Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots

Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots Recipe: A Delicious and Easy Appetizer

If you’re looking for an exciting and unique way to elevate your snack game, Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots are the perfect recipe to try. Whether you’re hosting a party, craving a fun appetizer, or just want to treat yourself to something delicious, this dish combines crispy, smoky bacon with the satisfying crunch of tater tots for a snack that’s as addictive as it is flavorful. And the best part? It’s all made in the air fryer for a healthier twist that doesn’t compromise on taste.

In this article, we’ll walk you through a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to make Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots. Along the way, we’ll cover helpful tips, essential equipment, and even explore why using an air fryer makes this recipe so much better than traditional methods. Let’s dive in!

Why You Should Make Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots in an Air Fryer

Before we jump into the recipe, let’s quickly go over why making Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots in an Air Fryer is a game-changer.

Crispiness: The air fryer uses circulating hot air to cook food quickly, which leads to a perfect crispy texture without needing excessive oil. The bacon becomes wonderfully crispy while the tater tots retain their fluffy inside.
Healthier Option: By using an air fryer, you can reduce the amount of oil typically required in traditional frying methods. This means you can enjoy the crispy, indulgent flavor of bacon and tater tots without the extra calories.
Fast and Easy: Air fryers are known for their speed. With an air fryer, your Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots can be cooked in a fraction of the time compared to other methods like oven baking or deep frying.
Minimal Cleanup: One of the best things about using an air fryer is the minimal cleanup. Most air fryers have non-stick surfaces and are dishwasher-safe, making cleanup after cooking a breeze.

Ingredients for Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots

Making Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots in the air fryer is a simple process that requires just a few basic ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

Tater Tots: You can use store-bought frozen tater tots, or if you prefer homemade, make them from scratch. The frozen variety is convenient and gets nice and crispy in the air fryer.
Bacon: Choose your favorite kind of bacon—regular, thick-cut, or even turkey bacon if you’re looking for a leaner alternative. Make sure the bacon is cut into halves or thirds so it wraps around the tater tots easily.
Seasoning (Optional): You can season your tater tots with salt, pepper, garlic powder, or any other spice of your choice for extra flavor. Adding a sprinkle of cheese or a dash of hot sauce can also enhance the taste.

Equipment You’ll Need

For this recipe, you’ll need the following equipment:

Air Fryer: This is the key appliance for cooking your bacon-wrapped tater tots. Ensure your air fryer is large enough to accommodate the tater tots and bacon without overcrowding.
Tongs: Useful for flipping the tater tots halfway through cooking for an even crispiness.
Toothpicks (Optional): Some people prefer to use toothpicks to secure the bacon around the tater tots to keep them in place during cooking.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots

1. Preheat Your Air Fryer

Start by preheating your air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Preheating helps the bacon crisp up faster and ensures an even cook.

2. Prepare the Tater Tots

If you’re using frozen tater tots, there’s no need to thaw them. Just take them straight from the freezer. If you want to add extra seasoning, sprinkle your tater tots with your preferred seasoning mix. This will give them more flavor, which complements the smoky bacon beautifully.

3. Wrap Each Tater Tot with Bacon

Take your strips of bacon and cut them into halves or thirds (depending on the size of your tater tots). Each bacon strip should be long enough to wrap around a tater tot completely.

Wrap each tater tot with a piece of bacon, making sure the ends of the bacon overlap slightly. This helps the bacon stay in place during cooking. If necessary, secure the bacon by gently sticking a toothpick through the middle of the tater tot.

4. Place the Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots in the Air Fryer Basket

Carefully arrange the bacon-wrapped tater tots in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Make sure they are not overcrowded to allow for proper air circulation, which is key to achieving crispy results. If you have to cook them in batches, that’s perfectly fine.

5. Cook the Tater Tots

Set the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) and cook the bacon-wrapped tater tots for 12-15 minutes, or until the bacon is crispy and the tater tots are golden brown. Halfway through the cooking time, flip the tater tots using tongs to ensure even crispiness on both sides.

6. Check for Doneness

After the cooking time is up, check to see if the bacon is fully cooked and crispy. If you like your bacon extra crispy, you can cook the tater tots for an additional 2-3 minutes.

7. Serve and Enjoy!

Once done, remove the bacon-wrapped tater tots from the air fryer and allow them to cool for a couple of minutes. Serve them immediately with your favorite dipping sauce, such as ranch, barbecue sauce, or a spicy mayo.

Tips for Perfect Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots

Don’t Overcrowd the Basket: Give the tater tots enough space to crisp up properly. Overcrowding can cause them to cook unevenly.
Use Thick-Cut Bacon: Thick-cut bacon will provide more structure and a meatier bite, making the bacon wrapper even more delicious.
Try Different Dips: Bacon-wrapped tater tots pair wonderfully with a variety of dipping sauces. Get creative and try everything from blue cheese dressing to a sweet and spicy sriracha ketchup combo.
Experiment with Seasonings: Mix up your seasoning for different flavors. Try adding smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, or onion powder to give the tater tots an extra kick.

Variations of Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots

While the classic version is fantastic, you can easily make this recipe your own by experimenting with some fun variations:

Cheese Stuffed Tater Tots: Before wrapping the tater tots in bacon, stuff them with a small cube of cheese. This creates a gooey, cheesy center that’s irresistible.
Maple Bacon: For a sweet and savory twist, drizzle some maple syrup over the bacon before wrapping it around the tater tots. This gives the bacon a caramelized sweetness.
Buffalo Style: Toss the finished bacon-wrapped tater tots in buffalo sauce for a spicy, tangy kick.

Conclusion

Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots are the perfect combination of crispy, savory, and delicious. Whether you’re hosting a party, preparing a snack for yourself, or feeding a crowd, this recipe is sure to impress. The air fryer makes the process quick, easy, and healthier, while still delivering that crispy, golden finish that everyone loves.

So, next time you’re looking for a fun and easy appetizer or snack, give these bacon-wrapped tater tots a try. With just a few ingredients and minimal effort, you’ll have a tasty treat that’s perfect for any occasion. Happy cooking!