Ingredients
Equipment
Nutrition
Method
About the Bacon
- Cook bacon according to your favorite method until each strip is uniformly crisp, then dice into small pieces. [1]6 strips Bacon
For the Potatoes
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Meanwhile, scrub and remove any bad spots from the potatoes and cut them into large chunks [2]. Next, parboil the potatoes by placing them in a large pot. Cover them with 1-inch cold water, then bring them to a boil over high heat. Immediately reduce the heat to medium to simmer for 6-7 minutes (the potatoes will only be halfway cooked). Drain and rinse with cold water until easy to handle.3 pounds Russet Potatoes
- Once cooled, grate the potatoes into a large bowl. Add the grapeseed oil, flour, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Using your hands, gently fluff and turn the ingredients into the potatoes until evenly distributed. Add the bacon, cheese, and chives, gently combining again. Don’t overmix, as the potatoes will become very starchy and pasty.6 strips Bacon, 3 pounds Russet Potatoes, 1 1/2 tablespoon Grapeseed Oil, 1 1/2 tablespoon all-purpose gluten-free Flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt, 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder, 1/2 teaspoon black Pepper, 2/3 cup Cheddar Cheese, 4 tablespoons fresh Chives
To Make the Tater Tots
- Generously coat a 24-cup mini muffin tin with nonstick spray. This recipe will make about three batches. To form the tots, scoop about one large tablespoon of the potato mixture into each mini-muffin space, using your fingers to help press the potato mixture within the muffin cup, then flatten. When the cups are filled, bake for 12-15 minutes until the potatoes are golden browned around the edges. Remove from the oven, spray the top with more cooking spray, then turn each tot over using a spoon or table knife. Coat the tot tops again with cooking spray and return to the oven to continue baking for 12-15 minutes until golden browned.Nonstick cooking spray
Kitchen Notes
Footnotes:
[1] While including bacon in this recipe is purely optional, we highly recommend it for adding loads of flavor. To make bacon that turns out expertly cooked with uniformly crisp-cooked strips every single time, try one of our easy bacon cooking methods (posts coming soon):- Classic skillet-cooked bacon
- Crispy Air Fryer Bacon
- How to Make Oven-Baked Bacon
Our Best Gfree Quick Tips
Make Them Ahead
If you own multiple mini muffin tins, you can speed up the making and baking process. But whether you have one tin or many, the process is the same. Spray the tin generously with nonstick cooking spray, scoop the potato mixture into each muffin cup cavity, press the mixture down, then cover each filled tin with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake them. Before baking, let the tin(s) come to room temperature, then bake as directed above. The potato mixture can also be stored in a covered bowl in the refrigerator for one day. When ready to bake, let the mixture come to room temperature, then bake as described.Reheating
Leftover tater tots may be stored in the refrigerator, then slowly reheated in a 350°F (177°C) oven until warm and crispy.How to Freeze Tater Tots
Prebake tater tots; reduce the time by half on each side as you bake, then freeze for up to three months. To freeze, arrange the prebaked tater tots on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place them in the freezer for about an hour or until firmly frozen. Transfer the frozen tots to a tightly sealed, airtight container or tumble them loosely into a freezer-safe zipper bag until needed. Prepare frozen tots directly from the freezer in just the amount you need for a meal or a snack. Arrange frozen tots on a baking sheet. Place in a 425°F (218°C) oven and bake for 18-20 minutes or until crispy.Create Some Mealtime Fun!
We know you're all in for having fun in the kitchen and at the table, so why not try a shaped muffin tin? The muffin tin method for making tater tots leaves a whole lot of room for creativity in the kitchen. Because the potato mixture packs into the muffin cups with your fingers, kids would love to help make these tots in different shapes and sizes. Our heart-shaped mini muffin tin worked perfectly for making tots extra filled with l♥ve. Let your creativity flow; besides heart shapes, other shapes undoubtedly could work just as well!Suggested Serving Size
Please note: The nutrition calculations (below) are based on one tater tot. 180 Calories per 1 Serving = 6 Tater TotsPersonal Notes
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