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The most perfect Crispy Baked Parmesan Tater Tots. Made simply with shredded frozen potatoes, parmesan cheese, olive oil, herbs, garlic, and plenty of flaky sea salt. Each homemade, oven-baked tater tot is delicious…and even a little healthier too since these are not fried. The secret? Rolling each tot in a little olive oil before baking for a crispy on the outside, soft on the inside tater tot. Once the tots are out of the oven, sprinkle with garlicky parmesan cheese. SO GOOD. Serve these crispy tater tots with plenty of ketchup for dipping. The best appetizer, side dish, or game-day snack!
I’m not sure there’s a recipe that so many of my family members love more than these tots. At least not for most of my brothers. They pretty much lost it when they had heard what I made. Tater tots are everyone’s favorite, and while I’m never big on frozen, pre-packaged food, I can’t argue that a crispy tater is pretty darn delicious.
The story on these tots is pretty simple. My oldest brother, Creighton loves a tater tot more than any other human out there. They probably rank somewhere near the top of his all-time favorites. He’s been suggesting I make homemade tots for the longest time.
I had every intention to make these back in the fall but somehow managed not to get them tested before all the holiday craziness started. And then? I just completely forgot about taters tots…until a few days ago. I was looking at a note on my computer that I literally look at every single day. It has a mini to-do list that I make to remind myself of things. I was reading down my list when my eyes came upon the tots. Suddenly I knew exactly what I was making that day.
It was perfect because I was really looking for a healthier game-day style recipe to share. And suddenly, there were the tots.
With most of my brothers here in Colorado and the Super Bowl in just a couple of weeks, I knew it was the perfect time to finally figure out how to make homemade tater tots.
The one thing that was a must for me? Baking them instead of frying…ok, and making sure to make the recipe is as easy as can be. Because life is busy and no one has time to mess around with overly long, overly complicated recipes.
Let’s make some crispy baked parmesan tater tots!
As I mentioned, these tots are baked, not fried. And for the most part, they are pretty darn easy to make. They took some trial and error, but guys, this recipe is as close to perfect as it gets.
Start with frozen shredded potatoes or hash browns. I love the 365 brand. They come in one-pound bags and cook up so nicely. You’ll want to lightly thaw the potatoes before getting starting. Thawing the potatoes, releases some of the water and makes rolling the potatoes into tots much easier.
Now, this next step is totally optional but will give you a more authentic tater tot. I pulsed my potatoes in the food processor to chop the shreds up even more to replicate a real deal tater tot. If you don’t own a food processor, you can skip this step, but if you do own a food processor I think it’s a step worth taking.
Next, add pretty much everything to a big ole’ bowl and toss it all together. I wanted my tots to be flavorful, but still simple. So I added in parmesan cheese, which not only flavors the tots, but also helps bind them together in the oven and gives them a pretty golden color once baked.
For rolling, I love to use my cookie scoop to easily scoop the potatoes out of the bowl. I pack the potatoes into the scoop, then release the mix into my hand and pack it into a ball. It’s important to pack the potatoes into a ball before shaping them into a cylinder. If you try to make the cylinder right away, the mix will just crumble on you. When you have all the tots formed, generously brush them with olive oil. Using olive oil is key to the crispy exterior of these tots, so I recommend it over a spray.
Alright, and the last thing, bake um up! To get these guys crispy all around I flipped them three times throughout cooking. Two would be enough for sure, and if you’re feeling lazy, just go for two, but if you want a more classic tater tot look, flip three times. Works perfectly.
As soon as the tots come out of the oven, toss them with additional parmesan. Then serve them up with sea salt and lots of ketchup on the side for dipping. I feel like you can’t really do tater tots up without ketchup.
And that’s it. The rolling process takes a little time, but it’s easy, and trust me, the extra effort is worth it. These tots are GOOD. Like really friggin’ good, as my oldest brother would say.
Pretty excited to have this recipe for Sunday night dinners and game day snacks. You can’t beat them and I’m just going to warn you now, these tots are addicting. You’re going to eat the first batch faster than you ever thought possible. Sounds dramatic, but I’m serious.
I’m excited to now have this recipe in my back pocket for upcoming Sunday game days, and holiday parties. They’re a hit with everyone, even the kids!
Looking for other fun snacks/appetizers? Here are a few to try:
Garlic Parmesan Herb Butter Polenta Fries with Lemon Aioli
Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Soft Pretzels
Everything Ranch Cheese and Pretzel Snack Mix
Lastly, if you make these easy Crispy Baked Parmesan Tater Tots, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crispy Baked Parmesan Tater Tots
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 126 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 (16 ounce) bags frozen potatoes, thawed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for coating
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 large pinch kosher salt
- 1/2 a clove garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or oregano leaves
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 450° F. Grease a baking sheet with olive oil. 2. In a food processor, pulse the potatoes together until finely chopped. If you don't have a food processor, you can skip this step. 3. Add the potatoes to a large bowl. Add the olive oil, 1 cup parmesan, flour, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, and a large pinch of salt. Mix until combined and the mixture is moistened. 4. Scoop 1 tablespoon of the potatoes out of the bowl, pack it together with your hands until it holds a ball, then form into a cylinder and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining mix. Don't stress about the shape, they don't need to be perfect. Brush/mist each tot with olive oil, be generous. Transfer to the oven and bake 10-12 minutes, slide a spatula underneath the tots, then flip and bake 10 more minutes. Flip once to the uncooked side, bake 10-12 minutes, until golden and crisp. 5. In a small bowl, combine 1-2 tablespoons parmesan, the garlic, and thyme/oregano. Sprinkle the warm tots with the parmesan. Serve tots with lots of ketchup for dipping. ENJOY.
Notes
To Make Ahead: the tots can be made up to 4 days ahead of time. To warm, just place the tots on a baking sheet and warm in a 400° oven for 10-15 minutes. Serve as directed.
To Freeze: bake the tots as directed through step 4. Allow to cool, then freeze on a baking sheet for 1-2 hours, until frozen. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 4 months. To warm, bake the frozen tots at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until warmed throughout. You can drizzle the tots in herb butter before or after freezing, it doesn't matter.
Do you have any advice when using fresh potatoes? I tried this recipes and used fresh after not being able to buy frozen in my grocery store. They turned brown immediately after grating and were very wet throughout the process. So the final tots were a disturbingly dark brown and had a strange consistency. Help!
Hey Kyle,
So sorry about this, I used frozen and haven’t tested this with fresh potatoes. xTieghan
Hi,
After grating fresh potatoes, do I have to cook them or can I just add the other ingredients and bake directly? Sorry, I’m not sure if the frozen potatoes come cooked? Thanks
Hey Andie,
No need to cook the potatoes, you can follow the recipe as is! I hope you love them! xTieghan
Pretty sure I did something wrong because they taste fabulous and nobe of your recipes have ever failed me ?. I had to use fresh potatoes because i couldn’t find frozen potatoes anywhere in Belize. Maybe that was mas my mistake but taste wose theyre great ❤️
Thanks so much for trying the recipe Maria!! xTieghan
These are the best tater tots. Easy recipe and feel pretty fancy to jazz up any meal.
Hey Tammy,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
If I’m using fresh potatoes would I cook them first or just grate them?
Hey Heather,
No need to cook them first, you can just grate them. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These tots are delicious! I had to roll a few to get the hang of packing the potatoes into balls so I could shape them, but it was worth the effort! I liked the combo of the parm, garlic and thyme on top. This recipe will be made again! Thanks for your creativity, Tieghan!
Hey Suzi,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
I totally overbaked the first batch and my husband still loved them! Second batch, with the correct baking time, was even better. Making the tots was a little time consuming but entirely worth it. I froze most of them to use for a future dinner.
Hey Meghan,
I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
I failed with my attempt. Any thoughts on why the little barrels basically collapsed on the tray and looked more like little pancakes. They tasted fine but did not resemble tater tots. I wondered if an egg or egg white would help keep them together?
Hey Janet,
So sorry about this, I really take my time while molding the tots to make sure they are held together and the shape that I want them:) xTieghan
These look so good!! Hoping to make these for the Super Bowl, but trying to go dairy free. Do you think I could sub Nutritional Yeast for the Parmesan? Thank you! 🙂
Hey Kelsey,
Yes, I think that would work well! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These tots were amazing. I’m not a big tater tot person but, I absolutely loved them. Thank you!
Hey Tricia,
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks a lot for giving it a try and happy Sunday! xTieghan
I love the idea of a homemade food that is normally pre-made so I was all about these! I made them this evening and had a ton of fun. They turned out crispy and delicious! I did double the spices and flour for my own personal preference but they turned out wonderfully. My friends couldn’t get enough!
Hey Jayci,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Loved these but mine turned out flat. Any advice on keeping them more “tater tot” shape. Thank you!!!
Hey Katie,
Sorry to hear these were flat for you, was there anything you adjusted? I would just continue to form them with your hands until they feel as though they are going to hold. I hope this makes sense! xTieghan
I made these tonight as a side for burger night, and they did not disappoint.
My husband does all the cooking, but occasionally I like to surprise him by attempting to make something, and I ALWAYS use HBH recipes. The directions are so easy to follow, and I love that I can see Tieghan do a walk through on Instagram first, it makes the recipes less intimidating.
If you want a more traditional tater tot (read: bland), I’d reduce the amount of spices.
I used regular potatoes that I shredded, and out them in the strainer for 20 minutes.
Overall great recipe, as always. Thanks Tieghan!
Hey Joanne,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Hello! Our three year old daughter loves tots and so do we! How excited I was to see your recipe for a healthier version! Can’t wait to make them! I agree that fresh potatoes would be my preference so I was glad
to see someone else was thinking this too!
Hey there,
I hope you love this recipe, let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
Can you use regular potatoes not frozen ?
Hey Michelle,
Yes, that will be fine to use, you will just need to grate them first. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan