Tater tots aren’t just for eating out! Use leftover mashed potatoes to make these Homemade Tater Tots that just may be better than the fast food version.
Serve these homemade tater tots up with classic ketchup, a tangy homemade Chick Fil A Sauce, or even a creamy Homemade Ranch Dressing for an unforgettable snack or side!
Unlock the Secret to Perfect Homemade Tater Tots
There’s a universal comfort in tater tots. Those delightful, bite-sized potato cylinders, with their crispy exteriors and soft, fluffy interiors, have long been a beloved guilty pleasure for many. Whether they’re served alongside a classic burger or as a standalone snack, the allure of a perfectly fried tater tot is undeniable. For years, I, too, succumbed to their charm whenever they graced a menu, unable to resist their golden-brown perfection.
But what if I told you that the best tater tots you’ll ever taste don’t come from a freezer bag or a fast-food joint? What if you could recreate that irresistible crunch and savory potato goodness right in your own kitchen, using simple ingredients, including often-overlooked leftovers? Yes, prepare to be amazed, because making homemade tater tots is not only possible but also surprisingly easy, and the results are truly superior to any store-bought version.
Transforming Leftover Mashed Potatoes into Golden Gems
The magic ingredient in this recipe? Leftover mashed potatoes. I know, I know. “Leftover mashed potatoes?” you might exclaim, especially if your family devours them as quickly as mine does. It sometimes feels like a rare occurrence to have any remaining after a meal. However, if you ever find yourself with a bowl of chilled mashed potatoes, consider it a culinary opportunity rather than just leftovers. They are the secret to the incredibly smooth and tender interior of these fantastic homemade tater tots.
While many tater tot recipes call for grating raw potatoes, which yields a more traditional, stringy texture, there’s something uniquely enchanting about using mashed potatoes. This method creates a softer, creamier core that contrasts beautifully with the ultra-crispy breadcrumb coating. It’s a game-changer, offering a delicious twist that might just make you abandon grated potato tots forever. This recipe truly works wonders, elevating a humble leftover into a star snack!
If you don’t typically have leftover mashed potatoes, don’t despair! You can easily plan ahead. Simply make a larger batch of your favorite mashed potatoes and set aside a portion specifically for these homemade tater tots. The key is ensuring they are thoroughly chilled, as this makes them much easier to work with and contributes to the perfect texture.
Essential Ingredients for Your Crispy Tater Tots
Crafting the perfect homemade tater tots requires a few key components. Each ingredient plays a vital role in achieving that sought-after crispy exterior and creamy interior. Here’s what you’ll need, along with some helpful tips:
- Mashed Potatoes: This is the star of our show. The most crucial detail is that your mashed potatoes must be cold. Cold potatoes firm up, making them significantly easier to handle and shape into tots. If you’re mashing potatoes specifically for this recipe, prepare them several hours in advance, or even the day before, and refrigerate them until thoroughly chilled. For best results, use mashed potatoes that aren’t too thin or watery; a thicker consistency is ideal.
- Eggs: You’ll need 2 large eggs. These act as a binding agent, helping to hold the mashed potato mixture together. They also contribute to the richness and a slightly tender texture once cooked.
- All-Purpose Flour: Flour is essential for achieving the right consistency and structure. It helps to further bind the ingredients and absorbs any excess moisture, preventing the tots from falling apart during frying. The exact amount might vary slightly depending on the moisture content of your mashed potatoes.
- Salt: Proper seasoning is paramount for delicious tater tots! Don’t underestimate the power of salt. Even if your mashed potatoes were seasoned when first made, you’ll want to ensure the final mixture is well-seasoned to bring out the best potato flavor. A pinch of coarse salt after frying takes them to the next level.
- Panko Bread Crumbs: Panko bread crumbs are non-negotiable for that extra crispy coating. Their larger, flakier texture results in a lighter, crunchier crust compared to traditional bread crumbs. I highly recommend sticking with panko for optimal results, as this recipe has been specifically developed and tested with them.
- Neutral Cooking Oil: For frying, choose a neutral-flavored cooking oil with a high smoke point. Good options include vegetable oil, canola oil, grapeseed oil, or avocado oil. You’ll need enough to create about a 1-inch deep layer in your skillet, ensuring the tots are properly submerged for even browning.
Crafting Your Own Crispy Homemade Tater Tots: A Step-by-Step Guide
Making these irresistible homemade tater tots is simpler than you might think. Follow these steps for golden, crunchy perfection:
STEP 1: Prepare the Potato Mixture. In a large mixing bowl, combine your chilled mashed potatoes, eggs, and all-purpose flour. Using a sturdy spoon or your hands (which works best for mashed potatoes), mix everything together thoroughly until well combined. This is a critical moment for seasoning: taste the mixture and adjust the salt as needed. Remember, the final tots should be savory and flavorful, so don’t be shy with the seasoning. The mixture will be soft and somewhat sticky at this stage.
STEP 2: Coat and Prepare for Shaping. Pour the panko bread crumbs into a separate shallow bowl. Take approximately one tablespoon of the mashed potato mixture and gently drop it into the bowl of panko. Roll the potato mixture around in the bread crumbs until it is completely coated. The panko acts as a protective layer, making the sticky potato mixture much easier to handle and preventing it from sticking to your hands during the next step.
STEP 3: Shape Your Tater Tots. Once coated in panko, pick up the potato mixture. Use your hands to gently roll and form it into the classic tater tot shape – a small cylinder. Don’t worry about making them perfectly uniform; a rustic, homemade look adds to their charm! I find it most efficient to shape all the tater tots before moving on to frying. Place the shaped tots on a plate or baking sheet as you go.
STEP 4: Fry to Golden Perfection. Heat about 1 inch of your chosen neutral cooking oil in a heavy-duty skillet (a cast iron skillet works wonderfully here) over medium heat. Aim for an oil temperature of around 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, you can test a small piece of potato; it should sizzle immediately but not aggressively. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, carefully add some of the shaped tater tots to the hot oil. Fry them until they are beautifully golden brown on all sides, turning them frequently with tongs to ensure even cooking and browning. This usually takes 2-3 minutes per batch.
STEP 5: Season and Serve. As soon as you remove a batch of hot tater tots from the oil, transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil. Immediately sprinkle them generously with some coarse salt. The heat from the tots will help the salt adhere perfectly, enhancing their flavor. Continue this process until all your homemade tater tots are fried to crispy perfection. Serve them hot, straight from the skillet, for the ultimate experience!
Expert Tips for the Best Homemade Tater Tots
Achieving tater tot perfection is within reach with these helpful tips and tricks:
- Size Matters: We experimented with different sizes. While a 1-tablespoon size was my personal favorite for a satisfying bite, my husband preferred the slightly smaller 1/2-tablespoon tots. It truly comes down to personal preference, but remember that cook times will vary depending on the size of your tots. Smaller tots will cook faster and may be crispier.
- Mashed Potato Consistency: The consistency of your mashed potatoes is key. If they are too thin or watery, your mixture might be too loose even after adding flour. If this happens, gradually add a little more flour (a tablespoon at a time) until the mixture is thick enough to hold its shape once coated in panko. It should be sticky, but manageable.
- Oil Temperature is Crucial: Maintaining the correct oil temperature is vital for perfectly crispy, non-greasy tots. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the tots will absorb too much oil and become soggy. If it’s too hot, they’ll brown too quickly on the outside, leaving the inside uncooked. A candy thermometer is a great tool for this, aiming for 350°F (175°C).
- Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Frying in batches is essential. Overcrowding the skillet will drop the oil temperature significantly, leading to soggy tots. Give each tot enough space to fry evenly and crisp up beautifully.
- Immediate Seasoning: Always sprinkle the coarse salt on the tater tots immediately after removing them from the hot oil. The residual heat helps the salt adhere, ensuring every tot is perfectly seasoned.
- Best When Fresh: These homemade tater tots are undoubtedly at their absolute best when served hot, straight from the frying pan. The contrast between the hot, crispy exterior and the creamy interior is unparalleled.
- Reheating Leftovers: While best fresh, if you have any leftovers (a rare occurrence!), they can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. To reheat and bring back their crispness, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and warm them in a 400°F (200°C) oven or an air fryer until heated through and re-crisped. Avoid the microwave, as it will make them soggy.
- Get Creative with Flavors: Don’t hesitate to customize your tater tots! Before shaping, mix in extras like crispy bacon bits, shredded cheddar cheese, finely minced green onions or chives, a dash of garlic powder, or a sprinkle of paprika for added flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Tater Tots
Technically, yes, you can bake them. For a lighter option, spray them generously with nonstick cooking spray and bake in a 425ºF (220°C) oven until golden brown, usually about 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway. However, in our tests, they don’t achieve the same level of delicious crispiness as their fried counterparts. Frying truly yields the best texture for this recipe.
Similar to baking, air frying can crisp them up, but the results were not as good as deep frying. To air fry, preheat your air fryer to 400ºF (200°C). Spray the tots lightly with oil and cook for 10-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until golden and crispy. They will be good, but not quite the same irresistible experience as a freshly fried tot.
Yes, you can absolutely freeze them! For best results, fry the tots according to the recipe, then allow them to cool completely. Once cooled, spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer the frozen tots to an airtight freezer-safe bag or container. They can be stored for up to 2-3 months. When ready to serve, bake them from frozen in a 400ºF (200°C) oven until warmed through and crispy, about 15-20 minutes.
Creamy mashed potatoes with a good amount of butter and milk (or cream) work wonderfully. Avoid excessively thin or watery mashed potatoes, as they will be harder to form. Any additions like cheese or herbs are fine, but be mindful that very chunky mashed potatoes might not hold their shape as well.
This usually means your mashed potatoes have too much moisture. Add a tablespoon or two more of all-purpose flour to the mixture and mix well. The panko breading is crucial for making them easier to handle, so ensure they are thoroughly coated before shaping.
More Delicious Potato Side Dishes to Try
If you love potatoes as much as we do, explore some of our other favorite recipes:
Perfect Baked French Fries
Cheesy Ranch Potatoes
Crispy Baked Potato Wedges
Savory Sweet Potato Hash
Bright Greek Lemon Potatoes
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Homemade Tater Tots
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Ingredients
- 3 cups leftover mashed potatoes (cold)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- salt (to taste)
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- neutral cooking oil, for frying
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the cold mashed potatoes, eggs, and flour. Season generously to taste with salt, ensuring the mixture is well-flavored. Stir until thoroughly combined.
- Place the panko bread crumbs in a separate bowl. Take about a tablespoon of the potato mixture and drop it into the bread crumbs. Roll it around until completely coated. Once coated, use your hands to gently shape it into a cylindrical tater tot form. Place on a plate or baking sheet and repeat with the remaining mixture.
- Heat about an inch of neutral cooking oil in a heavy-duty skillet (like a cast iron pan) over medium heat until it reaches 350ºF (175ºC).
- Carefully place the shaped tots into the hot oil in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Fry, turning often, until they are golden brown and crispy on all sides. This typically takes 2-3 minutes per batch.
- Remove the hot tots from the oil and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Immediately sprinkle with coarse salt. Continue frying the remaining tots until all are cooked. Serve hot.
Recipe Notes:
**Optimal oil temperature is key. Tots should cook to golden brown in about 2-3 minutes. If they cook faster, the oil is too hot; if slower, it’s too cool. Adjust heat accordingly.
Nutrition information provided is an estimate only. Factors such as specific brands, products, and variations in cooking methods (like oil absorption during frying) can alter the nutritional values. This calculation assumes plain mashed potatoes and an estimate of 1/4 cup of vegetable oil used for frying. Please use as a general guide.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 280 kcal (14%),
Carbohydrates: 30g (10%),
Protein: 10g (20%),
Fat: 10g (15%),
Saturated Fat: 0g,
Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g,
Monounsaturated Fat: 10g,
Trans Fat: 0g,
Cholesterol: 70mg (23%),
Sodium: 70mg (3%),
Fiber: 0g,
Sugar: 0g