These Homemade Potato Tots are crispy, golden nuggets of deliciousness. Perfect for a midday snack or as a side dish for your favorite meal.
Everyone loves Tater Tots, but have you ever tried making them from scratch? Trust me; it's easier than you might think! These homemade potato tots have just 5 ingredients and are super simple to make.
Plus, you can make these in advance and freeze them, just like the store-bought ones! So they are ready for a quick addition to your midweek meals.
Ingredient Notes
These notes are here to help make this recipe a success; they cover some but not all ingredients; for a complete ingredient list, check out the recipe card below.
Potatoes: Russet potatoes are the best choice for making tots as they have a high starch content, which helps them hold their shape and stay crispy when fried. You could also use Sebago or King Edward potatoes; the main thing is you want a non-waxy potato.
Salt, Onion Powder, and Paprika: These are all for seasoning. You can leave out the onion powder and paprika, but the tots need the salt. Feel free to use seasoned salts like Lawry's or chicken salt.
Oil: Use vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil. Olive oil is too strong for the subtle taste of the potatoes.
Recipe Tips
We've tested this recipe at least 3 times to ensure it works well for you, have a look at our tips for getting the best dish you can!
- You only need to parboil the potatoes for 5 minutes. This softens them enough to grate them gently but stops them from turning to mush.
- Once you drain the parboiled potatoes, don't return them to the pan. Allow them to steam dry in the colander. Allow them to cool slightly before you can grate them. They don't want to be totally cold, just cool enough to handle.
- Squeezing the liquid from the potatoes is a crucial step; this ensures the tots hold their shape when fried. Place the grated potato in a clean tea towel, and twist the ends together. Keep twisting until the tea towel is tight and the potatoes stop releasing liquid.
- Combining the flour and the seasonings first ensures that each part of your tater tot is seasoned well.
- When forming the tots, ensure they are even in size so they cook evenly.
- If the potato mixture sticks to your fingers, you can lightly coat your fingers in oil to help shape the potato tots.
Recipe Adaptions
These are all just suggestions and things that have worked in our test kitchen, but it is your dinner, so adapt it to suit your family. That is the beauty of cooking; we can all create our own delicious meals.
- Add herbs: Chives, parsley, basil, sage, and thyme are all great additions.
- Add spice: Add some chopped fresh chilies like jalapeno or habanero to your tots, or sprinkle some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper into the flour.
- Add extra vegetables: Mix grated vegetables with the potatoes for a vegetable tot- zucchini, carrot, parsnip, onion, and sweet potato are great choices.
- Add cheese: Any cheese that you can shred would be perfect. We like the sharp bite of English cheddar and the stretch pull of mozzarella. But anything that can be shredded will work.
- Change the seasonings: Swap the onion powder and paprika for other seasoning blends. Taco seasoning, jerk seasoning, ranch seasoning, fajita blend, peri peri seasoning, Moroccan seasoning, or garlic parmesan seasoning are all great ideas.
Why You'll Love These Homemade Potato Tots
- They are a healthier version of your favorite store-bought potato treat.
- Kids love them!
- They are so versatile you can add lots of different flavorings to them.
- They go with nearly every meal you can think of and can be eaten as a snack.
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How to freeze homemade tater tots?
Once the tots have been fried, place on a lined baking sheet with space around them. Put the tray flat in the freezer for two hours to harden and set. Once solid, they can be transferred to a freezer bag or suitable container. When you want them you can cook them from frozen.
Serving Suggestions
These are perfect with everything! Or just as a snack. But some of our favorite meals to enjoy them with are:
Enjoy x
If you try these Potato Tots, please leave a 🌟star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I really appreciate it, and it helps others to know that the recipe is trustworthy.
Any questions about the recipe? Use the comments section below.
Get the Recipe
Homemade Potato Tots
Ingredients
- 2.2 lb potatoes - see note 1
- 1 tablespoon AP flour
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- extra flour for dusting
- 1 cup oil -see note 2
Instructions
Preparing the tots
- Bring a large pan of water to a boil.
- Peel the potatoes, cut them in half, and cook for 5 minutes.2.2 lb potatoes
- Drain the potatoes, leave them in the colander to cool slightly (just until you can comfortably hold one)
- Use a box grater to shred your potatoes. (see note 3)
- Squeeze the excess moisture from your shredded potato.
- Mix the flour, salt, onion powder, and paprika in a large bowl until well combined.1 tablespoon AP flour1 teaspoon table salt½ teaspoon onion powder¼ teaspoon paprika
- Add the potatoes to the flour mix and stir until well combined.
- Generously flour a chopping board, then take a large handful of the mixture and gently roll it into a sausage shape. Cut the sausage into small tot-sized pieces and set aside while you finish the remaining tots.extra flour for dusting
First cook of the tots.
- Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan/heavy-bottomed skillet.1 cup oil
- Once hot, fry the potato tots for 2-3 minutes until crispy. Work in batches, allowing each batch to drain on kitchen paper as you cook the next.
- At this point, you can freeze your tots. (see note 4)
Finish the cooking
- Place the tots in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Plate in the oven and bake until hot and crispy, turning once. Cooking time varies but around 15 minutes if the tots are still hot from the oil and 25 minutes if frozen.
Notes
- Russet potatoes are the best choice for making tots as they have a high starch content, which helps them hold their shape and stay crispy when fried. You could also use Sebago or King Edward potatoes; the main thing is you want a non-waxy potato.
- Use vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil.
- I prefer the box grater because the food processor grater turns everything gluey!
- Freezing: Once formed, place the tots on a lined baking sheet with a bit of space around them. Put the tray flat in the freezer for two hours to harden and set. Once solid, transfer to a freezer bag or suitable container.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
Tyristen FibsAlot says
Is there a way to do negative stars? I've had a phone since age 4, but still cant figure this one out. I would give it less than zero if I could. Absolutely terrible!! Will never make again. DONT TRY THEM, its a waste of your ingredients/money! 🤮🤮🤮🤮
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Hi Tyristen,
I'm not sure what having a phone since you were 4 has to do with a recipe?
If you don't mind explaining why you didn't enjoy them? Maybe I could help?
Have a great day
Jessica says
Those seed oils are trash. Why not use avacado?? Even tallow.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Feel free to use tallow if you prefer 🙂
I don't find avocado oil much good for getting things crispy. And the flavor it imparts is strange.
For a large family vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil are reasonably priced oils that works well. And like they say, enjoy everything in moderation.
I am all about family meals that we can make easily at home with easy to find ingredients, and I find most people will have one of those oils in their pantry.
Cx
Jane says
These are so good! I've been making these for years. I've used different kinds of potatoes and they've all worked out great.
Giangi Townsend says
This recipe is wonderful and thank you for sharing it. I always loved potato tots but could never bring myself to buy the frozen kind at the grocery store. Your recipe is 1000 times better and so simple to make. Thank you.
Michelle says
I love tater tots but when you eat out I find they're usually oily, I'm so happy I now have a tasty recipe for them I can make whenever I want that's also healthier than the other options.
Julia says
Just curious...what kind of potatoes? I can't wait to make these today!
Claire McEwen says
You want a starchy potato that has a fluffy inside when cooked. I use Maris Piper, Dutch Cream, Classic Idaho or Russet Potatoes.
I hope you enjoy them as much as my family. I always have a tupperware of these in the deep freeze 😀
Tez says
Can I skip the baking and just fry the tots?
Claire McEwen says
I Tez, you can definitely skip the baking stage and just fry them until cooked through.
Miss Food Fairy says
Yumm! I just love tater tots & now I will have to try making them myself instead of buying them! I've pinned them to my snack board 🙂
Claire McEwen says
Thank you, I love them and I love that I can pronounce all the ingredients 🙂
mila says
I have not met a potato I did not like! I cannot wait to go stalk your potato collection! But I am VERY obsessed with these tator tots 🙂 Stopping by from Nagi's blog... you have a new follower in me 🙂
Claire McEwen says
Thank you for stopping by Mila. Always happy to meet a fellow potato lover 🙂
I hope you love the potato collection.
Sara @ Life's Little Sweets says
My family loves potato tots, they are so addictive! Pinned to my potato love board 🙂
Claire McEwen says
Thank you Sara, I agree they are definitely addictive!!!!
Ange says
brilliant!
Claire McEwen says
Thank you 😀
Katalina @ Peas & Peonies says
oh just pass me that pan, I would love to eat all of them!