Food Recipes Side Dishes Spiced Sweet Potato Tater Tots Are the Ultimate Fall Snack Be the first to rate & review! These crispy, gently spiced sweet potato tots are our new favorite snack. By Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto Anna Theoktisto is a recipe tester and developer. Anna has been working in Dotdash Meredith test kitchens since 2017, and her recipes and writing have appeared in over 10 nationally distributed print publications, as well as on various digital platforms. When not in the kitchen, Anna enjoys hiking with her son, husband, and two dogs, and fostering puppies for a local animal rescue group. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 30, 2023 Tested by Catherine Jessee Tested by Catherine Jessee Catherine Jessee is a Test Kitchen Assistant in the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios. She has tested recipes for brands including All Recipes, Eating Well, Food & Wine, Real Simple, People, and Southern Living. Prior to joining the Food Studios, she accumulated 3 years of experience cooking in restaurants. Meet the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Rate Print Share Photo: Carson Downing / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Gabriel Greco Active Time: 40 mins Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Yield: 4 servings Fry up these homemade sweet potato tater tots and serve them as an appetizer or side dish with mustard or aïoli. Frequently asked questions How do you make tater tots? These homemade tater tots are easy to make. Simply par-boil the potato, then grate it and mix it with spices including cumin and smoked paprika. Freezing the tots before frying them helps them hold their shape. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen We tested several ways to cook the sweet potatoes, and found parboiling them to work best. It softens the exterior while the inside remains raw. This gives you a nice bit of texture when you grate the potatoes, and also helps bind the mixture together so the tater tots hold their shape when fried. Ingredients 1 large (16-ounce) sweet potato, halved lengthwise 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for frying Flaky sea salt, for serving Directions Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high. Add sweet potato halves to boiling water and cook until sweet potato is tender on just the outside layer and the inside is still very firm, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl of ice water to cool, about 5 minutes. When sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, pat dry and remove skin. Using the largest holes of a box grater, grate sweet potatoes and transfer to a large bowl (you should have about 3 cups grated sweet potato). Stir in cornstarch, salt, paprika, garlic powder, pepper, cumin, and 1 tablespoon oil until just combined. Divide mixture into 16 balls each measuring about 2 tablespoons, and form each ball into a small log. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Fill a large Dutch oven with oil to a depth of 2 inches, and heat over medium-high until a thermometer registers 325°F. Working in 4 batches, fry tater tots until golden brown and crispy, turning occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat process 3 times with remaining tater tots. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt before serving. Rate It Print