Air Fryer Tater Tots

Dude.... crispy, crunchy,  Air Fryer Tater Tots -  without using a single drop of oil?

Get ready folks ... because these little guys are THE BOMB!

I happen to love watching Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives, and last night this gal made the most mouth-watering tater tots I'd ever seen.  You better believe I'm not just sitting there ....heck no I'm taking notes!  And I knew I was going to have to try these in my new Air Fryer.

People ask me why I watch Triple D, because it's usually very focused on meat dishes.  Well every now and then a little gem like this pops up..... something that I instantly know I can tweak a little to make it vegan or oil free.  And even if they are showing something I know I'll never eat.......there's usually a cool looking sauce or dip.

I actually get a lot of ideas from shows like these.  I like Bobby Flay too, and Alton Brown's Good Eats.

Remember,  I'm all about taking everyday comfort foods, and converting them into healthier versions we can eat....like these Tater Tots.   So the more ideas I can get, the better.

As far as these Tater Tots are concerned, I seriously can't describe how good these are..... these little balls of crunchy potato goodness.  I mean who woulda thought?  

Handmade Tater Tots.... without using a single drop of oil?  Guys, it just doesn't get any better than this.

You ready for this one?

Let's do it.

Air Fryer Tater Tots

We're going to start with some Russet Potatoes, and keep in mind that each large potato will yield about 7 tots.

First, preheat your oven to 400 ° F, then add 2 Tbs of hot water to 2 Tbs of Dehydrated Chopped Onions and set aside (or mince about ½ cup fresh onion and set aside).

Peel and clean 3 large Russets or Idahos.  We're going to grate these potatoes directly into a large bowl of cold water.  This helps prevent browning, and we also want to rinse off as much starch as we can.  Once the potatoes have been grated and are soaking in the cold water, strain and rinse.

I dumped mine into my colander to strain, which frees up the bowl I was just using to place my dried potatoes back into.

Reach into the colander and grab a handful of potatoes and SQUEEZE as much water out as you can.  Transfer these potatoes back into the now empty bowl, and continue until all the potatoes have been transferred.

Add 2 Tbs of Corn Starch to the squeezed out potatoes and mix throughly.   Transfer this potato mixture onto a baking sheet and bake at 400° F for 20 minutes.  Not only does this further dry the potatoes out which adds a nice texture, it also steams them a little.

Let the potatoes cool, and season with the onions, 1 tsp Garlic Powder, 1 tsp Garlic Salt, and 1 Tbs minced Chives.  Mix thoroughly.

For the last step I used what is called a Melon Baller, or a Cookie Scoop will work too.  I just added one in my Amazon Store so you can see what I'm talking about.  They are handy, but if you don't have any fancy gadgets like this no worries... you can just use your hands.  Just grab about 1-2 Tbs or so of potato mixture and form into a ball.  (wet hands helps prevent sticking).

Place the balls into your air fryer as you make them.  Each ball should be slightly smaller than a golf ball, or the size of ½ an egg.

Finally, simply Air Fry at 350° for 20 minutes, or until crispy.  (Note:  start pulling the basket for a quick shake and to check for doneness after 10-15 minutes)

Note:  For those of you who do not have an Air Fryer, I did try to make these in my regular Toaster Oven......not the same....not even close.  The bottoms got crispy, but nothing else.  If you have a convection oven - that might work.  If so, please let me know.  

There you have it - crispy, crunchy, handmade Tater Tots without a single drop of oil.  For dipping I like straight up Ketchup, although my Cool Vegan Ranch Dressing might be pretty good too.

Next up - yes those Christmas Tamales are coming - but this recipe just begged to go out first......so stay tuned.

Air Fryer Tater Tots

★★★★★ 4.4 from 10 reviews

• Author: Chuck Underwood
• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 3 people 1x
• Category: Snack
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Dude.... crispy, crunchy,  Air Fryer Tater Tots -  without using a single drop of oil? Get ready folks ... because these little guys are THE BOMB!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 large Russet Potatoes ((cleaned and peeled))
• 2 Tbs Dehydrated Chopped Onion ((or ½ cup freshly minced))
• 2 Tbs Corn Starch
• 1 Tbs Chives ((minced))
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Garlic Salt

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Add 2 Tbs of hot water to 2 Tbs Dehydrated Onions and set aside.  Or, finely mince ½ cup fresh onions. 
3. Peel and wash 3 large Russet Potatoes
4. Grate potatoes into a large bowl and add cold water to cover.  Strain potataoes through a colander and rinse. 
5. Grab a handful of the drained potatoes and squeeze out as much water as you can.  Place these potatoes back into the bowl. 
6. Add Corn Starch to potatoes and mix thoroughly.
7. Spread potatoes evenly on a baking sheet and bake in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.
8. Allow to cool, and then sprinkle on the onions, garlic powder, garlic salt, and chives.  Mix well. 
9. Using wet hands, or a melon baller, scoop 1-2 Tbs of potato mixture and form a tight ball.  Place into Air Fryer basket. 
10. Air Fry at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until browned.  Pull basket occasionally for a quick shake and to check for crispiness.

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Notes

Tips are always welcome!

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