How to Reheat Tater Tots

Don’t let the leftovers go to waste, you can totally reheat tater tots with these methods!

Oh tater tots, how I love thee! 

Seriously, these little potato barrels can be truly magical when prepared correctly. But there’s a myth that persists around potato-based products that they can’t be reheated. 

That’s not even a little true. 

You just have to know how to do it. It’s possible to have a comfort food repeat dinner of fried chicken and tater tots and have it be just as good as it was the first time.

So, how can you reheat tater tots in a way that keeps them edible? 

Read on and find out! 

Don’t Use the Microwave!

When it’s time to reheat your tater tots it might feel natural to toss them on a plate, put them in the microwave, and nuke them. 

Don’t do that. 

Tater tots and French fries never taste the same when microwaved. It’s where all of those legends about being unable to reheat potato products comes from. You’re left with a mushy soggy mess, and no one likes that. 

That’s because heating fried foods in the microwave is never a good idea. Instead, you can have great success by using a frying pan, your oven, or even an air fryer. Enjoy them as much as you did the first night or even switch things up and turn them into something new like Tater Tot Poutine with the following methods.

Oven

Consider using your standard oven in order to reheat your tots. 

This isn’t a quick warm up, but it’s worth the wait, I assure you. The end result is some warm golden brown goodness. 

The first thing you have to do is fire up the oven and preheat it to 350°F. While that’s going on, pick out your favorite oven safe dish and lay your tots out on it. 

Next, and this is important, cover that dish with aluminium foil. 

You’re going to want to bake them like that for 15 to 25 minutes. Check on them occasionally to ensure that they haven’t burnt. 

Once they’re done, take them out and eat! But, blow on them first. They’re hot! 

Frying Pan

You can get a lot better results by heating your tater tots in a frying pan than you would by putting them in the microwave. 

It will help you recapture the original texture and taste. 

First things first, place a skillet on the burner and turn it on. Coat the pan with some cooking spray or a bit of oil. 

Now that it’s nice and warmed up, toss those tots in. 

Let them heat for one minute, then flip them over and let it go for another minute. 

Once you’re done with that, remove them from the pan, place them on a paper towel on a plate to soak up the excess oil, and enjoy! 

Air Fryer

The Air Fryer is an amazing appliance that can be used to cook tater tots, but it also allows you to go back to to the well and reheat them to the same crunchy perfection you had when you first prepared them. 

Start off by preheating your air fryer to 380°F. 

Place your tater tots into the basket and cook them in the air fryer for about five minutes. 

They will come out like new with none of that microwave grossness! 

In Conclusion

Tater tots are a very viable leftover option. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. 

Just avoid the microwave and use one of our three can’t-miss methods and you’ll be enjoying your tots on the second night with the same gusto that you had when they were fresh out of the fryer.