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Home » Vegetarian » Crispy Tater Tots from Scratch

Crispy Tater Tots from Scratch

May 14, 2015 by Tracy | Updated August 14, 2021 This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

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a plate of homemade tater tots with ketchup with Pinterest pin text.
a plate of homemade tater tots with ketchup and a little hand grabbing one with Pinterest pin text..
a hand holding a tater tot with ketchup over a plate of tater tots with Pinterest pin text.
a hand dunking a tater tot in ketchup with Pinterest pin text..

Skip the freezer aisle and the added preservatives. Instead, with just a few easy ingredients and simple steps, you can make your own homemade Crispy Tater Tots From Scratch!

a plate of homemade tater tots with ketchup and a little hand grabbing one.

I have a confession to make:  I. Love. Tater Tots. They're my ultimate bar food guilty pleasure. While we're not heading out to many bars these days, we learned to make our own, Crispy Tater Tots From Scratch!

While opening a freezer bag is super easy, these homemade tater tots require just a minimal amount of additional work, but without all of the added junk found in those ultra-processed foods. Whole foods, made at home - even your favorite bar food!

Ingredients Needed

potatoes, flour, egg, salt, pepper, spices on counter.
  • Russet Potatoes - Also known as Idaho Potatoes, these are the best for this recipe because they have a lower moisture content and are a high starch potato.
  • Flour - To help bind your tots.
  • Seasonings - Salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika are our favorites!
  • Oil - To fry. Vegetable oil is our go to, but you could use another high smoke point oil, too, like canola oil. Peanut oil is also great, but it will impart a bit of a peanut flavor.

Step-by-Step Instructions

peeled potato grated.

Step 1: Par-boil potatoes.

This helps soften them a bit so that they're a bit softer and cook / crisp up faster.

Step 2: Once cool, peel and grate the potatoes. We love to use the larger size on a box grater like this one.

Once your potatoes are grated, it's important to try to squeeze as much of the moisture out of the potatoes as possible. To do this, you can gently press the grated potatoes with some paper towels.

a bowl of grated potatoes with flour and spices.

Step 3: Add the flour and the rest of the seasoning and give a good mix.

a baking sheet of formed uncooked tater tots.

Step 4: Shape your tots!

The best size we've found is about 3 - 4 inches, and to use your hands. While this will mean that your hands will get messy. The tots'll shape best with clean hands, but you will need to clean your hands a few times while you shape.

a slotted spoon holding fried tots over oil.

Step 5: Fry until Crispy Tater Tots perfection!

They'll take just a couple of minutes, so you're just waiting for them to get a nice golden brown.

Homemade Tater Tots for the win!

a plate of homemade tater tots with ketchup.

Even better, serve them with some 5 Minute Homemade Ketchup! Orrr...

  • Fry Sauce From Scatch
  • Garlic Aioili Dipping Sauace
  • Onion Dill Dip
  • Homemade Ranch Dressing
a hand dunking a tater tot in ketchup.

My Tater Tot love has finally been justified with a From Scratch version! These homemade Crispy Tater Tots are a family favorite. Perfect for game night, as an appetizer, or even just a fun after-school snack.

a hand dunking a tater tot in ketchup.

Freeze For Later

One of my favorite parts of this recipe? You can totally make a big batch and then freeze them for later! That means that you can have homemade Tater Tots that are just as easy as opening a freezer aisle bag!

To Freeze: Once cooked, be sure to let tater tots cool completely. Then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 1 month.

To Reheat: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, add tots to a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until tots are fully heated through.

a hand holding a tater tot with ketchup over a plate of tater tots.

Enjoy! As always, if you make this recipe or any of my others, I love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, email me, or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!

a plate of homemade tater tots with ketchup and a little hand grabbing one.

Tater Tots from Scratch

A favorite frozen potato treat made at home!
5 from 8 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Diet: Diabetic, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6 5 tots
Author: Tracy

Equipment

  • Box Grater

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs russet potatoes peeled
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • Vegetable or Canola Oil for frying

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add peeled potatoes. Parboil for 6 minutes. Remove and let cool, completely.
  • Fill a small sauce pan with oil halfway. Heat oil on medium to 375°.
  • Once potatoes are cooled, use a box grater (with the large size) to grate potatoes into a large bowl.
  • With paper towels, gently press down on potatoes to squeeze out excess moisture. You can also use a cheese cloth for this.
  • Add flour and other spices to bowl and mix until everything is evenly incorporated.
  • Use your hands to form potatoes into 3-4 inch small tot shapes and line on a plate or baking sheet.
  • Once the oil has reached about 375° Fry in oil until crispy and then drain on papertowel lined plate.
  • Cool on a paper towel lined plate and serve with your favorite condiment!

Notes

Store and Freeze
Let cool and store in the fridge for up to a couple of days. Reheat in the oven at 400 degrees for 5-10 minutes to crisp up.  
Store in the freezer by adding tots to an air-tight container once completely cooled.  Add to the freezer and freeze for up to one month.
Reheat from frozen by adding to 400-degree oven for 15 minutes until crispy.

Nutrition

Calories: 473kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 590mg | Potassium: 655mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 167IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 2mg
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Beth

    August 16, 2021 at 7:16 am

    5 stars
    These tater tots are so yummy and crispy! SO much better than store bought and my family just loves these tasty little things! Such a hit here and we'll definitely be making these again!

    Reply
  2. Savita

    August 16, 2021 at 7:06 am

    5 stars
    These look wonderful, can't wait to try them.

    Reply
  3. Dannii

    August 16, 2021 at 7:05 am

    5 stars
    Oh my kids would love this. I am definitely going to have to try this.

    Reply
  4. Jenn

    August 16, 2021 at 6:40 am

    5 stars
    These are SO much tastier than the frozen store bought tots! We all loved these and I loved the spices in them that really set off the flavor. The kids are already requesting more!

    Reply
  5. Stephanie

    August 16, 2021 at 5:56 am

    5 stars
    My younger son LOVES tater tots (though he will tell you he doesn't like potatoes) and these were a hit! I used the shred attachment for my food processor to make easy work of shredding the potatoes.

    Reply
  6. Jennifer

    November 16, 2016 at 5:24 am

    Loving these! My kids love tater tots and those yucky fast food hashbrowns. These would also be great for my totchos!!

    Reply
    • Tracy

      November 16, 2016 at 9:29 am

      Oooh great option for the kiddos then! And omg your tatchos.... definitely making!!

      Reply
  7. Meghan | Fox and Briar

    March 24, 2016 at 11:15 am

    LOVE! I love tater tots too, and I'm not even ashamed to admit it. But I am ashamed that I have never made them at home! Pinning!

    Reply
  8. Sara | Life's Little Sweets

    March 24, 2016 at 7:40 am

    This is really good to know exspecially if you have a kiddo like me, pinning and sharing!

    Reply
  9. Kloe's Kitchen

    June 14, 2015 at 7:49 pm

    Yum! yum! yum! I love tater tots! And I am huge fan of making things from scratch! Congrats on doing these. They look fantastic! 🙂

    Reply
  10. Aruna

    May 29, 2015 at 1:43 am

    These look so crunchy! It was actually the fiery sauce that caught my eye. 😀

    Reply
  11. Michelle @ Giraffes Can Bake

    May 27, 2015 at 5:58 am

    I love tater tots! We call them croquettes here in the UK, but tater tots is way more fun! There's a bar we go to when I visit Atlanta that do tater tot nachos, and I could honestly eat nothing but those for the rest of my life!
    Gotta try these!

    Reply
    • Tracy

      May 27, 2015 at 8:30 am

      Thanks, Michelle!! Croquettes sound so much fancier! Anndd ooohh the Tatchos! They're the BEST! Next on my list! 😉 xo

      Reply
  12. skd

    May 25, 2015 at 4:32 am

    Crispy delicious treats☺

    Reply
    • Tracy

      May 25, 2015 at 11:22 am

      Indeed! 😀

      Reply
  13. frugal hausfrau

    May 25, 2015 at 12:45 am

    I have seen tots from time to time but haven't been inspired to make them at home until now. They look fabulous!

    Reply
    • Tracy

      May 25, 2015 at 11:22 am

      Aw, thank you! They were so much easier than I'd expected and super fun to make, too 🙂

      Reply
  14. Selma | Selma's Table

    May 17, 2015 at 3:37 pm

    Oh dear - we might be the tot twins - never saw one that ! could pass up! So I'll just take that tray off your hands and ahem, pass them round the Fiesta Friday party goers. Not. Thanks so much for this - how fabulously easy to make these at home!

    Reply
    • Tracy

      May 19, 2015 at 7:02 am

      Thanks, Selma my tot twin! 😉 I hope you have a fabulous week!

      Reply
  15. Kaila (GF Life 24/7)

    May 16, 2015 at 3:59 pm

    Your tater tots look delicious! And, I love how you made them from scratch. We make a lot of side dishes like this from scratch so we have control over what allergens end up in the dish. After reading your recipe, I love how much creativity you can have with this recipe from the spices you use, etc. Happy FF, and have a wonderful weekend!

    Reply
    • Tracy

      May 16, 2015 at 6:09 pm

      Thanks, Kaila! Being able to control exactly what's in something is one of the main reasons to cook from scratch! You can totally do sooo much with the spices and flavors for these guys. Happy FF!! 😀

      Reply
  16. Lily Lau

    May 16, 2015 at 11:43 am

    Mouth watering so much right now! What have you done to me, Tracy!? 😀

    Reply
    • Tracy

      May 16, 2015 at 12:53 pm

      Hahaha! I'm always happy to induce mouth watering! 😉

      Reply
  17. Julie is HostessAtHeart

    May 16, 2015 at 9:28 am

    I just love this idea! You make any ole flavor you want! Bacon and onion or cheese? Oh my!

    Reply
    • Tracy

      May 16, 2015 at 12:52 pm

      YES Julie, totally! I was actually thinking after I made them that some nutritional yeast would have been fun to add a little 'cheesyness' 😀

      Reply
  18. Dini @ Giramuk's Kitchen

    May 16, 2015 at 5:53 am

    Those look absolutely beautiful Tracy! I can't wait to try to make these... I LOVE tater tots!!

    Reply
    • Tracy

      May 16, 2015 at 12:51 pm

      Thank you, Dini! Me tooo 😉

      Reply
  19. Thao @ In Good Flavor

    May 15, 2015 at 7:35 pm

    Fresh tater tots straight from the frying pan? It doesn't get any better than that! These look delicious!!

    Reply
    • Tracy

      May 15, 2015 at 8:24 pm

      Sooo true Thao!! Thanks so much for stopping by! 😀

      Reply
  20. Susan

    May 15, 2015 at 5:48 pm

    YUUUM!! These look wonderful! I loooove tots too!

    Reply
    • Tracy

      May 15, 2015 at 8:24 pm

      Tot date soon, please!!! 😉

      Reply
    • Amanda @ The Chunky Chef

      May 20, 2015 at 1:26 pm

      Just wanted to drop a note to let you know that I've chosen this fantastic post to be featured on this week's Friday Favorites at 9pm (EST)! 🙂

      Reply
      • Tracy

        May 21, 2015 at 7:48 am

        Awwwwww!!! Thank you so much! That's so exciting! 😀

        Reply
  21. Amanda @ The Chunky Chef

    May 15, 2015 at 6:18 am

    Tracy, you. are. awesome!! Those tater tots look SO good 😀 Pinning 🙂 Thanks for sharing this recipe with Friday Favorites, we love having you join us each week 🙂

    Reply
    • Tracy

      May 15, 2015 at 6:55 am

      Thanks so much, Amanda!! Thanks so much for having me! 😀

      Reply
  22. Jhuls

    May 15, 2015 at 2:21 am

    Hey, Tracy! You got some cute treats here. I just saw Tater Tots from Bryan Talbot and I think they are just amazing. Super easy to make, too. I thought Tater Tots need this special cylindrical something to shape them, but yours are just gorgeous. Thanks for sharing! 😉

    Reply
    • Tracy

      May 15, 2015 at 6:56 am

      Aw thanks, Jhuls!! Oh man a cylindrical shaper would have made these guys even easier!! Happy FF! 🙂

      Reply

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I'm here to help take the fear out of from scratch, whole foods cooking & share easy to make, approachable recipes that you can get excited about making! Read More…

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