For Truly Crispy Tater Tots, Ignore The Instructions On The Package

There's really nothing like biting into a good tot, with the major differentiator being its level of crispiness. In fact, reading through our taste tester's ranking of 7 tater tot brands, you'll find the words "crisp" and "crispiness" referred to consistently throughout — with Aldi's brand receiving extra points for delivering a "little crispy crackle" with each bite, ultimately leading our taste tester to name them the absolute best frozen tater tots you can get.

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But no matter what brand you buy, your store-bought tots will never get a fair chance if you follow the instructions on the package. In all actuality, the best thing you can do for them is to ignore the step-by-step guide printed on the bag. Any experienced at-home tot eater will tell you that the guides on the bag hardly allot enough time to get them good and crispy. Cooked from frozen, what you usually get is a tot that's been fully de-thawed and cooked through — far from guaranteeing that oh-so satisfying crunching sound that makes your ears (and your taste receptors) sing.

For a truly crispy serving of tater tots, you're going to want to do one of two things: either crank up the heat in your oven or cook them longer. For even more promising results, you can do both. But what you're really doing here is ignoring the instructions and cooking with your eyes, waiting just enough time for those tots to develop the ideal shade of golden brown.

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Cook times will vary from brand to brand

There are a variety of different frozen tater tots to choose from when you're shopping at the store, and while our taste tester's consider Aldi's to be the best, everyone has their own preferences. In my house, I keep a bag of trusty Ore-Idas in the freezer. The bag recommends anywhere from 28-32 minutes — but I know better than that. By now, I've come to expect to have them in the oven for closer to 40 minutes.

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Some brands might even take an hour, and you really won't know until they're done. The best and most consistent rule to follow is to set your oven to the recommended temperature and cook them an extra five minutes. When you pull them out, check for color (and maybe even sneak a bite). If your gut says they need more time, leave them in for another five, and repeat.

Sometimes, to speed up the time it takes to crisp up my tater tots in the oven, I'll pop whatever pan I'm using in while the oven is preheating (a trick that also comes in handy with roasted veggies). This ensures that the tater tots' exteriors start cooking instantly, but you're going to want to keep an extra close eye on them. Make sure you check on them about halfway between the recommended cook time on the bag to give them a toss to reduce sticking and ensure all sides get their browning moment.

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