingredients do so sparingly - 1 tablespoon per cup of potatoes is about right.
- You can use flour, cornstarch, or potato starch as a binder but go easy on it.
- Use peanut oil unless someone has an allergy - it just fries better.
- Make sure your oil is new and not rancid, and definitely don't reuse oil more than once.
- Never overcrowd the fryer.
You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 68kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 156mg | Potassium: 468mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin C: 13.1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 3.7mg
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
First published October 13, 2013. Last updated April 26, 2024 for better images, more information, and editorial improvements.
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About Marye
Meet Marye Audet, a wizard in the kitchen and a storyteller at heart. Marye is like your eccentric but fun aunt who knows all the secret recipes and isn't afraid to spill them. She's been around the culinary block more than once, turning simple ingredients into mouthwatering masterpieces. With a sprinkle of humor and a dash of wit, she makes cooking feel like a piece of cake (which she can also teach you to bake perfectly). When she's not conjuring up delicious dishes, you might find her sharing laughs with her family, reading by the fire, or scribbling down her next big recipe idea. Marye believes that a good meal and a hearty laugh are the best parts of life. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Shaheen
I recently tried making homemade tater tots, and I must say, it was a delightful culinary adventure.Reply
TheresaJ
At what point should I be freezing these? Before or after frying?
Reply
Marye
I freeze them after.
Reply
Charlie
Could these be done in the air-fryer?
Temp. and time, please.Reply
Marye
I've never done them that way but I am sure they could.
Reply
Lori Loree
I live in PV Mexico, so we don't have tator tots, but I sure miss them. Can't wait to try & devour this recipe. I hope our potatoes work here. They are very starchy so might need a bit of modifications.
Reply
Marye Audet
Let me know how they work. 🙂
Reply
Shelley Anderson
It's in the recipe.
Reply
Shelley Anderson
I've heard using a ricer gets the nice fluffiness you want. I want to make these but still haven't. I love tater tots.
Reply
Marye Audet
Yep, that would probably work really well!
Reply
Scott
Mine fell apart too. I was sceptical only using a small amount of flour as a binder. Using an egg makes more sense. That's what I did to save the rest of the batch.
Reply
Marye Audet
I am not sure why some people have made them successfully and others have not. I suspect it may be a difference in potatoes and/or not drying the potatoes enough. I am sorry it didn't work for you.
Reply
Leslie
I put foil in a cake pan and put it in the freezer for about 40 minutes then lifted it out with the foil and cut the tots. They were much easier to work with that way! Also, using a thermometer and keeping the oil in the 355 - 360 range is key. Also, do not try to move the tots in the oil until they are starting to brown. They'll fall apart if you disturb them too soon. Finally...this recipe ROCKS! Thanks!Marye Audet
That is brilliant, Leslie!
Lynn Perkins
Has anyone tried leaving the peelings on?
Reply
Marye Audet
Not that I know of ... it should work fine.
Julie
I'm wondering if maybe the people that had trouble with the tots falling apart, maybe didn't cook the potatoes long enough to get them to the starchy consistency to help them bind together better. I 've made these a few times and the consistency of the potato is important.
Reply
Marye
could be. 🙂
Brook
Can the mixture be refrigerated? If so for how long? Made a little to much and don't really want it all right now.
Reply
Marye Audet
It might darken up, Brook. I am not sure, I've never done it.
Reply
Lydia
Really good, Marye! Little sticky though.
Reply
Marye Audet
🙂 thanks.
Reply
Yannik
It is a good and simple recipe. I can't say much about the taste because I still see improvements in my work after the first try, but the direction is good.
I personally won't cut the potatoes in quarters next time though, because it's nasty grating all these small pieces and I also have to watch my fingers all the time.
Thanks for sharing this!Reply
Giovanna
This is a great "blank canvas" recipe. You can do so much with these to personalize them. I followed the recipe exactly and they were perfect, didn't fall apart. Thanks for sharing.Reply
Jackie BB
Wait -- I was impressed until I saw the suggestion, after makin' them whole and pure at home, to add a bunch of chemicals in powdered salad dressing. ? Something wrong with that picture!
Reply
Marye Audet
Not if it's homemade... which mine is. And a lot of people do use convenience foods. Nothing wrong with this picture at all. 🙂
Reply
Brett
Have you ever tried grating raw potatoes then boil, then season and shape?
Reply
Marye Audet
It makes them too mushy in my opinion
Reply
gretchen s mclaurin
My totally fell apart! Any tips on how to avoid this?Reply
Marye Audet
Hmmm... add a little more flour and let them stand a litte longer until they are gluey.... you might also refrigerate them for awhile before frying.
Reply
Tamara
What type of potato is best? Russet, yellow...?
Russet is best for making fries, but I'm just curious if you've had great results with a particular potato. Thanks!Reply
Marye Audet
I usually use russet. 🙂
Reply
Lance Miller
I'm so sick of the simplest things in the store, even frozen potatoes, having all kinds of fillers / chemicals that if refused to buy store bought Tater Tots & decided to make my own & freeze them.
Thanks for posting this recipe.Reply
Michelle
When you freeze them, is that before or after you fry them? I assume it's after they're fried, but I want to be sure. 🙂 From frozen, do you just bake in the oven as you would standard tater tots? I love tots, but hate the price and ingredient list.
Reply
Marye Audet
After. 🙂 Be sure to drain them well. Then, yes... bake just the same as commercial ones.
Reply
Sally T.
Wow these look so good and they would be GF 😉
Reply
