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Home » Air Fryer Tater Tots with Hash Brown Shortcut

Gluten-free

Air Fryer Tater Tots with Hash Brown Shortcut

Created On: February 14, 2021  |  Updated: April 2, 2022  |   17 Comments

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These air fryer tater tots use a huge time-saving shortcut – frozen hash browns! They’re naturally vegan and made with all-purpose flour, but can also be made gluten-free or paleo.

I’m clearly air frying everything these days because I’m in love with my air fryer, but if you don’t have one, you can bake or fry the tater tots. So I’ve included directions on how to bake them in an oven.

Tater tot ingredients

You just need basic ingredients for these tater tots. You probably already have everything, except maybe the hash browns!

  • Frozen hash browns
  • Olive oil
  • Flour
  • Granulated garlic or garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Salt

hand picking up Air fryer tater tot

What type of hash browns to use

You need the shredded and unseasoned kind. If you use one that already has seasoning (other than a little salt), you’d probably need to adjust the seasoning in the recipe.

If you’re thinking, “Frozen hash browns?! But I want a homemade version!” – I get it. But there are brands that are just frozen, shredded potatoes and nothing else.

 

The store-brand organic hash browns at Sprouts and Meijer both consist of just 100% potatoes. So I really don’t see any disadvantages to using those.

It saves a ton of time! If you’re like me and have an extreme lack of time on your hands the last year, then just get the hash browns. It’s worth it. 😂

Air fryer tater tots in basket

But I really want a from-scratch recipe…

I can definitively tell you that if you use a food processor to shred your own raw potatoes, you’re going to have a mess when it’s time to form the tater tots.

Even if you rinse the potatoes, wring them dry, add egg, and other stuff – it’s not gonna work.

Frozen hash browns are the way to go!

I’ll post a totally homemade tater tot recipe using whole potatoes on my other blog at some point. I just need to find a quicker method than the ones called for in other recipes.

Spending 40 minutes on tater tots that take 4 minutes to eat just isn’t worth it to me. If you really prefer something homemade, try these amazing Air Fryer Garlic Fries or Smashed Potatoes with Garlic and Cheese!

ingredients for air fryer tater tots

Thaw them!

You need to fully thaw your hash browns. If you don’t, they won’t stick together.

If you’re now reading this after starting the recipe, then you can add a beaten egg to the mix. That’ll make the mixture stick together better.

Naturally vegan tater tots

Just make sure that your hash browns don’t have any weird ingredients in them that would make them non-vegan.

And obviously, you’ll want to fully thaw your hash browns so that adding an egg won’t be necessary. I haven’t tried using a chia egg or any egg subs so I have no idea if they’d work.

hand dipping tater tot in ketchup

Gluten-free and paleo options

To make these gluten-free, you can use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour that’s meant as a replacement for all-purpose flour.

I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-free Baking Flour, as always, with great results. You can also use it in my:

  • Air Fryer Baked Apples
  • Cornbread Pancakes
  • Oatmeal Cookies Without Butter
  • Healthy Cinnamon Apple Muffinsair fryer tater tots pins

Using buckwheat flour, almond flour, etc. won’t work as they’re not subs for all-purpose flour.

Your other option is cassava flour. I used Otto’s Cassava Flour and it worked great. That makes these tater tots paleo!

Cassava flour isn’t really a 1:1 sub for all-purpose flour, but it’s pretty close. This is why it works in this recipe.

tater tots in air fryer
And whether you’re gluten-free or paleo, you need to check the label of your hash browns. Most brands are gluten-free but some contain dextrose, making them not paleo.

Even the hash browns from Whole Foods have dextrose, so be sure to take a look.

That’s it! I hope you’ll enjoy the tater tots. And for another tater tot recipe, check out this Tater Tot Casserole!

If you make this or any of my recipes, I’d love to see pictures of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #fooddoodlesrecipes so I can check them out. 🙂

basket full of Air fryer tater tot

Hand picking up air fryer tater tots
5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Tater Tots with Hash Brown Shortcut

Servings 4 people
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 10 mins

Ingredients
  

  • 1 16-ounce (453-gram) bag of frozen shredded unseasoned hash browns, fully thawed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour or for gluten-free, use Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-free Baking Mix or for paleo*, use cassava flour
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder or 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt (add 1/4 teaspoon if using unsalted hash browns)
  • olive oil or cooking spray

Instructions

  • Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil.
  • Use a food processor fitted with an S-blade to pulse the shredded hash browns until they're finely chopped.
  • In a large mixing bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients.
  • Add the potatoes to that and mix everything together, being careful not to mash the potatoes.
    tater tot ingredients
  • Preheat the oven to 400 °F (205 °). Meanwhile, start forming the tater tots.
  • Use a small spoon to scoop out some of the mixture to create 1” tots. Place in the air fryer basket. Don't stack them. You may need to bake them in 2 batches depending on your air fryer. Press down any little bits that are sticking out. If you don't, they'll burn.
    tater tots on pan
  • Spray the tater tots with an oil mister (I used olive oil) or cooking spray.
  • Bake the tots at 400 °F (205 °) for 8 minutes. Shake the basket and bake for another 7-9 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
  • Take the tots out and sprinkle with salt. Serve. These are best enjoyed hot.
  • Let any leftovers cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. They're great reheated in the air fryer for a few minutes.

Oven option:

  • Preheat the oven to 400 °F (205 °).
  • Line a baking sheet with a piece of foil and grease with 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
  • Place the tater tots on the greased pan and spray with olive oil or cooking spray.
  • Bake for 10 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown.
  • Flip and bake for another 10 minutes or until the bottoms are browned and crisp.
  • Take the tots out and sprinkle with salt. These are best enjoyed hot.
  • Let any leftovers cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. They're best reheated in the oven.

Notes

  • If paleo, make sure to use paleo hash browns! The store-brand hash browns from Meijer and Sprouts are just 100% organic potatoes.
Tried this recipe?Tag me today! Mention @easywholesome or tag #easywholesome!

posted in: Air Fryer, Dairy-free, Dinner, Gluten-free, Grain-free, Kid-friendly, Side

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. Kate says

    These turned out crispy and delicious! I love your air fryer method, certainly making these again!

    Reply
  2. Sunrita says

    Who would say that these crispy little delights are made in the air fryer! Just amazing.

    Reply
  3. jen says

    oh delicious! my kids are going to love these!

    Reply
  4. Megan Stevens says

    I like that you are able to find 100% organic potatoes in the freezer section. I need to find those! Such a fun recipe!

    Reply
  5. Donny says

    That paleo version is calling my name! Can’t wait to try this.

    Reply
  6. Beth says

    My kids are going to love this recipe! I’m so excited to give this a try! Looks so crunchy and delicious!

    Reply
  7. Cathy says

    Love the hashbrown shortcut!!

    Reply
  8. Catalina says

    I’ve never tried to make tater tots in the Air Fryer! I will make it for sure!

    Reply
  9. Allyson Reed Zea says

    Love using my air fryer to make tots!!!

    Reply
  10. Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says

    This Air Fryer Tater Tots with Hash Brown Shortcut looks totally awesome!

    Reply
  11. Dorothy Reinhold says

    Recipes like this make me love my air fryer even more! Your secret ingredient makes these quick and delish!

    Reply
  12. Jean Choi says

    SO crunchy and amazing! I love tater tots, and these are sooo easy in the air fryer!

    Reply
  13. Jen says

    5 stars
    Such a genius idea! My kids ate these up!

    Reply
  14. Valentina says

    These air fryer tater tots are our go-to recipe! We just got an air fryer and love finding new and delicious recipes like this one!

    Reply
  15. Natalie says

    Mmm…they are super crisp & tasty! I can’t seem to make them fast enough, before they are gone!

    Reply
  16. Kim says

    Brilliant! I had never thought of trying this with hashbrowns. Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
  17. tina says

    I love tater tots! Love how the air fryer makes it easy to cook these so yum!

    Reply

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