These Bacon Cheddar Tater Tot Bites are a delicious, bite-sized appetizer packed with flavor. Crispy, golden tater tots are topped with bacon and sharp white cheddar cheese, then baked until bubbly and golden. I know these won’t last long when I serve them at any gathering—whether it’s a game day, party, or just a casual snack! If you want to continue to take your tater tot game to the next level, you have got to try my Loaded Tater Tot Nachos (Totchos), too!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Tater Tots: Look for a 32-ounce bag of frozen seasoned tater tots. Cook them according to the package instructions before using them in this tater tot recipe. Unseasoned tater tots would work fine, too!
- Cheese: Sharp white cheddar cheese works perfectly in these Bacon Cheddar Tater Tot Bites. It has a bold flavor that stands out, which is exactly what I wanted—I didn’t want the cheese to get lost in the bites.
- Bacon: I like using thick-cut bacon in recipes like this because it adds more substance and flavor. Check out my easy method for how to bake bacon—you’ll get perfectly crispy strips every time, with minimal clean-up! Regular bacon or turkey bacon would also be good options.
- Ranch Dressing: Although optional, I loved the tater tot bites with a little drizzle of ranch dressing. But they are delicious without it, too! Once you taste my homemade ranch, you will want to use it on so many more foods, too!
Do I Have To Use Sharp White Cheddar?
Nope! Any shredded cheese works for these tater tot bites. In fact, we tested the recipe with Havarti and a mix of Havarti and white cheddar. The taste testers loved the flavor of the white cheddar, so we went with it. However, yellow cheddar, pepper jack, or a Mexican blend would be delicious for different flavors.
Can I Make Bacon Cheddar Tater Tot Bites Ahead Of Time?
Yes, you can make Bacon Cheddar Tater Tot Bites ahead of time! Just follow the steps to put everything together in the muffin tin. Then, cover the tin and put it in the refrigerator for a few hours (up to 4-6 hours) before baking. When ready to serve, bake them until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Wait to add the ranch dressing and chives until after baking.
Can I Make Bacon Cheddar Tater Tot Bites In An Air Fryer?
Yes, you can make bacon cheddar tater tot bites in an air fryer. Use silicone muffin cups or oven-safe ramekins that fit your air fryer (since most muffin tins won’t fit in an air fryer), and cook at 375°F for 5–8 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
How To Store & Reheat Bacon Cheddar Tater Tot Bites
Once the tater tot bites are baked and cooled, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the tater tot appetizers in the oven or air fryer to keep the crispy texture. You can use a microwave, but the tater tots won’t be as crispy. (They will still be delicious, though!)
Can I Freeze Tater Tot Bites?
Yes, you can freeze these tater tot bites (although they are best when served fresh). If freezing the bacon cheddar tater tot bites, first, let them cool completely. Next, store them in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to a month. Reheat them in the oven or air fryer. This is a good option if you want to prep ahead.
Bacon Cheddar Tater Tot Bites
Ingredients
- 1 bag (32 ounces) frozen seasoned tater tots, cooked crispy according to package instructions
- 2 cups (226 g) sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
- 8 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
- ranch dressing, for drizzling
- fresh chives, finely chopped
Instructions
- Cook the tater tots according to the package instructions. Once cooked, set the oven temperature to 400°F. Lightly spray a 12-cup standard muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese into the bottom of each muffin cup, reserving the remaining cheese for topping.
- Place 8-9 crispy tater tots in each muffin cup, arranging them into a clustered base. (Gently press if needed.)
- Top each cluster with an even amount of crumbled bacon and cheese.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown around the edges.
- Remove from oven and let cool slightly in the tin for about 5 minutes.
- Carefully lift out clusters with a spoon or offset spatula and transfer to a serving platter.
- Drizzle each cluster with ranch dressing and sprinkle with chopped chives.
- Serve warm, with extra ranch dressing on the side for dipping.
Did you make this recipe?
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
I love these tater tot bites! They are fun to eat and bring some life to regular tots!
Elizabeth
What a neat and tasty idea! I love that the cheese stands out. And, I liked them with or without the ranch dressing.
Annabelle
These are easy to make and super tasty! I went back for another one.
Bella
These are crispy, cheesy, and I love the ranch on top!
Stephanie
I could eat a few of these! I loved them.
J