Easy Air Fryer Potato Puffs (Tater Tots)

Air Fryer Frozen Potato Puffs are so crispy. Let me show you how to make tater tots in the air fryer including air fryer Alexia Potato Puffs!

Potato Puffs, also known as tater tots, are a crispy side dish that goes well with many dinners. You can find them in the frozen food aisle in many different brands.

I've used many different brands of frozen potato puffs in the air fryer including Alexia Potato Puffs in the air fryer. They all air fry just fine at the same temperature and about the same time. I've included an example of how the Simple Truth Potato Puffs look compared to the Alexia Potato Puffs.

The best part about air fryers is that they cook food quickly and they use hot air to crisp it up instead of deep frying food. I use the Ninja Foodi Grill to air fry the crispy potato puffs.

Air-fried tater tots is the best way and quickest way to make tater tots, but, if you don't have an air fryer, these can be made on a baking sheet in the oven.

Another Air Fryer recipe you might like is Air Fryer Crab Rangoon or Air Fryer Garlic Croutons.

Are Potato Puffs the same as Tater Tots?

Potato puffs is just another name for tater tots. I’m fact, many countries have different names for tater tots. In Australia they are often called “potato gems” and in England, “potato crunchies.”

It’s really interesting to see so many names for tater tots such as, “potato pom poms,” "tater puffs," "potato royals," and “spud puppies.” I think I may start calling them potato pom poms just for fun. In this post I use potato puffs and tater tots interchangeably.

There are some homemade potato puff recipes that use mashed potatoes, but the ones I've found in the store are all exactly like tater tots. I hope you enjoy this frozen potato puffs recipe.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Air Fried tater tots cook much faster than the oven and are the crispiest tater tots!
• Cooking tater tots in the air fryer is healthier than deep-fried tots or french fries.
• Add toppings such as chili or taco meat to your tots to change up the way you serve them.

Recipe Ingredients

You'll need the following ingredients to make Air Fryer Potato Puffs.

Potato Puffs or Tater Tots are made from potatoes and are crispy on the outside and soft in the center.

Salt to add to the flavor of the potato puffs.

Avocado oil or vegetable oil is optional. I don't use oil on these and they still have an incredible crunch. However, if you want a more "deep-fried" taste you can spray them with a little bit of oil.

How to Make Potato Puffs in the Air Fryer

Here are some quick visual instructions for the perfect tater tots. The full recipe with ingredient measurements is at the bottom of this post.

Preheat the air fryer. I use my Ninja Foodi Grill.

Put the frozen potato puffs in the preheated air fryer basket in a single layer.

Air fry potato puffs for 11-13 minutes until they are golden brown and crispy.

Pro Tip: Cooking time may vary slightly with different models of air fryers.

Sprinkle the air-fried potato puffs with salt.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. In the picture below you can see a slight difference between the Air Fried Alexia Potato Puffs (on the bottom of the plate) and the Simple Truth Potato Puffs on the top of the plate. Both were delicious!

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• The cook time may vary based on your model of air fryer.
• In a larger air fryer you should be able to fit them in a single layer. For smaller air fryers you can make two batches, or just make sure you go in a few times to give it a good shake and move the potato puffs around. You may also need to add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.

Storage and Reheating

• Storage: Store leftover tater tots in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Reheating: Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F and air fry tater tots for 2-3 minutes. Keep a close eye on them because they can brown quickly. Don't microwave leftovers, they will become soggy tater tots. Check out this post on Reheating French Fries in the Air Fryer
• Freezing: Put the cooled potato puffs in freezer bag. Squeeze out any remaining air. Store in the freezer for 4-6 months. When ready to use, thaw the potato puffs and then air fryer them at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 2-3 minutes.

Substitutions

• Frozen Sweet Potato Puffs, also known as sweet potato tots, can be a healthier substitute to traditional tater tots.
• Frozen Potato Crowns (tater rounds) are very similar to potato puffs, but they have less inner fillings. So you end up with more crisp on the outside. Air Fryer Tater Crowns cook slightly quicker than tater tots because they are thinner.
• Frozen French Fries are also a great side dish to keep in the freezer and quickly heat up in the air fryer.
• Frozen Sweet Potato Fries is a healthy alternative to regular fries.

Variations

Try some of these variations and favorite seasonings for crispy air fryer tater tots.

• Seasoned Tater Tots: Mix ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder and onion powder with a pinch of black pepper and salt. Sprinkle it evenly on the tater tots. Air fry potato tots as the recipe is written.
• Air Fryer Loaded Tater Tots: Add crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, sour cream and green onions on top.
• Taco Tots: Add cooked taco meat, cheddar cheese, salsa, and guacamole on top. You can also sprinkle some taco seasoning on the tots 3 minutes before they finish cooking.
• Chili Tots: Ladle some homemade chili on top like this Texas Roadhouse Chili Recipe. Finish with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and red onion. These make the best air fryer tater tots!
• Tater Tot Nachos: Add refried beans, nacho cheese and salsa on top of the tator tots.

Dipping Sauce for Crispy Tater Tots

Here are a few ideas of what sauce goes well with these delicious potato puffs.

• Homemade Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Sauce
• Ketchup
• Honey Mustard
• Fry Sauce

What Do Delicious Air Fryer Tater Tots Go With?

Enjoy this potato side dish with your favorite main course.

Old Fashioned Sloppy Joes are a quick and easy meal and potato puffs are the perfect side dish.

Fall off-the-bone, oven-baked, Baby Back Ribs or BBQ Pork Spare Ribs are the perfect pairing for air fryer potato puffs.

Hot Dogs and Burgers are easy weeknight meals and both got great with air fryer tater tots. Try these Air Fryer Burgers!

Panko Chicken comes out of the oven nice and crispy, just like these tater puffs.

Frequently Asked Questions

More From Thyme for the Table

I hope you enjoy this air fryer tater tot recipe! Follow on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Let's cook together on YouTube! See you there! Don't forget to tag me so I can see what you are making!

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