Loaded Tater Tot Cups
Loaded Tater Tot Cups are a fun version of potato skins- golden, crispy tater tots with melty cheese, savory bacon pieces, a dab of sour cream and green onions!
A FUN COMFORT FOOD RECIPE
If it is one thing my family knows for sure about me, it’s that I love tater tots. I don’t know why we tend to reserve them for kids but adults love them too! They’re just little shredded potatoes smushed together, what’s not to love?! These Loaded Tater Tot Cups are a fun snack or appetizer. Heck, I will eat them as a main meal with a little side salad. You do what you want, it’s your rules and your house, right? These taste like a potato skin but without all the work!
So good without the hassle of prepping the potatoes. Quick, simple and so good!
– Bryce
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Make sure to grease the muffin tin thoroughly with cooking spray, oil, or butter to prevent the tater tots from sticking when you smash them or remove them after baking. If you don’t grease the pan, the tots will stick. Also, they’ll be easier to remove from the tin if you let the tater-tot cups cool for a minute or two after the final bake so they can firm up. Alternatively, you can use silicone muffin molds for easier release.
Add just enough tots to each muffin cup to create a compact layer without spilling over when smashed. Use your best judgment when layering them inside of the well. I found that about 6 tots per standard muffin well worked for me.
Bake the tots until they’re soft enough to smash but not fully cooked. Overbaking in the first round may result in overly crispy edges that crumble when smashed unless you like it super crispy then in that case, it’s totally fine if they get extra crispy.
Use the back of a small glass or spoon to press gently. I have one of those little drink muddlers, it worked perfect for this. Apply even pressure to avoid breaking the edges.
Yes! You can pre-bake and smash the tater tots earlier in the day, then add cheese and bacon and do the final bake right before serving.
You can customize these with different toppings like jalapeños, diced tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, ranch dressing, or different cheese blends. For a unique twist, try pulled pork or chili as a topping.
These are best served hot and fresh for optimal crispness and melty cheese. Store leftover cups in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Reheat any leftovers in the oven or an air fryer to restore crispiness rather than using a microwave, which can make them soggy. Use the oven at 375°F or use an Air Fryer for 3–5 minutes to restore crispiness.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- rozen tater tots – you do not need to thaw them first.
- block cheddar cheese– cut into ½” squares. If you don’t have a block of cheese, you could use shredded cheese instead. Additionally, you could swap out the cheddar for Monterey Jack, pepper jack, or gouda.
- bacon pieces– I used the store-bought bagged real bacon pieces. Check your grocery store where the rest of the salad items are kept to find them, or you can cook and crumble about a ½ pound of bacon if you would rather do that.
- garlic powder
- ranch seasoning– you can grab a packet at the store, make your own Ranch Seasoning, or omit the ranch and just use salt and pepper instead. This is a simple recipe to customize.
- sour cream– If you want a twist, use ranch dressing or Greek yogurt as a topping instead of sour cream or don’t use it at all if you don’t like sour cream. My husband likes it with ketchup so to each his own.
- green onions – you could also use chives.
HOW TO MAKE LOADED TATER TOT CUPS
Preheat the oven to 425F degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non stick cooking spray. Add 6 tater tots into each muffin cup. Sprinkle a little garlic powder and ranch seasoning. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until they are soft enough to smash.
Using the back of a spoon or a small glass, gently press down on the tater tots to create a cup.
Add 2 cubed pieces of cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon to each tater tot cup.
Return the muffin tin to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the tater tot boats from the muffin tin, and top each with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of green onions.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
- Tater Tot Nachos (Tachos)
- Tater Tot Casserole
- Tater Tot Enchilada Bake
- Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
- Shepherd’s Pie Tater Tot Casserole
- Tater Tot Chicken Pot Pie
- Crock Pot Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
- Jalapeno Popper Tater Tot Casserole
- Air Fryer Potato Skins
Loaded Tater Tot Cups (+Video)
Ingredients
- 32 ounce bag frozen tater tots
- 8 ounce block cheddar cheese, cut into ½ inch squares
- 1 cup bacon pieces
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ranch seasoning
For topping:
- sour cream
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non stick cooking spray.
- Add 6 tater tots into each muffin cup. Sprinkle a little garlic powder and ranch seasoning over all the tater tots.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until they are soft enough to smash.
- Using the back of a spoon or a small glass, gently press down on the tater tots to create a cup.
- Add 2 cubed pieces of cheddar cheese and a few crumbled bacon pieces to each tater tot cup.
- Return the muffin tin to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Carefully remove the tater tot cups from the muffin tin, and top each with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of green onions.
Video
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
can these be made ahead of time and then reheated of course without sour cream when reheating?
can you use shredded cheese instead of cubes?
Have you ever used 3
Tatertots and used the small
Cupcake tins!
I haven’t no but I’d love to know how it goes if you decide to experiment!
So good without the hassle of prepping the potatoes. Quick, simple and so good!
Can the finished loaded tater tot cups be frozen?
You should be able to 🙂