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5 from 3 votes

Tater Tots Recipe

Making tater tots from scratch is so much quicker and easier than you think. You'll never buy frozen again!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven
  • Food Processor
  • Baking Sheet
  • Deep Frying Thermometer

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Russet potatoes peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley optional, for garnish

Instructions

  • Place the potatoes in a Dutch oven or large pot and cover with water. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook until the potatoes are barely fork tender, 6-10 minutes.
    2 pounds Russet potatoes
    2-inch pieces of potato in a white and black dutch oven.
  • Drain the potatoes in a colander, then transfer them to a clean kitchen cloth in a single layer to dry.
  • Once the potatoes are cool, transfer half of the potatoes to a food processor. Pulse until the potatoes are chopped into ¼ inch to ⅛ inch pieces. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the remaining potatoes.
    food processed potatoes in a glass bowl.
  • Gently fold in the cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
    1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon onion powder
    tater tot mixture in a glass bowl.
  • Form the potatoes into 1-inch long logs and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
    20 shaped tater tots on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot until it reaches 350°F. Fry the tater tots in batches, being careful not to crowd the pot, until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the tots to a paper towel lined sheet pan to cool.
    1 quart vegetable oil
    tater tots frying in a white and black dutch oven.
  • Sprinkle with extra salt, parsley, and serve!
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
    fried tater tots on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Video

Notes

Yield: This recipe yields 50-60 tater tots. A serving is 12-15 tots.
  • In step 1, start timing the potatoes after the water boils.
  • Take care not to overcook the potatoes in step 1; otherwise, you'll end up with mushy tots. You want them just fork tender, not falling apart.
  • If you don't have a food processor, you can grate the potato pieces on a box grater.
  • You can use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to ensure your tots are uniform in size. Mine are about 1½ tablespoons each.
  • When frying the tots in batches, make sure the oil returns to 350°F before adding more tots.
Storage: Store tater tots in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 12tots | Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 595mg | Potassium: 972mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 172IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg