Smashed Tater Tots

Crispy, fluffy, salty! These smashed tater tots might just be better than French Fries and they take less than 30 minutes to make. Dip them in ketchup and ranch and you have the most delicious side dish to indulge in!

Earlier this year, I made these loaded tater tot cups that were basically like loaded baked potatoes except you bake and smash tater tots into a cup. They bake up so crispy and delicious that I got the idea of making smashed tater tots kind of like those smashed roasted potatoes that were super trendy last year! Since then, my husband has asked me to make them again for him 3 times in one week. Let’s get into it!

Making the Smashed Tater Tots

I promise this recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make and all you need is a bag of frozen tater from the supermarket. Any brand will do, pick your favorite!

Start by preheating your oven to 425°F. If your oven runs hotter than normal, preheat to 400°F. Take a nonstick baking tray and add the tater tots, making sure to leave a little space in between each one. I recommend placing them raw on the baking tray without lining them with parchment paper. This helps them crisp up better.

Pop in the oven and partially bake for only 9 to 10 minutes. Take them out of the oven and brush them lightly with melted unsalted butter or even garlic and herb butter. Another option is to lightly spray with avocado or vegetable oil spray. You can also opt to add no oil or butter. The butter is more so for flavor. Frozen tater tots naturally release oil as they bake so it’s not necessary to add more!

Use a flat cup to smash the tater tots down gently. Do not mash down all the way that way you can still have that fluffy center but crispy edges. If you mash them down too much, they’ll be TOO crispy.

Pop back in the oven to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes until golden on the edges and crispy. Take out of the oven, add a sprinkle of sea salt, and serve warm with your favorite dipping sauces!

Variations to Try

There are a few different variations you can do here depending on what your taste preferences are! You can brush them with garlic butter after the first bake instead of plain butter or oil. You can also toss them in the garlic butter after the second bake kind of like the same method you would do with garlic parmesan fries.

Another option is to add shredded cheddar cheese or parmesan under the tater tots after the first bake and before smashing. This will create a crispy cheese lattice after it bakes up.

A third variation you can implement is using sweet potato tater tots instead of regular tater tots!

Craving More Potatoes? Try These Recipes Out!

• Garlic Parmesan Fries
• Crispy Sweet Potato Fries
• Roast Potatoes
• Creamy Mashed Potatoes
• Loaded Tater Tot Cups

If you tried this recipe and loved it, drop by down below and let me know how you liked it with a rating and comment! Feel free to also leave a question there about this recipe and I’ll get right back to it.

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