Homemade Tater Tots

Skip the frozen aisle and make Homemade Tater Tots. It’s easy! No fancy equipment needed, just potatoes, cornstarch and seasonings of your choice.

When it comes to potatoes, I will eat them any which way I can get them. I love potato chips, french fries, baked potatoes, twice baked potatoes, creamy homemade mashed potatoes and oven roasted red potatoes.

But when I am out at a restaurant and see the words “Tater tots” on the menu, I cannot help myself. An up-charge for substituting tater tots for french fries? TAKE ALL MY MONEY.

I love them. My kids love them. My friends love them. Their kids love them. Basically, the bitesized pieces of fried potato goodness are a favorite for everyone. And yes, you can buy frozen tater tots at the grocery store and I often do. But those are usually lacking flavor, can sometimes be too small and are just not nearly as fun to make!

What ingredients do you need?

Before we get to just how easy tater tots are to make homemade, let’s talk about ingredients you’ll need. It’s literally 6 if you count salt and pepper. 

To make them you’ll need: 

Russet Potatoes: Just classic ol’ russet potatoes work best for this recipe. You’ll want to peel them too. 

Cornstarch: Other tater tot recipes call for flour to hold everything together. I personally love that cornstarch makes fried food a bit crispier so I use that instead. It works just like flour and it makes these tater tots gluten free. 

Seasonings: This recipe calls for granulated (or powdered) garlic, salt, pepper and paprika for a hint of smokiness and color. 

DES’ TIP: The seasonings is where you get to be the most creative with this recipe. Use this recipe as a base but add whatever seasonings you like best. You could add dill, or rosemary or thyme. You could also do a spicy cajun version like my favorite restaurant tots ever, the McMenamins Cajun Tots. If you use a seasoning blend that has salt, omit the additional salt in this recipe. 

How do you make Tater Tots from scratch?

Not only are tater tots fun to make at home, they are also SUPER easy to make. These step by step photos and instructions will show you just how easy!

STEP 1: Peel the potatoes and place them in a large pot of water. Bring to a boil and boil just until par-boiled. 6.- 7 minutes.

DES’ TIP: Be careful not to overcook the potatoes. They still need to be firm to grate. 

STEP 2: Remove potatoes and place on a paper-towel lined surface. Pat them dry and allow them to cool to the touch. 

STEP 3: Once potatoes are cool, grate the potatoes. Use the larger side of the grater. 

STEP 4: Combine the potatoes with cornstarch, paprika, granulated garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well until combined. 

STEP 5: Using about 1 tablespoon of the mixture, form into “tot” shape. 

STEP 6: Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed pot to 400 degrees. Fry the tater tots in batches until golden brown, 2 – 3 minutes. Transferring the cooked tots to a cooling rack in a warmed oven to keep warm. 

DES’ TIP: Like any fried food, it is important to avoid overcrowding the pan. Putting too many tots in at one time will result in them steaming more than frying and they won’t get nearly as crispy. 

Traditionally, Tater Tots are deep fried. However, you can also make this recipe in the air fryer. Simply spray them lightly with non-stick spray and cook them at 390 degrees for about 15 minutes, shaking every 5.

I can’t talk these babies up enough. I served them with burgers and my kiddos devoured them. But don’t just take my word for it! Try them yourself, you’ll be glad you did.

Looking for something other than ketchup to dip these Homemade Tater Tots in? I’ve got you covered!

Homemade Ranch Dip 

Garlic Aioli

Horseradish Cream Sauce

Homemade Tarter Sauce Recipe

Like this potato recipe? Be sure to check these out! 

Roasted Red Potatoes

Jo Jo Potato Wedges

Pressure Cooker Potatoes

Creamy Mashed Potatoes