Crispy tater tots loaded with melty cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, green onions and sour cream. The tots are grilled right on the grill in a cast iron skillet which gives them a nice crisp and also adds a little smoky flavor. Every bite features all of your favorite toppings that go perfect with a loaded baked potato.
This recipe is an excellent appetizer or side dish to have at any barbecue around Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day weekend. These crispy tots are also excellent to make as a game day appetizer on football Sunday or add to your menu for the big game. They are great to serve family style and will be a favorite for every tater tot fan.
This was inspired by my Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers on this site, and pairs well with this Smashburger recipe.
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Ingredients
- frozen tater tots
- cheddar cheese
- bacon
- green onions
- sour cream
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Place the frozen tots in a cast iron skillet in a single layer. Place on the grill on medium heat and close the grill lid. Allow the tater tots to bake on the grill for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
Add the shredded cheddar cheese on top of the tater tots. Close the lid and bake another 5-7 minutes until the cheese is melted. Remove from the grill.
Cook the bacon on a griddle until crisp. Remove from griddle and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain grease. Chop into small pieces. Chop the green onions.
Spread the bacon and green onions evenly on top of the tater tots. Top with sour cream. Serve with a side of sour cream.
Hint: place the tater tots in a circle on the cast iron skillet to fit as many tater tots as possible. It takes some time but does allow you to fit as many tater tots as physically possible.
Substitutions
- Dairy Free - use vegan free and dairy free sour cream to make this recipe dairy free
- Tater tots - use french fries or hash browns for a similar flavor profile if tater tots are not available.
- Vegetarian - omit the bacon for a vegetarian option
Variations
- BBQ - add BBQ sauce instead of sour cream for a BBQ version. Add some BBQ seasoning to the tater tots for extra BBQ flavor
- Chicken Bacon Ranch - add shredded chicken and ranch dressing, the rest of the ingredients can stay the same but the sour cream can be removed and replaced with the ranch
- Nachos Tater Tots - top with salsa, ground beef cooked in taco seasoning, guacamole, corn, jalapenos and cheddar for a nachos version. A cheese sauce can also be made to add to these rather than just using cheddar
- Loaded Tater Tot Skewers - grill the tater tots on a skewer and add the toppings at the end
Equipment
To make this recipe a cast iron skillet and gas grill or flat top griddle are needed to cook the tater tots. If shredding the cheddar a cheese grater is needed. A griddle or frying pan is needed to fry the bacon. Use a sharp knife and cutting board to cut the bacon and green onions.
Storage of Loaded Tater Tots Recipe
Store loaded tater tots in an airtight container or in a container covered with aluminum foil in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Store the sour cream separately.
These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing once cooked.
Directions to Bake the Loaded Tater Tot Appetizer in the Oven
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake the loaded tots about 8-10 minutes on a baking sheet or in a cast iron skillet. Remove from the oven and add the cheese. Bake another 3-5 minutes until the cheese melts. Remove from the oven and spread the bacon, green onions and sour cream.
Top tip
Shred a block of cheddar cheese with a cheese grater rather than purchasing it already shredded. This will assure the cheese will melt evenly. It is suggested to always purchase a block of cheese and shred it manually when melting the cheese.
FAQ
You can use a large baking sheet to make these loaded tots. The baking sheet can be placed on the grill. An aluminum pan can also be used as a disposable option.
This is the perfect game day appetizer. It is also great to serve at a summer barbecue or as an appetizer at a party. It can also be a fun weeknight dinner option. It is also a great snack to make for movie night or as an after school snack.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with these Loaded Tater Tots:
Recipe
Grilled Loaded Tater Tots
Equipment
- 1 Gas Grill
- 1 Griddle
- 1 Cast Iron Skillet
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- 4 cups frozen tater tots
- 1 cup cheddar shredded
- ½ cup bacon chopped
- ⅓ cup green onions chopped
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Place the frozen tots in a cast iron skillet in a single layer. Place on the grill on medium heat and close the grill lid. Allow the tater tots to bake on the grill for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
- Add the shredded cheddar cheese on top of the tater tots. Close the lid and bake another 5-7 minutes until the cheese is melted. Remove from the grill.
- Cook the bacon on a griddle until crisp. Remove from griddle and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain grease. Chop into small pieces. Chop the green onions.
- Spread the bacon and green onions evenly on top of the tater tots. Top with sour cream. Serve with a side of sour cream.
Notes
- to bake inside, bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes while adding the cheese for the last 5-7 minutes.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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Alicia says
One of my favorites! We love making this recipe. It’s one of our two year olds favorite!
mothergriller says
thank you! so happy to hear you enjoyed it!