I stole this recipe for Homemade Baked Potato Tots from a cookbook called Valerie’s Home Cooking. Making homemade tots is actually easy to do and you can season them anyway you want unlike the frozen tots. Potatoes are boiled and grated into a large bowl to start this recipe. An egg, flour, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder and salt are mixed in next. The potato mixture is formed into tots and baked until golden brown. These tots pair great with Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes or Slow Cooker Texas Pulled Pork and are another great way to enjoy potatoes.
“I like French Fries; I like mashed. I love potatoes.” – Mary J. Blige, American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress (see more quotes in the Quotes tab)
Combine 4 russet potatoes that have been peeled and halved with 2 tbsp salt in a large saucepan. Add water to cover the potatoes and bring to a boil over high. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until potatoes are tender when pierces with a fork for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and cool, 20 to 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease. Finely shred the potatoes with a box grater.
Stir together the potatoes and 1 lightly beaten egg in a medium bowl. Add ½ cup flour and stir to combine. Stir in ¾ tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder and 2 tbsp salt.
Form the potato mixture into about 84 (1 ¼ inch long) cylinders and place on prepared baking sheet.
Bake until golden 20 to 25 minutes.
Sprinkle with salt when removing from oven. Serve as is or with ketchup if desired.
Homemade Baked Potato Tots
Making homemade tots is actually easy to do and you can season them anyway you want unlike the frozen tots. Potatoes are boiled and grated into a large bowl to start this recipe. An egg, flour, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder and salt are mixed in next. The potato mixture is formed into tots and baked until golden brown. These tots pair great with any sandwich and are another great way to enjoy potatoes.
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes about 3 lbs, peeled and halved lengthwise
- 2 tbsp plus 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- ½ cup AP flour
- ¾ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
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Combine the potatoes and 2 tbsp salt in a large saucepan. Add water to cover the potatoes and bring to a boil over high. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until potatoes are tender when pierces with a fork for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and cool, 20 to 30 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease. Finely shred the potatoes with a box grater. Stir together the potatoes and the egg in a medium bowl. Add the flour and stir to combine. Stir in cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder and 2 tbsp salt. Form the potato mixture into about 84 (1 ¼ inch long) cylinders and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden 20 to 25 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Cook the potatoes closer to 15 minutes; otherwise the tots are more like mashed potatoes. The shredded pieces will mash together when forming the cylinders. They still taste good, but you won’t get the traditional tater tot texture. I used a spoon to form the cylinders and my yield was only 46 pieces. Turn tots over halfway through cooking so both sides brown.