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If you haven’t eaten a fresh, hot, golden batch of crispy tater tots lately, let me refresh your memory: they are delicious. While the frozen ones in the red bag are fine, today’s homemade tater tots are even better!

Unlike traditional fried tater tots, these healthy tater tots are baked in the oven, not a deep fryer. That means fewer calories on your plate and more tots in your stomach.These are not regular tater tots. These are tater tots with cheese and bacon—plus a sprinkle of chives for good measure. (They remind me of miniature loaded baked potatoes and this Loaded Baked Potato Dip.)They’re fun and easy to make. Simply scoop and press into a mini muffin tin, and you’re done! No meticulous shaping by hand is required.

Whether you need a crowd-pleasing appetizer or a side dish to convince your picky eaters to eat their veggies, these better-for-you tater tots will hit the spot. (These Zucchini Fries are another delicious option.)

How to Make Tater Tots in the Oven

This easy, oven-baked recipe doesn’t require mashing, piping, or frying. All you need is a bowl, mini muffin tin, and a few simple ingredients you likely already have on hand.

The Ingredients

Russet Potatoes. Often given a bad rap for being starch-heavy and carbohydrate-loaded, potatoes are actually a nutrient-dense food packed with protein, fiber, and vitamins, such as vitamin C and vitamin B6.

Olive Oil. To help keep the tater tots’ interiors moist.All-Purpose Flour. Helps bind the potatoes, so the tater tots hold their shape and don’t fall apart after baking.

Garlic Powder, Salt, and Black Pepper. Seasoning is key for the best tater tots taste. Bacon. Baked versions of fried foods often lose their indulgent appeal. That’s not the case here. Crispy bacon gives these baked tots all the savory richness they need to still feel like a special treat.

Cheese. Go for a full-flavor, melting cheese. Sharp cheddar is my personal favorite.

Chives. For a final flourish of color, freshness, and flavor.

Greek Yogurt. I like to serve my tots with plain non-fat Greek yogurt, which is tangy like sour cream, but high in protein and low in fat.

The Directions

Storage Tips

To Store. Leftover tater tots can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.To Reheat. Warm gently in a 350-degree F oven until heated through and crispy.To Freeze. Fully baked tater tots can be frozen for up to 1 month. To freeze, arrange the baked tater tots on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer until they harden, then transfer to a ziptop bag. Reheat frozen tots directly from the freezer as directed above. DO NOT THAW.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Mini Muffin Pan. Not just for Brownie Bites, this muffin pan brand has been my favorite for years.Small Cookie Scoop. Making scooping uniform amounts of the potato mixture a breeze.Box Grater. For shredding the potatoes with ease (a microplane also works).

I promise that these better-for-you tater tots in the oven will far surpass anything from a frozen bag!

Cajun Tater Tots. Spice up your tater tots! Swap in one teaspoon of Cajun seasoning and either reduce or omit the added salt from the recipe.Garlic Black Pepper Tater Tots. A favorite in our household. Double the amount of pepper to one teaspoon and use fresh minced garlic instead of garlic powder.Hash Brown Tots. Serve these at brunch in place of hash browns. Instead of ketchup, include a side of my delicious Homemade BBQ Sauce. (You can also try my Sweet Potato Hash Browns.)Tater Tots and Eggs. Top your tater tots with Eggs (poached or fried) and serve them for a rib-sticking breakfast.