Cook tater tots in record time in your air fryer! They go from freezer to plate in under 15 minutes, plus there’s no need to wait for the oven or mess around with the deep fryer.
Check out our FREE air fryer calculator for an easy way to convert pack instructions from oven to air fryer!

There are some foods that I only use my air fryer to cook these days, because the results are just so much better than when they are cooked in an oven, and one of these is tater tots! (For more, check out my list of the best foods to cook in the air fryer)
What do you need?
Frozen tater tots – Pick up a bag of any frozen tater tot variety from the freezer section. Popular brands like Ore-Ida Tater Tots work great, but you can also use off-brands. Potato Gems or Potato Royals can be substituted in as well.
Olive oil spray – A light spritz or olive oil before air frying helps them get extra crispy and browned.
Salt – Sprinkle the hot, cooked tater tots with salt right when they come out of the air fryer for the best flavor.
Tip
When choosing an olive oil spray for your air fryer, look for the type that spritzes rather than an aerosol. The propellant in aerosol oil sprays can damage the non-stick coating of your air fryer.
How to air fry frozen tater tots
- Preheat air fryer to 360°F / 180°C. Preheating is important because the air frying time for tater tots is short, so you need the air fryer to be hot when the tater tots go in.
- Place frozen tater tots in the air fryer basket. Try not to overload the basket – cook them in a single layer if possible. Spritz with oil if you want them extra crispy.
- Air fry the tater tots for 8-12 minutes or until they are golden brown and crispy. Shake the basket (or quickly flip with tongs) halfway through cooking to redistribute the tots and ensure they cook evenly.
How long to air fry frozen tater tots
Exactly how long to air fry frozen tater tots depends on a few factors, including how many you are cooking, and how powerful your air fryer is.
A small batch of tater tots in a single layer in the air fryer should take around 8 minutes to cook. If you are air frying a large number of tater tots and they are piled up in the basket, then It will take closer to 12 minutes, or even longer.
Check the progress towards the end of the cooking time and, if needed, cook them for additional 2-3 minute intervals until they are just right.

Serving ideas
- Loaded up with cheese, bacon, scallions, and ranch dressing for cheesy bacon tots.
- Topped with melted cheese, chili, and pickled jalapeños for totchos.
- Mixed with scrambled eggs and sausage for a tasty potato tot breakfast skillet.
- Sprinkled with Cajun seasoning before air frying for spicy, crispy tots.
- Tossed in buffalo sauce post-fry for buffalo tater tots.
Storing and reheating
Store any leftover tater tots in an airtight container in the fridge and use within 3 days.
You can reheat tater tots in the air fryer – simple place leftover tots in the air fryer basket, and air fry for 5 minutes at 360°F/ 180°C until they are piping hot.

Air Fryer Frozen Tater Tots
Ingredients
- 16 oz tater tots (frozen) or Potato Gems
- Olive oil spray
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 360°F/ 180°C.
- Place frozen tater tots in the air fryer basket, in a single layer.
- Optional step: spritz lightly with oil to get them extra crispy.
- Air fry tater tots at 360°F/ 180°C for 8-12 minutes, shake the basket 1-2 times during cooking (or quickly flip with tongs) to redistribute the tots and ensure they cook evenly.
- The tater tots should be crispy, golden brown, and hot through. Cook for additional 2-3 minute intervals if required until they are done to your liking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.