Tater Tots (2024)

With deeply golden, crispy exteriors that give way to tender, creamy interiors, these homemade baked Tater Tots are a better-for-you alternative you can feel good about piling high on your plate.

If you haven’t eaten a fresh, hot, golden batch of crispy tater tots lately, let me refresh your memory: they are delicious.

While the frozen ones in the red bag are fine, today’s homemade tater tots are even better!

• Unlike traditional fried tater tots, these healthy tater tots are baked in the oven, not a deep fryer. That means fewer calories on your plate and more tots in your stomach.
• These are not regular tater tots. These are tater tots with cheese and bacon—plus a sprinkle of chives for good measure. (They remind me of miniature loaded baked potatoes and this Loaded Baked Potato Dip.)
• They’re fun and easy to make. Simply scoop and press into a mini muffin tin, and you’re done! No meticulous shaping by hand is required.

Whether you need a crowd-pleasing appetizer or a side dish to convince your picky eaters to eat their veggies, these better-for-you tater tots will hit the spot. (TheseZucchini Friesare another delicious option.)

How to Make Tater Tots in the Oven

This easy, oven-baked recipe doesn’t require mashing, piping, or frying.

All you need is a bowl, mini muffin tin, and a few simple ingredients you likely already have on hand.

The Ingredients

• Russet Potatoes. Often given a bad rap for being starch-heavy and carbohydrate-loaded, potatoes are actually a nutrient-dense food packed with protein, fiber, and vitamins, such as vitamin C and vitamin B6.

• Olive Oil. To help keep the tater tots’ interiors moist.
• All-Purpose Flour. Helps bind the potatoes, so the tater tots hold their shape and don’t fall apart after baking.

• Garlic Powder, Salt, and Black Pepper. Seasoning is key for the best tater tots taste.
• Bacon. Baked versions of fried foods often lose their indulgent appeal. That’s not the case here. Crispy bacon gives these baked tots all the savory richness they need to still feel like a special treat.

• Cheese. Go for a full-flavor, melting cheese. Sharp cheddar is my personal favorite.

• Chives. For a final flourish of color, freshness, and flavor.

• Greek Yogurt. I like to serve my tots with plain non-fat Greek yogurt, which is tangy like sour cream, but high in protein and low in fat.

The Directions

1. Cook the bacon until crisp, cool, then crumble. (Try my easy Baked Bacon in the Oven or Air Fryer Bacon.)

2. Wash and peel the potatoes. Then place potatoesin a large pot of simmering water and cook halfway.

3. Drain and letcool before grating the potatoes into a large bowl.

4. Add the olive oil, flour, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper and stir to combine.

5. Toss in the bacon, cheese, and chives.

6. Mix again.

7. Scoop and press the potato mixture into a greased mini muffin tin.

8. Bake until golden brown, remove from the oven and spray the tops with cooking spray. Flip to the other side, spray again and return to the oven until crisp. ENJOY!

Storage Tips

• To Store. Leftover tater tots can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• To Reheat. Warm gently in a 350-degree F oven until heated through and crispy.
• To Freeze. Fully baked tater tots can be frozen for up to 1 month. To freeze, arrange the baked tater tots on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer until they harden, then transfer to a ziptop bag. Reheat frozen tots directly from the freezer as directed above.DO NOTTHAW.

• Mini Muffin Pan. Not just for Brownie Bites, this muffin pan brand has been my favorite for years.
• Small Cookie Scoop. Making scooping uniform amounts of the potato mixture a breeze.
• Box Grater. For shredding the potatoes with ease (a microplane also works).

I promise that these better-for-you tater tots in the oven will far surpass anything from a frozen bag!