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Tater Tot Nachos

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Cheesy fried potato goodness in nacho form? Yes, please! Tater tot nachos are your new favorite appetizer. Keep them simple, or pile them high with toppings.

Take your nacho game to the next level with these mouthwatering tater tot nachos. I’ve taken the beloved classic and given it a tasty twist sure to have your taste buds dancing with joy. Picture it, a plateful of crispy tater tots topped with a rich cheese sauce and all your favorite nacho toppings. Is your mouth watering yet? Whether hosting a game night, having a casual get-together, or simply wanting to treat yourself to savory indulgence, these tater tot nachos are a surefire hit.

Tater Tot Nachos

Why You’ll Love Tater Tot Nachos

Crispy and flavorful – The tater tots are golden brown, crispy, crunchy, and oh-so-satisfying.

No binder required – This recipe cleverly utilizes the natural starches found in potatoes to hold the tater tots together, eliminating the need for flour or cornstarch.

Quick cheese sauce – Creating a delicious cheese sauce for these tater tot nachos couldn’t be simpler. Combine heavy cream, cheese, and your favorite jarred salsa for a creamy and tangy topping.

The contrast of richness and freshness – Deep fried tots and rich cheese sauce with fresh toppings create the perfect contrast.

Customizable – You can customize your nachos with various toppings to suit your taste preferences, making them versatile and adaptable so you can create different flavor profiles.

Tater Tot Nachos Ingredients Notes

To make these tasty tater tot nachos, you’ll need the following ingredients:

  • Potatoes: Russets are ideal for tater tots since they have the highest starch content. As mentioned, this recipe doesn’t require a binder like cornstarch or flour, so the starch in the russet potatoes is necessary.
  • Seasonings: Salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper are all you need to achieve well-seasoned tots you won’t be able to stop eating.
  • American cheese: No other cheese melts quite like American. It has a lower melting point than other cheeses because it contains an emulsifying agent that allows the cheese to melt smoothly without splitting or clumping. No other cheese can compare when it comes to queso.
  • Heavy cream: Heavy cream keeps the cheese sauce for the tater tot nachos fluid and adds an extra layer of richness.
  • Onion: The sharp astringency of chopped raw onion works well here. It flawlessly contrasts the deep-fried and cheesy flavors, and this contrast comes off as almost refreshing.
  • Tomato: Juicy bits of tomato brighten up the flavor profile and add a little sweetness to the otherwise savory nachos.
  • Cilantro: Some people love the herb while others hate it, so whether you add it is entirely up to you. Cilantro adds a fresh flavor as well as a lovely green hue.
  • Pickled jalapenos: You can’t have nachos without them. The acidic spice they add to tater tot nachos is sublime.

The complete ingredients list with amounts is in the recipe card below!

How to Make Tater Tot Nachos

  1. Boil the potatoes: Boil the peeled potatoes until they are partially cooked to activate their natural starch. It’s crucial to remove them from the heat at the right time.
  2. Grate: Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, grate them using a box grater.
  3. Season and shape: Sprinkle seasonings over the grated potatoes, knead the mixture to combine, and then form tablespoon portions into tater tots.
  4. Fry: Ensure the oil reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit before frying the tater tots; otherwise, they will fall apart. While the tater tots fry, prepare the queso and have the toppings ready.
  5. Assemble: Place the tater tots on a plate, drizzle them with cheese, and then pile on the toppings!
Frying Tater Tots

Variations, Substitutions, and Cooking Tips

Temp your oil – Adding the tater tots too soon will cause them to break apart. Even worse, every bite will be very oily because the potatoes absorb the oil instead of frying.

Bake the tots – If you’re not a fan of deep-fried foods or want to make the recipe healthier, you can bake the tots. Arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, lightly coat them with cooking spray, and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until they turn golden and crispy.

Try the air fryer – It’s an effective way to fry food with less oil.

Skip the queso – This is an excellent idea if you’re vegan. Instead, drizzle your favorite sauce or chili oil over the tots.

Add meat – Ground beef, chopped chicken, or sliced steak are all delicious additions.

Use half and half instead – It’s a suitable substitute for heavy cream.

Make Ahead

You can prepare the tater tots for the tater tot nachos in advance. To do so, grate the potatoes, season them, shape them, and freeze the formed tater tots until ready to use them. However, it’s best to make the queso right before serving. Doing so is easy anyway, so there’s no reason not to make it fresh.

Tater Tot Nachos

Tater Tot Nachos

Yield: 3 Servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 24 minutes
Total Time: 54 minutes

Cheesy fried potato goodness in nacho form? Yes, please! Tater tot nachos are your new favorite appetizer. Keep them simple, or pile them high with toppings.

Ingredients

Tots

  • 5 medium-sized russet potatoes, peeled
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • Vegetable oil for frying

Queso

  • 6 slices American cheese
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 2-3 tablespoons jarred salsa or any you have on hand

Toppings

  • ½ medium onion, chopped
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Pickled jalapenos, as desired

Instructions

  1. Place the peeled potatoes into a large pot, cover them with water, and then cover the pot with a fitted lid.
  2. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Keep a close eye on it to know when it starts boiling.
  3. Once the water boils, start the timer and cook the potatoes for 6 minutes.
  4. Drain the potatoes and set them aside for 10 minutes or until they are cool enough to handle.
  5. Carefully grate the partially cooked potatoes using the largest holes on a box grater. They will be sticky and undercooked, but that’s what you want.
  6. Season the grated potatoes with salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix well with your hands to distribute the seasonings evenly.
  7. Shape tablespoon-sized portions of the potato mixture into short cylinders and place them on a plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  8. Heat 1 ½ inches of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  9. Fry the tater tots in batches for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. Flip them halfway through for even browning.
  10. Remove the tater tots from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
  11. While they drain, combine the cheese and cream in a microwave-safe bowl.
  12. Microwave the bowl in 30-second intervals, whisking after each interval, until the mixture is hot, creamy, and smooth. Then stir in the salsa.
  13. Divide the tots into 3 portions, drizzle the cheese sauce over each serving, and top them with your desired toppings.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 604Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 1525mgCarbohydrates: 72gFiber: 8gSugar: 9gProtein: 17g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.

© Monique McArthur
Cuisine: American / Category: Appetizers
Tater Tot Nachos

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