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With deeply golden, crispy exteriors that give way to tender, creamy interiors, these homemade baked Tater Tots are a better-for-you alternative you can feel good about piling high on your plate.

baked homemade tater tots as a side dish

If you haven’t eaten a fresh, hot, golden batch of crispy tater tots lately, let me refresh your memory: they are delicious.

While the frozen ones in the red bag are fine, today’s homemade tater tots are even better!

  • Unlike traditional fried tater tots, these healthy tater tots are baked in the oven, not a deep fryer. That means fewer calories on your plate and more tots in your stomach.
  • These are not regular tater tots. These are tater tots with cheese and bacon—plus a sprinkle of chives for good measure. (They remind me of miniature loaded baked potatoes and this Loaded Baked Potato Dip.)
  • They’re fun and easy to make. Simply scoop and press into a mini muffin tin, and you’re done! No meticulous shaping by hand is required.

Whether you need a crowd-pleasing appetizer or a side dish to convince your picky eaters to eat their veggies, these better-for-you tater tots will hit the spot. (These Zucchini Fries are another delicious option.)

crispy baked tater tots on a white plate with bacon and onions

5 Star Review

“Yaaaas! Perfect concept for an amazing and healthier choice for tots!”

— Chris —

How to Make Tater Tots in the Oven

This easy, oven-baked recipe doesn’t require mashing, piping, or frying.

All you need is a bowl, mini muffin tin, and a few simple ingredients you likely already have on hand.


The Ingredients

  • Russet Potatoes. Often given a bad rap for being starch-heavy and carbohydrate-loaded, potatoes are actually a nutrient-dense food packed with protein, fiber, and vitamins, such as vitamin C and vitamin B6.

Ingredient Note

While I am usually more of a fan of buttery Yukon gold potatoes, russet potatoes are what you want here. They hold up well during baking, so your beautiful tater tots won’t turn to mush.

  • Olive Oil. To help keep the tater tots’ interiors moist.
  • All-Purpose Flour. Helps bind the potatoes, so the tater tots hold their shape and don’t fall apart after baking.

Dietary Note

If you’d want to make these tater tots gluten free, you can swap a 1:1 GF baking flour like this one.

  • Garlic Powder, Salt, and Black Pepper. Seasoning is key for the best tater tots taste.
  • Bacon. Baked versions of fried foods often lose their indulgent appeal. That’s not the case here. Crispy bacon gives these baked tots all the savory richness they need to still feel like a special treat.

Dietary Note

Feel free to omit the bacon if you want to keep these tater tots vegetarian. You could also swap for your favorite vegan bacon alternative if you want to retain a little of that smoky, savory taste.

a stack of tater tots no frills
  • Cheese. Go for a full-flavor, melting cheese. Sharp cheddar is my personal favorite.

Substitution Tip

Pepper Jack, Gruyere, or Swiss are other excellent cheese options. Feel free to get creative.

  • Chives. For a final flourish of color, freshness, and flavor.

Market Swap

If you don’t have chives, green onions are a perfect alternative. Parsley is another tasty mild herb that complements the potatoes nicely.

  • Greek Yogurt. I like to serve my tots with plain non-fat Greek yogurt, which is tangy like sour cream, but high in protein and low in fat.

Tip!

My reader-favorite Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip would be a fantastic dipping option for these healthy baked tater tots!

The Directions

  1. Cook the bacon until crisp, cool, then crumble. (Try my easy Baked Bacon in the Oven or Air Fryer Bacon.)
parboiled potatoes cooling in a fine mesh strainer
  1. Wash and peel the potatoes. Then place potatoes in a large pot of simmering water and cook halfway.

TIP!

Don’t boil your potatoes all the way. You want them par-cooked (meaning partially cooked). This will ensure that your tots are creamy, not mushy, on the inside.

cooled grated potatoes in a glass bowl to make homemade tater tots
  1. Drain and let cool before grating the potatoes into a large bowl.
adding flour and spices to a bowl of shredded potatoes for tater tots in oven
  1. Add the olive oil, flour, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper and stir to combine.
a glass bowl of shredded potatoes for tater tots with cheese and bacon and onions
  1. Toss in the bacon, cheese, and chives.
a mixture of uncooked tater tots ingredients ready to shape
  1. Mix again.
a mini muffin pan filled with tater tots without egg
  1. Scoop and press the potato mixture into a greased mini muffin tin.

TIP!

Be generous with the nonstick spray. It will keep the tater tots from sticking and give them a golden exterior. I like to use an olive-oil type nonstick spray for this recipe.

  1. Bake until golden brown, remove from the oven and spray the tops with cooking spray. Flip to the other side, spray again and return to the oven until crisp. ENJOY!

Tater Tot Variations

Feel free to use this tater tots recipe as a base for a variety of flavors.

  • Cajun Tater Tots. Spice up your tater tots! Swap in one teaspoon of Cajun seasoning and either reduce or omit the added salt from the recipe.
  • Garlic Black Pepper Tater Tots. A favorite in our household. Double the amount of pepper to one teaspoon and use fresh minced garlic instead of garlic powder.
  • Hash Brown Tots. Serve these at brunch in place of hash browns. Instead of ketchup, include a side of my delicious Homemade BBQ Sauce. (You can also try my Sweet Potato Hash Browns.)
  • Tater Tots and Eggs. Top your tater tots with Eggs (poached or fried) and serve them for a rib-sticking breakfast.
  • Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole. Easy, and perfect for a crowd!
a plate of one of the best tater tots recipes in oven

Storage Tips

  • To Store. Leftover tater tots can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • To Reheat. Warm gently in a 350-degree F oven until heated through and crispy.
  • To Freeze. Fully baked tater tots can be frozen for up to 1 month. To freeze, arrange the baked tater tots on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer until they harden, then transfer to a ziptop bag. Reheat frozen tots directly from the freezer as directed above. DO NOT THAW.

Meal Prep Tip

Scoop the potato mixture into the muffin tins, press it down, then cover the pan with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator up to 1 day in advance. Let come to room temperature, then bake as directed.

What to Serve with Tater Tots

a plate of golden brown tater tots with cheese and bacon topped with Greek yogurt and green onions

I promise that these better-for-you tater tots in the oven will far surpass anything from a frozen bag!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Make Tater Tots with Frozen Shredded Potatoes?

I have only made these homemade tater tots with fresh potatoes. However, I think you could make these tater tots with frozen shredded potatoes with success.

Can I Make Homemade Air Fryer Tater Tots?

I have not tried air frying this tater tots recipe, so it would be an experiment. If you’d like to play around with this method, you could use this Air Fryer French Fries recipe as a starting point. Keep in mind that you’ll likely need to adjust the cooking time to suit your specific air fryer model.

Could I Use These to Top a Tater Tot Casserole?

For the ultimate from-scratch tater tot casserole (or if you are from Minnesota or North Dakota, tater tot hotdish), use these homemade tater tots to top your favorite hotdish recipe.

Why Are My Tater Tots Sticking?

Cooking spray is really key to achieving crispy baked tater tots without sticking. Be generous and feel okay doing so because you are still using far less oil than making deep-fried tater tots.

Who Invented Tater Tots?

Taters tots first appeared in the frozen food aisle in 1953. F. Nephi Griggs, founder of Ore-Ida, created them using potato remnants from making frozen french fries in their Oregon facility. It was a clever and profitable way to turn factory waste into a new, trendy, and delicious food product.

Tater Tots

4.76 from 29 votes
How to make the best tater tots in the oven. These healthy and easy homemade tater tots with cheese and bacon are the BEST side dish recipe!

Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 1 hour

Servings: 8 Servings

Ingredients
  

  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 6 strips bacon cooked*
  • 2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese about 2 ounces—OK to swap reduced fat, but do not use fat free
  • 3 tablespoons chopped chives or green onion
  • Nonfat plain Greek yogurt or sour cream (for serving, optional)

Instructions
 

  • If necessary, cook the bacon according to one of my easy methods listed below. Once cool, dice into small pieces.
  • Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Scrub and peel the potatoes. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with 1 inch of cold water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 6 minutes (the potatoes should be about halfway cooked). Drain and let cool for 15 minutes.
  • Once cooled, grate the potatoes into a large bowl.
  • Add the olive oil, flour, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Gently combine by hand so that the ingredients are as evenly distributed as possible.
  • Add the bacon, cheese, and chives.
  • Stir to combine.
  • Generously coat two 24-cup mini muffin tins with nonstick spray, or make the tots in two batches. With a spoon, scoop about one heaping tablespoon of the potato mixture into each muffin cavity, then with your fingers, press each scoop flat.
  • Bake until the potatoes are brown at the edges, about 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and coat the tops with cooking spray. With a small offset spatula or table knife, flip each tot. Coat tops with nonstick spray once more, then return the pan to the oven and bake until browned, 12 to 15 additional minutes until golden brown. Let cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then serve with Greek yogurt or sour cream.

Video

Notes

  • *EASY BACON METHODS: Try my Oven Baked Bacon or Air Fryer Bacon.
  • TO MAKE AHEAD: Scoop the potato mixture into the muffin tins, press it down, then cover the pan with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator up to 1 day in advance. Let come to room temperature, then bake as directed.
  • TO STORE: Leftover tater tots can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • TO REHEAT: Warm gently in a 350-degree F oven until heated through and crispy.
  • TO FREEZE: Fully baked tater tots can be frozen for up to 1 month. To freeze, arrange the baked tater tots on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer until they harden, then transfer to a ziptop bag. Reheat directly from frozen as directed above. DO NOT thaw.

Nutrition

Serving: 6tots (without Greek yogurt))Calories: 230kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 7gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 18mgPotassium: 640mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 128IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 1mg

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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34 Comments

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  1. Wow, really, I can’t get over that delicious taste! So simple and yet – sooo great. Thank you for this recipe – it’s a real keeper5 stars

    1. Amelie, I am so excited to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for trying it and taking time to let me know how it turned out.

  2. I’m finally getting the nerve to make these and I’ve been dying to try them. But whenever I cook potatoes and try to grate them, they turn out mushy. Am I cooking them too long probably? AND can frozen shredded potatoes be used in place? And also, thank you Erin, for always taking the time to answer my questions. I love trying your recipes, and my family loves the outcome (except when I make a total mess, hence my questions)!

    1. Hi Donna! I’m always happy to do what I can to help :) It sounds like the potatoes are cooked for too long—I’d stop cooking them a few minutes early next time so that they are still somewhat firm. As far as the frozen potatoes, I’m afraid I can’t answer that since I’ve never tried the recipe that way (and I don’t cooked with frozen potatoes often either!). I’d suggest doing an online search for homemade tater tots using frozen potatoes and see what you find. Sorry I can’t give you clearer direction!

  3. Like everyone, the pictures looked delicious! I thought I would comment after I made the tots! I had to omit a lot of the ingredients due to food intolerances, but it still tasted fantastic. I went a little lighter on the potatoes with a thin layer to decrease the cooking time and make it crispy. You definitely need non-sticking spray to keep these from sticking. My generous amount of olive oil wasn’t enough. To expedite the cooking process i used an aluminum baking sheet and layered with a thin layer of potatoes and cooked for 12minutes. I then flipped it and added another heaping of filling on top. These tasted wonderful! Thank you for sharing this delightful recipe. Will have for breakfast tomorrow with my avocado toast!5 stars

  4. Delicious! I made some in a mini muffin pan and some in larger tart pans so I could poach eggs on top of them. Had to adjust the cook time a little for the larger ones but turned out perfect as well. Loved that the recipe makes a large enough batch to freeze the extras for another day. I used my Cuisinart to grate the potatoes and it was much quicker. Loved this one!5 stars

    1. Thank you for sharing this kind review, Beverly! Great idea to do a poached egg on top of the larger ones! I’m so happy this recipe was a success for you!

  5. I made these today!  Had bacon already cooked so I chopped it and put it back in the fridge while prepping the rest. Then, I forgot to add it to the recipe. They still turned out yummy. I put them in the freezer for later. What temp should I bake them at and for how long when baking from frozen?5 stars

    1. Hi Jill! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe! When reheating, let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and then bake at 350 degrees F until warmed through. Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!

    1. Adele, I’d heat this right from frozen on a baking sheet lightly coated with baking spray. I’d try 375 degrees F then see how it goes. I hope you enjoy them!

  6. These turned out well! The kids liked them too! Bacon and cheese embedded is what did it for me! Thanks for the recipe. I’ll be back! 5 stars

    1. How much cheese did you use? I would love to add cheddar cheese and swap out the listed seasonings for dry ranch seasoning, but I am unsure how much to use of either. I do not so well with spontaneous recipe alterations.

      1. Hi Sara! The cheese is listed in the ingredients section of the recipe card, it’s 1/2 cup. Hope this helps!

  7. These were very good and easy to make. Before I made these I was looking in the comments to see if you could use frozen shredded potatoes as a time saver but I couldn’t find an answer. So to anyone looking for the same answer, yes you can use frozen shredded potatoes. Mine came out great! Nice and crispy and delicious! 5 stars

  8. This is an excellent recipe. Did not have a mini muffin pan so used full size and on my second batch swapped chopped onion and garlic cooked in bacon fat for the powdered. LOVE this recipe, thank you so much, Erin!5 stars

  9. I made it with gluten free flour and dropped small cookie scoops on a sprayed cookie sheet because I don’t have any small muffin tins. The family loved them!5 stars

  10. I love this recipe! I tried it and had to substitute with whatever I had at home. I ran out of bacon, so I used ham. And I tried a mix of different kinds of cheese. Everything else, I followed your recipe, and it’s sooo good!5 stars

  11. If I were to use these for tater tot casserole, would I make them as directed, freeze them and then top the casserole with them? I know that with store bought tater tots, it takes my casserole about 40-45 minutes to cook. Would the cooking time be similar?

    1. Hi Jessica! I haven’t tested the recipe this way, so you’d be experimenting. If you decide to try it, I’d love to hear how it goes!

  12. Yaaaas! Perfect concept for an amazing and healthier choice for tots. Made this once following the recipe and the product was delicious. Made this several more times with minor changes to the fillings and now it is a regular on my family menu. Wonderful thing is that it is so versatile. Hash browns for breakfast? Check. “Chips” for fish and chips? Check. Frites for steak frites? Check. Serve with favorite chip dip? Check.
    I love it when a recipe turns into a technique!5 stars

  13. Love these!! FYI- they are really good even without bacon. I don’t eat bacon so I left that out. They were so delicious and easy to make!5 stars

  14. Omg these are amazing! I cooked the bacon in the oven like you suggested- will def be my go to bacon method from now on. Will definitely make again for the holidays!5 stars