What Do Tater Tots Taste Like?
This post may contain affiliate links which means that, if you choose to make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tater tots might be known for being a common food in the US, but their unique taste is what sets them apart from any other potato dish. The general way to prepare it is by shredding potatoes and frying them in square shapes. But what do tater tots taste like?
Tater Tots may taste similar to poached french fries, having a deep-fried potato taste. But they have a unique taste profile of their own. They are quite savory, salty, and very satisfying. What sets tater tots apart from other potato appetizers is their crunchy outer and smooth mushy inner texture. Based on the seasonings used, they may have a slightly different taste from one recipe to another.
Tater tots have so much more to them than just being finger food. It usually comes in frozen packets, but you can make them easily at home and have the same mouth-watering flavor. Let’s see what makes up the taste of a tater tot and how you can make them at home.
What Gives Tater Tots Their Unique Taste?
Just like french fries and potato wedges, tater tots are another favorite side dish for many Americans. So, if you are not from the US or just have never tried these, you may wonder what sets them apart from the hundreds of other deep-fried potato snacks.
Well, as with any food, describing a taste through text might not be very effective. But, the closest comparison I can make is poached french fries. These are boiled until they are about to crumble and then fried or baked once. The pre-fry boil is what gives them the ultimate crunch and a soft fluffy inner texture.
Tater tots are sort of like that just on a whole different level. These are boiled and mashed with spices. Then fried into finger-like shapes. Mashing the potatoes gives the pieces an irregular outer texture which makes them extra crunchy after they are fried,
And when you bite in you get that smooth and mushy spicy potato that almost melts in your mouth like the filling in a potato chop. This is a taste and texture combination that you don’t really get in any other potato snack. And that is exactly what makes tater tots so unique.
How To Make Tater Tots At Home?
Frozen tater tot packs are all over supermarkets. They are easy to find, make, and eat. But do not throw away the idea of making a batch by yourself. You can even tweak the recipe to make it a heartier meal for any time of day. Let’s get into a classic homemade tater tot recipe.
Here are the ingredients you will need.
– 2 lbs peeled russet potatoes
– 1 tbsp AP flour
– Garlic powder
– Onion powder
– Dried oregano
– Dried dill
– Parmesan cheese
– Kosher salt and ground pepper as much as you need for taste
– 1 cup vegetable oil for frying
– Chopped parsley for garnish
– Additional garnish like cheddar cheese, and taco seasoning
Now that you have your ingredients at hand, here is how to make the tots step by step.
Step 1: Take your russet potatoes. Wash them and quarter them so you can use them as parts.
Step 2: Boil the potatoes until they are tender and let them cool. Once they are cool, mash two of the quarters and shred the rest.
Step 3: Combine your potatoes carefully, and mix in the seasonings. You can use each seasoning as you see fit. You can also put cayenne pepper for an extra kick.
Step 4: Divide the mixture into tater tots by taking about 1 tablespoon of mixture for each tot.
Step 5: Shape the parts into tater tots using your hands, and place them in your baking sheet or air fryer basket.
Step 6: Preheat your air fryer to 400 F, and cook your batch of tater tots for 7-9 minutes. In the oven, preheat to 425 F and bake for 20-25 minutes. And if you are frying, preheat your cooking oil to 375 F and cook for 3-5 minutes. Look for the golden exterior to see if they are done.
Step 7: Repeat the process for the rest of the recipe. When they are done, garnish with cheese and herbs. Enjoy!
Tips To Make Your Tater Tots Taste Better
You can always elevate a recipe to get the best flavors out of it. This rule also applies to tater tots. So what are the ways to make them taste better at home? Here are the tips that you can use to get the best tastes for homemade and frozen tater tots.
– Before you put your tater tots into the oven or under heat, make sure to spray some oil to get the extra crunch.
– Use corn starch or a bit of baking powder to make the shell of the tater tots crispier.
– When you are cooking them in the air fryer, make sure there is enough space between each tater tot so the air can flow better.
– Once cooked, you can keep the tater tots warm by putting them in the oven at 250 F.
– You can refrigerate homemade tater tots for about 3 days, and then reheat them in the broiler to bring back the texture.
– Make dips! You can make easy dips that do not take more than a couple of minutes to go with your tater tots—it does not always have to be ketchup.
What Compliments The Taste Of Tater Tots: 4 Recipes
If you thought tater tots could only be eaten as finger food, you were wrong. The popular potato dish is a favorite because of how easy it is to make. But can you make it better by making other foods out of it? Certainly! How to do that? I am here to show you exactly how.
The most classic recipes for tater tots are American classics. Casseroles (yes, with tater tots), pizzas, burritos, sandwiches, or even nachos—you can make it all. While I cannot show you every recipe, here are some of the ways you can get creative with your leftover tots.
Tater Tot Casserole
A classic casserole is a mix of vegetables and leftovers with seasonings, cooked in the oven. It is just the same for a tater tot—even though it might be a bit unhealthy. Oh well, the taste beats it. Just take your leftover tater tots and put them in a casserole dish along with green beans or other veggies you like.
You can add some cut-up sausage, ground beef, or turkey and add it to the casserole. Pop it in the oven, and you have your tater tot casserole!
Tater Tot Pizza
You might be wondering if the tater tots are used as the crust or on the pizza as toppings? It can be both. But you can make it more fun by using the tater tots as the crust for your pizza. Just use toppings like bacon and eggs to make it a bit healthier. You can even make it a veggie tater tot pizza to make it tasty as well as good in nutritional value.
Tater Tot Sandwich
Just like fries, tater tots can go inside a sandwich. Even though the idea is more popular in Britain, no one can deny the extra texture and flavor the tots will add to any sandwich. It works the best in a cheesy sandwich—grilled cheese is the winner. You can use it in ham and cheese, or turkey cheddar sandwiches for the best taste.
Tater Tot Nachos (Totchos!)
‘Totcho’s are more popular than you think. In this recipe, you will just substitute the tater tots for the nachos. It might sound a bit unhealthy, so for this one, vegetables are the way to go. Take a plate and pile the leftover tater tots on it. Add nacho toppings like beef, cheese, and salsa. For a healthier version, use chicken, and lettuce, along with other ingredients.