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Craving something crispy, cheesy, filled with flavor and perfect for parties? Let me introduce you to my Loaded Tater Tots Appetizer recipe! Everyone will love enjoying delicious handheld cups of crunchy tots that are filled with classic toppings like sour cream, bacon bits, and chives. Or, get creative and try your favorite sauces and extra goodies on these yummy baked snacks!
Seeing Tater Tots in a New Light
“Gimme your tots!” Do you remember that famous phrase from the movie Napoleon Dynamite? Well, tater tots have certainly come a long way from being just a last-minute freezer-to-oven side dish. They are now super trendy for making lots of creative munchies and meals!
This Loaded Tater Tots Appetizer recipe uses tater tots as the edible base for a heavenly, tasty trio: cheese, bacon bits, and sour cream. How does that all sound?
These are similar to classic loaded potato skins, but are far easier to make and, in my opinion, much tastier to enjoy. They are crunchy, cheesy, and tangy; perfect for a game night party appetizer or as a quick afternoon snack.
To be sure, tater tots won’t be on any healthy foods list. But, hey, that’s ok! Sometime you simply need an indulgent, delicious, comforting and satisfying snack. So, go ahead and splurge with this Loaded Tater Tots Appetizer dish.
What Ingredients are in Loaded Tater Tots
This incredibly easy appetizer is made with only a handful of simple ingredients. Here is everything you need:
- Frozen tater tots
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Cooked bacon
- Green onions
Other suggestions for toppings you can try are zesty hot sauce or salsa, ranch dressing, and crispy french fried onions. You can also substitute the sour cream with Greek yogurt for a “healthier” tater tots appetizer, if you like.
How to Make My Loaded Tater Tots Appetizer
Although there are a number of steps in the prep of this dish, they are really easy to make. In fact, this would be a good food activity to have kids help with. And, they’re sure to love the results!
The number of tots you place in each muffin tin depends on the size of the muffin pan you’re using. In the pictures here I used a regular-sized muffin pan, so I added 4 tater tots each. The complete recipe below also includes instructions for using mini-muffin sized pans.
To make my Loaded Tater Tots Appetizer, first spray your muffin tin with nonstick spray. Then add a few tots to each well, and bake the frozen tater tots in the oven. Let cool before moving on to the next step.
Depending on the size of your muffin tin, use a shot glass, small juice glass, or measuring cup to make the tater tot cups by gently pressing into the cooked tots. I used a small Duralex juice glass to create deep impressions in each group of tater tots.
The photo below shows you how to create the tater tot cups.
TIP: You only want a small gap between the glass and muffin tin opening. Twist until the edges are close to the top of the muffin tin opening.
Bake again for a few minutes until crispy. Then it’s time to fill the tater tots cups with cheese!
Add grated or shredded cheese to each tater tot cup. I used a small melon baller to measure and add the cheese to the cups.
Bake again for just a couple of minutes until these cheese is melted, and your appetizers are almost done!
See Below for the Full Loaded Tater Tots Appetizer Recipe!
Lastly, top the cheese with chopped bacon bits, sour cream, sliced green onions or chopped chives. Get creative and add Tabasco sauce, a drizzle of ranch dressing and/or BBQ sauce, taco sauce, or diced tomato. What other toppings would you love to try? Leave a comment with your favorite ideas.
These loaded tater tots are so yummy! Be sure to make enough though for each person to have plenty, because they will definitely go quickly.
Get the Best Appetizer Recipe Here:
Loaded Tater Tots Appetizer
Equipment
- Muffin pan, regular or mini sized
Ingredients
- 48-60 frozen tater tots (16-oz bag)
- 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 green onions, sliced (green part only)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450ºF. Spray muffin pan cups with cooking spray.
- For mini-sized muffin pan: Place 2-3 tater tots in each muffin cup.
- For regular sized muffin pan: Place 4-5 tater tots in each muffin cup.
- Place on bottom oven rack and bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Spray bottom of shot glass or small juice glass with cooking spray. Use it (in twisting motion) to press tater tots in each muffin cup to make potato cup. Return to oven; bake additional 15 minutes or until deep golden brown.
- Add 1 Tablespoon of cheese to each potato cups. Bake 4-5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Transfer to platter and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Add sour cream, bacon, and green onion to each tater tot cup. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
For more Simple, easy appetizers, check out these recipes:
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These look incredible! What a great appetizer!
Thanks! We will be nibbling on them for Super Bowl.
can you make these ahead of time and reheat?
I haven’t done so, but I’m sure you could. When reheating in the oven, I would cover them with foil to allow them to reheat without burning. Let me know how they reheat.
I made these for Christmas Eve and everyone, including my picky husband, loved them. I made 48 of them in mini cups and they were the perfect two bite finger food. I baked the cheese on them and set out little dishes with sour cream, green onions and bacon bits. The few that were left reheated well and they were even good cold. This will be a standard. Sorry I didn’t take a picture.
They’re always a hit in our family, too! I’m so glad your family loved them, too. Happy New Year!!