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    Home » Recipes » Air Fryer

    Air Fryer Totchos

    By: Jessica · Posted: Nov 6, 2021 · Updated: Dec 20, 2024 · This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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    Jump to Recipe 6 comments
    5 from 4 votes
    loaded tater tots recipe

    Loaded tater tots in the air fryer (or Air Fryer Totchos) are easy to make, especially when you can cook frozen tater tots, leaving very little prep!

    For the best air fryer tater tots, make LOADED tater tots or “tater tot nachos” in the air fryer, with delicious toppings, and it may just become one of your new favorite air fryer recipes!

    air fryer tater tots loaded with toppings
    Loaded Tater Tots – Or “Tater Tot Nachos”

     

    Why You’ll Love This Easy Recipe:

    Whether you need to add to your list of favorite snack recipes, or you need an easy appetizer recipe for game day, movie night, or even if you just need a great side dish, these golden brown tots, loaded with cheese, jalapenos, pico de gallo and your favorite toppings, may be the best thing to ever come out of your air fryer basket!

    Jump to:
    • Why You’ll Love This Easy Recipe:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Topping Ideas for Tater Tots
    • What Goes Well with Loaded Tater Tots
    • Dipping Sauces for Tater Tots
    • More Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love
    • Variations
    • Air Fryer Used for This Recipe
    • Storage
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Ingredients

    The best part of these “tater tot nachos”, as we like to call them sometimes, is that you can add your favorite toppings and you don’t have to stick to the ingredients below but it’s definitely our favorite combination!

    • 4 slices bacon, cut in to ½ inch pieces
    • 1 pound tater tots, frozen
    • ½ cup shredded colby jack (or shredded cheddar cheese)
    • 1 jalapeno, sliced
    • 2 green onions, sliced
    • ¼ cup of pico (This easy pico de Gallo is great!)
    • ¼ cup sour cream
    Ingredients for loaded tater tots
    Ingredients for Loaded Tater Tots

    Instructions

    1. Place the uncooked bacon strips into the air fryer at 400°F for 11 minutes until the bacon is crispy. If the bacon is not cooked through, you might need to add a few minutes, depending on your air fryer.
    Uncooked bacon in air fryer
    Uncooked bacon pieces
    Cooked bacon in air fryer basket
    Cooked bacon in air fryer
    1. Remove the bacon from the basket and place in a bowl/plate that’s covered with paper towels, to set aside until the air fryer tater tots are done cooking.

      Add the tater tots in to the air fryer basket. (Ideally, a single layer is recommended, although a little overlap is ok since you’ll be shaking the basket. However it’s best not to put a large amount of tots in the fryer to prevent undercooking.) Set the air fryer to 400°F for 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through to stir the tater tots.
    frozen tater tots in air fryer
    Frozen tater tots
    cooked tater tots in air fryer
    Cooked tater tots
    1. Sprinkle the tater tots with the bacon and cheese. Set the air fryer to 400°F for 2 minutes until the cheese is melted. 
    Bacon and Tater Tots
    Shredded cheese on tater tots
    Shredded Cheese on Tots
    Melted cheese on tater tots
    Melted Cheese on Tater Tots
    1. Remove the tots from the air fryer and top them with your favorite toppings! Like

    Slices of jalapenos…

    Add jalapenos on loaded nachos

    Chopped green onions…

    Green onions on top of tater tots

    Fresh pico de gallo…

    Pico de gallo added to loaded nachos

    Or sour cream!

    sour cream on top of tater tots

    Topping Ideas for Tater Tots

    If you’re looking for more topping ideas for tater tots, here are other favorites you may love:

    • My easy Guacamole recipe
    • Salsa
    • Lettuce
    • Queso
    • Black Olives
    • Refried Beans
    • Pulled pork
    • Chicken bites
    • Leftover steak bites
    • Chili
    • Jalapeno ranch
    • Garlic powder
    • Onion powder
    Loaded tater tots in the air fryer

    What Goes Well with Loaded Tater Tots

    Although these “tater tot nachos” can be a meal themselves, it’s also fun to serve other favorite appetizers and side dishes with them. Like this taco layer dip and this frito chili pie that has similar toppings!

    Dipping Sauces for Tater Tots

    Dipping tater tots in to your favorite dipping sauce can also be a great option! For instance:

    • honey mustard
    • barbecue sauce
    • ranch dressing

    More Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love

    If you love using your air fryer, then you’ll also enjoy this easy tutorial for air fryer bacon, air fryer tofu, air fryer bacon and these air fryer hamburgers!

    Loaded Tachos

    Variations

    Love the idea of loaded tater tots but want more ideas? Consider the following ideas to use in place of tater tots!

    • Cauliflower tater tots
    • Veggie tots
    • French fries
    • Sweet potato fries or sweet potato tots
    • Homemade tater tots
    • Leftover tater tots
    • Potato puffs
    • Air fryer Hashbrowns
    • Air fryer breakfast potatoes
    Loaded tater tots Recipe
    Can you make loaded tater tots ahead of time?

    The longer these tater tots are sitting around, the more they lose their crispy texture, so I recommend eating these while they are hot. 

    Is there a way to cut down on the cooking time, so I don’t have to wait so long to enjoy these?

    The quickest way to make these is by using pre-cooked bacon so you can skip the bacon cooking process.

    How do I get the crispiest tater tots?

    For crispy air fryer tater tots, using an air fryer is recommended for maximum crispness! However if you don’t have an air fryer, cooking them in the oven on 425°, on a baking sheet in a single layer, for 19-21 minutes is the next best. Microwaving tater tots can give more of a soggy texture though so that’s not recommended.

    Air Fryer Used for This Recipe

    The air fryer used for this recipe is a Ninja Foodie. However, using your favorite air fryer is perfectly fine! Please note that for different, larger air fryer or smaller air fryers, the cook time can vary.

    So it’s best to watch to see when the air fryer tots are golden brown for best results!

    Storage

    If you have leftover tots, if they have toppings on them, they could get soggy. However, it’s worth it to place them back in the air fryer to reheat and warm back up for ultimate crispiness!

    Recipe

    Air fryer totchos.

    Air Fryer Totchos

    Jessica Burgess
    Air Fryer Totchos: Crispy tater tots made in the air fryer, then topped with favorite toppings such as cheese, green onions, jalapeños, and bacon!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 26 minutes mins
    Total Time 31 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 2 servings
    Calories 789 kcal

    Ingredients

    • 4 slices bacon cut in to ½ inch pieces
    • 1 pound frozen tater tots
    • ½ cup shredded colby jack cheese or shredded cheddar cheese
    • 1 jalapeno sliced (can use pickled jalapeños)
    • 2 green onions sliced
    • ¼ cup pico de gallo store-bought or this pico de Gallo recipe
    • ¼ cup sour cream

    Instructions
     

    • Place the bacon into the air fryer at 400°F for 11 minutes until the bacon is crispy. If the bacon is not cooked through, you might need to add a few minutes, depending on your air fryer.
    • Remove the bacon from the basket and add in the tater tots.
    • Set the air fryer to 400°F for 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through to stir the tater tots.
    • Sprinkle the tater tots with the bacon and cheese. Set the air fryer to 400°F for 2 minutes until the cheese is melted. 
    • Remove the tots from the air fryer and top them with the jalapeno, green onions, pico de gallo, and sour cream. 

    Notes

    Want more toppings for your tater tots? Try these favorites:
    • My easy Guacamole recipe
    • Salsa
    • Lettuce
    • Queso
    • Black Olives
    • Refried Beans
    • Pulled pork
    • Chicken bites
    • Leftover steak bites
    • Chili
    • Jalapeno ranch
    • Garlic powder
    • Onion powder

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 789kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 1686mg | Potassium: 821mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 861IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 299mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

    Keywords air fryer tater tots, loaded tater tots
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Comments

      5 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    1. Allyson Zea says

      November 08, 2021 at 8:26 am

      5 stars
      I make these all the time and they are so YUM! Favorite!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        November 08, 2021 at 4:03 pm

        Yay! I’m so glad to hear that you liked these loaded tater tots too! Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    2. Allyssa says

      November 08, 2021 at 3:43 am

      5 stars
      Thanks a lot for this amazing and super easy to make tater tots recipe! It’s really tasty and very flavorful! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        November 08, 2021 at 4:03 pm

        I’m so glad you liked these air fryer tater tots too!! So easy and perfect for dinner! Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    3. Tara Obrien says

      November 07, 2021 at 6:03 am

      5 stars
      Brilliant idea! So easy to make and my family devoured it. My teenage boys thank you 🙂

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        November 07, 2021 at 10:52 am

        Right! I love easy recipes like these loaded tots! Especially when the kids love them too!

        Reply

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    Jessica Burgess of Fantabulosity, slicing an avocado.

    Hi, I'm Jessica! - Owner and Creator of the blog and brand, Fantabulosity.

    I’m here to teach you how to make quick and easy recipes, using simple ingredients, that your family will love.

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